Which categories are commonly used as methods for investigating organizational behavior?

• A. Experimental, Correlational, Observational.
• B. Qualitative analysis, financial modeling, and risk assessment.
• C. Case studies, simulations, and audits.
• D. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups.

Answer: (A)

In organizational behavior research, studies are commonly categorized by design into experimental, correlational, and observational approaches. An experimental design involves manipulating one variable to see its effect on another, which helps establish cause-and-effect relationships under controlled conditions. A correlational design looks at how variables relate to one another, showing strength and direction of associations but not proving causation. An observational design involves watching and recording how people behave in real settings without manipulation, capturing natural dynamics and context. Together, these designs cover how researchers test causal ideas, explore relationships, and understand behavior in real organizational environments.

The other options mix techniques and activities that aren’t the broad research design categories used to frame OB investigations. For example, qualitative analysis, financial modeling, and risk assessment are specific techniques or business tasks rather than overarching study designs. Case studies, simulations, and audits combine approaches and purposes, but audits aren’t a standard research-design category for studying OB. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups are common data collection methods, but they don’t by themselves define the high-level design framework.