Mathematically, a sampling design is denoted by the function
is the total number of elements in the sample
is the total number of elements in the population (before sampling commenced).
In business research, companies must often generate samples of customers, clients, employees, and so forth to gather their opinions.
Sample design is also a critical component of marketing research and employee research for many organizations.
During sample design, firms must answer questions such as: These issues require very careful consideration, and good commentaries are provided in several sources.