Qualitative Research Techniques PDF

Qualitative Research Techniques Categories of Research Quantitative research: research involving the use of structured questions in which response options have been predetermined and a large number of respondents involved - Quantitative research often involves a sizable representative sample of the...

Qualitative Research Techniques Categories of Research Quantitative research: research involving the use of structured questions in which response options have been predetermined and a large number of respondents involved - Quantitative research often involves a sizable representative sample of the population and a formalized procedure for gathering data. - The purpose of quantitative research is specific, and this research is used when the manager and researcher have agreed on the precise information that is needed. - Data format and sources are clear and well defined, and the compilation and formatting of the data gathered follow an orderly procedure that is largely numerical in nature. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Categories of Research Qualitative research: research involving collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say - Observations and statements are free form or nonstandardized because questions and observations are open ended. - Qualitative research techniques afford rich insight into consumer behavior. – Thick data is a term used to emphasize the importance of gaining qualitative insights of phenomena to complement the quantitative knowledge provided by big data. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Categories of Research Mixed method research: integration of both quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to gain the advantages of both - It is often said that quantitative data provide the “what,” and qualitative data provide the “why. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Categories of Research Three types of mixed methods research include: - qualitative before quantitative - The qualitative phase can serve as a foundation for the quantitative phase of the research project because it provides the researcher with firsthand knowledge of the research problem. - Researcher’s design and execution of the quantitative phase are invariably superior to what they might have been without the qualitative phase. - quantitative before qualitative - A qualitative phase is applied after a quantitative study to help the researcher understand the findings in the quantitative phase. - Ex: after getting the results of a survey, a company might convene focus groups to gain a greater understanding of the survey findings. - qualitative and quantitative concurrently - In recent years, qualitative and quantitative research have begun to be conducted concurrently in order to provide complementary results. - Researchers have found that each type of research can provide different insights to a phenomenon, with the integration of quantitative and qualitative data yielding a richer understanding. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Observation methods: techniques in which phenomena of interest involving people, objects, and/or activities are systematically observed and documented. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Types of observation: – Direct versus indirect – Overt versus covert – Structured versus unstructured – In situ versus invented Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Direct observation: observing behavior as it occurs Indirect observation: observing the effects or results of the behavior rather than the behavior itself – Archives: secondary sources, such as historical records, that can be applied to the present problem – Physical traces: tangible evidence of some past event Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Covert observation: subject is unaware that he or she is being observed (mystery shopping) - The aim of this approach is to observe typical behaviors; if the subjects were aware that they were being watched, they might change their behavior, resulting in observations of atypical behavior. Overt observation: respondent is aware of observation (Nielsen’s People Meters to monitor media to which a consumer is exposed) Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Structured – researcher identifies beforehand which behaviors are to be observed and recorded. Often there is a checklist. All other behaviors are ignored. Unstructured – all behavior is observed and the observer determines what is to be recorded (with no predetermined restrictions). The observer watches the situation and records what he or she deems interesting or relevant. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques In situ observation: the researcher observes the behavior exactly as it happens Invented observation: the researcher creates a simulated situation Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Appropriate conditions for use of observation: Short time interval …event must begin and end in a reasonably short time. You cannot “observe” a process of purchasing that lasts months. Public behavior …cannot observe private behaviors. Faulty recall conditions …behaviors are so “automatic” that consumer cannot recall them. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Advantages of observational data Insight into actual, not reported, behaviors No chance for recall error Better accuracy Less costly Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Observation Techniques Limitations of observational data Small number of subjects Subjective interpretations Inability to pry beneath the behavior observed Motivations, attitudes, and other internal conditions are unobserved Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Focus Groups Focus groups are small groups of people brought together and guided by a moderator through an unstructured, spontaneous discussion for the purpose of gaining information relevant to the research problem. Information from focus groups can be used to generate ideas, to learn the respondents’ “vocabulary” when relating to a product, or to gain some insight into basic consumer needs and attitudes. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Types of Focus Groups Traditional focus group: Select 6 to 12 persons and meet in a dedicated room with one-way mirror for client viewing. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved How a Focus Group Works Moderator: responsible for creating the correct atmosphere in the group and guiding discussion - Good moderators have excellent observation, interpersonal, and communication skills, which allow them to recognize and overcome threats to a productive group discussion. - They must be able to tactfully encourage quieter participants to open up and give their opinions, while making sure that no one participant dominates the group. - The best moderators are experienced, enthusiastic, prepared, involved, energetic, and open-minded. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved How a Focus Group Works Focus group report: summarizes the information provided by the focus group participants relative to the research questions Two factors are crucial when analyzing the data. - Some sense must be made by translating the statements of participants into categories or themes, and then reporting the degree of consensus apparent in the focus group. - The demographic and buyer behavior characteristics of focus group participants should be compared with the target market profile to assess to what degree the groups represent the target market Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Newer Focus Groups Online focus group: the respondents and/or clients communicate and/or observe by use of the Internet. Clients can observe the virtual chat. