The FPM Department at JIMS, Rohini, invited Dr Suresh Malodia, Associate Professor, MICA, Ahmedabad, to conduct a one-day workshop on ‘Experimental Research Design’, which was organised on 7 September 2026 at the campus. The session provided scholars with practical insights into designing, conducting, and evaluating experiments, with a strong focus on establishing causality and addressing real-world business and social problems.
Dr Suresh Malodia began by explaining the purpose of experimentation. He highlighted that an experiment should not merely measure a phenomenon but manipulate a variable to see whether it changes the dependent variable (DV). He emphasised that a good experiment should address a relevant business or social problem, establish a new mechanism, or generate meaningful new insights. He also explained the importance of controlling confounding variables so that the observed changes in the DV can be attributed to the manipulation.
Using examples from his research papers and ongoing projects on scarcity, woke branding, and therapeutic appropriation, Dr Malodia demonstrated how researchers can convert a theoretical construct into an effective experimental manipulation. He explained three important considerations: identifying a relevant independent variable (IV), developing an appropriate manipulation, and controlling potential confounding variables. He also discussed maintaining a similar baseline across samples, identifying possible confounds, and randomly assigning participants to experimental conditions.
The session also covered important experimental checks, including randomisation checks, pre-tests, and manipulation checks. Dr Malodia introduced AllocateMonster as a useful free tool for random allocation. He explained that pre-tests help establish whether the groups have a similar baseline, while manipulation checks determine whether the intended manipulation has worked effectively.
The workshop further introduced scholars to between-subjects and within-subjects experimental designs. Dr Malodia discussed the practical considerations involved in selecting an appropriate design and highlighted the challenges associated with within-subjects designs, particularly in terms of time and duration.
Another key learning from the session was the distinction between mediation and moderation. Dr Malodia clarified that these concepts cannot be used interchangeably. He explained that a mediator helps explain the mechanism through which an effect occurs, whereas a moderator influences the strength or direction of that relationship and acts as a catalyst.
Towards the end of the workshop, all the scholars participated in a hands-on activity in which they identified the IV, DV, mediator, and moderator relevant to their own research topics. This activity helped participants apply the concepts discussed during the session and translate theoretical understanding into practical research design.
Overall, the workshop provided scholars with a clear and practical understanding of experimental research, particularly in relation to manipulation, randomisation, control of confounding variables, experimental design, and mediation and moderation. The session equipped participants with useful approaches for designing more rigorous experiments and strengthening the causal interpretation of their research findings.