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Online Focus Groups Advantages: No physical setup is necessary Transcripts are captured on file in real time Participants can be in widely separated geographical areas Participants are comfortable in their home or office environments The moderator can exchange private messages with individual participants Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Online Focus Groups Disadvantages: Observation of participants’ body language is not possible Participants cannot physically inspect products or taste food items Participants can lose interest or become distracted Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Operational Aspects of Traditional Focus Groups How many people should be in a focus group? Who should be in the focus group? How many focus groups should be conducted? How should focus group participants be recruited and selected? Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Operational Aspects of Traditional Focus Groups Where should a focus group meet? When should the moderator become involved in the research project? How are focus group results reported and used? What other benefits do focus groups offer? Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Advantages of Focus Groups Can generate fresh ideas Allow clients to observe their participants May be directed at understanding a wide variety of issues Allow fairly easy access to special respondent groups Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Disadvantages of Focus Groups Representativeness of participants Dependence on the moderator Interpretation sometimes difficult Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved When Should Focus Groups Be Used? Focus groups should be used when the research objective is to describe rather than predict. – How do consumers describe a better package? – How would they describe their satisfaction with our service? – How could they describe their ideas for an ad campaign? Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved When Should Focus Groups Not Be Used? Focus groups should not be used when the research questions require a prediction or when a major decision affecting the company’s livelihood rests on the research results. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Some Objectives of Focus Groups To generate ideas To understand consumer vocabulary To reveal consumer goods, motives, perceptions, and attitudes about products or services To understand findings from quantitative studies Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Ethnographic Research Ethnographic research is a term borrowed from anthropology to describe a detailed, descriptive study of a group and its behavior, characteristics, culture, and so on. Ethnographic research is used in marketing to gain a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of consumers and their behavior by studying the behavior in situ over prolonged periods. Ethnography is particularly effective for studying trends, personal habits, lifestyle factors, and the effect of social and cultural context on consumption. Ethnographers pay close attention to the words, metaphors, symbols, and stories people use to explain their lives and communicate with one another. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Examples Shopalongs are a types of research in which a researcher accompanies a shopper (with permission) on a shopping trip and observes and records the shopper’s activities Mobile ethnography is a type of marketing research in which respondents document their own experiences through their mobile phones Netnography is the name for the ethnographic study of online activities. It is used to examine the online interactions of individuals and communities on the Internet, as well as the relationships between people and electronics. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Other Qualitative Techniques In-depth interview (IDI) is a set of probing questions posed one-on-one to a subject by a trained interviewer so as to gain an idea of what the subject thinks about something or why he or she behaves a certain way. Laddering attempts to discover how product attributes are associated with consumer values. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Other Qualitative Techniques Protocol analysis involves placing a person in a decision-making situation and asking him or her to verbalize everything he or she considers when making a decision. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Other Qualitative Techniques Projective techniques involve situations in which participants are placed in (projected into) simulated activities in the hopes that they will divulge things about themselves that they might not reveal under direct questioning Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Five Common Projective Techniques Word-association test involves reading words to a respondent who then answers with the first word that comes to mind. Sentence completion test: respondents are given incomplete sentences and asked to complete them in their own words. Picture test: a picture is provided to participants, who are instructed to describe their reactions by writing a short story about the picture. Cartoon or balloon test: a line drawing with an empty “balloon” above the head of one of the actors is provided to subjects who are instructed to write in the balloon what the actor is saying or thinking. Role-playing: participants are asked to pretend they are a “third person” such as a friend or neighbor, and to describe how they would act in a certain situation or react to a specific statement. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Neuromarketing Neuromarketing is the study of an individual’s involuntary responses to marketing stimuli, including eye movement, heart rate, skin conductance, breathing, and brain activity. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Example of Neuromarketing Neuroimaging, or viewing brain activity, may aid marketing researchers to better understand consumers’ unconscious emotions. Eye tracking is a technique for measuring eye positions and eye movement. Facial coding is a system that is used to measure universal expressions of emotions, such as happiness, sadness, fear, and surprise, by their appearance on faces. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Thematic Analysis Thematic analysis involves examining qualitative data to uncover themes or patterns which relate to the objectives of the research. A theme is a pattern that is found across data when conducting qualitative analysis that relates to the objectives of the research. A substantiating example is an example from qualitative data that provides evidence for a theme. A verbatim is a quote from a research participant that is used as a substantiating example of findings from qualitative research. Copyright © 2020, 2017, 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Project Outline Outline is due January 30th, 4:59PM Only one team member needs to submit Maximum 2 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins Provide a basic idea of your new product Discusses features of the product you will be conducting marketing research techniques on