Transcript Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research
Shamindra Nath Sanyal
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Two Research Types
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Quantitative research – Research that might be used
to find statistical differences between data.
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Qualitative research – Research whose findings are
not subject to quantification or quantitative analysis.
Typically used to examine feelings, attitudes and
motivations behind consumers.
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Qualitative Research: Definition
 ‘Qualitative Research…involves finding out what people
think, and how they feel - or at any rate, what they say
they think and how they say they feel. This kind of
information is subjective. It involves feelings and
impressions, rather than numbers’
(Bellenger, Bernhardt and Goldstucker, Qualitative Research in
Marketing, American Marketing Association)
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Qualitative Research: Introduction
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Qualitative Researchers study “things” (people and their
thoughts) in their natural settings, attempting to make sense
of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people
bring to them.
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Qualitative research involves the studied use and collection
of a variety of empirical materials - case study, personal
experience, introspective, life story, interview, observational,
historical, interactional, and visual texts-that describe routine
and problematic moments and meanings in individuals lives.
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Deploy a wide range of interconnected methods, hoping
always to get a better fix on the subject matter at hand.
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Qualitative Research: Introduction
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Is any research conducted using an observational technique
or unstructured questioning.
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Often viewed as a “Soft-approach.” Conducted:
– when structured research is not possible,
– when true response may not be available [embarrassing
“touchy questions”]
– to explain quantitative research results.
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Should not be viewed as conclusive research.
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Qualitative and quantitative research are complementary to
each other.
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Qualitative Research Techniques
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Individual ‘depth’ or ‘intensive’ interview
Focus-group discussion
Projective techniques
Observation method
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Individual ‘depth’ or ‘intensive’ interview
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Typically requires 30-45 minutes.
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The interviewer does not have a specific set
of pre-specified questionnaire.
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The respondent is given a chance to freely
express his ideas and thoughts.
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Individual ‘Depth’ or ‘Intensive’ Interview
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Durgee recommended three questioning
techniques for use in individual depth
interview.
 Laddering
 Hidden-issue
questioning
 Symbolic questioning
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Laddering Technique
Laddering involves to allow
respondents identify
characteristics that distinguish
brands.
e.g. “In what way Pepsi is
different from Coca Cola?”
And the process
goes on
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Each distinguishing
attribute is then
analyzed to
determine why it is
important to the
customers.
These reasons are then
analyzed to determine
why they are important
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Purpose of Laddering
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To uncover the “network of meanings”
associated with the product or service.
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Hidden-issue Questioning
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It focuses on individual respondent’s feelings about
sensitive issues, e.g. having a desire for affair.
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Analysis focuses on common themes across
respondents.
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These themes can then be used to guide advertising
development.
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Symbolic Questioning
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Respondents are to describe the opposites
of product/service of interest.
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It may be a specific attribute of the
product/service.
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Individual Depth Interview Areas
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When detailed probing of attitude, behavior is
required
For a very confidential subject matter
Emotional or embarrassing subject matter
When certain strong, socially acceptable norm exists
When detailed understanding of complicated
decision pattern is necessary
Interviews with professional people
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Limitations of In-depth Interview
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Skill of the interviewer is very critical
Respondents’ verbal and non-verbal
communications are to be followed very
carefully
Sample size must be small
Generalization of the entire population
cannot be done
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Focus Group Interview
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An interview conducted by a trained moderator in a nonstructured and natural manner with a small group of
respondents.
Group Size
Group composition
8-12
homogeneous in terms of demographic
and socio-economic characteristics,
Physical setting
Duration
Moderator
relaxed and informal
1-3 hrs.
Observational, interpersonal, good
communicator
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Objectives
● Generate new product or service ideas
● Understand consumer vocabulary
● Useful for ad campaigns
● Reveal consumer needs, motives, perceptions and
attitudes
● Generating future research objectives
● Facilitate understanding of the quantitative studies
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Applications
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Basic-needs studies for product idea creation
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New product idea creation
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Product positioning strategies
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Marketing communications research
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Steps
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Specify objectives categorically
State questions to be answered
Screen questions based on familiarity and knowledge of the
subject matter, usage behavior, attitude and participation in
focus groups and demographic characteristics
Develop the moderator’s outline – moderator must understand
the clients business, focus group objectives and how the
findings will be used in future.
Conduct the focus group interview.
Review recordings and analyze data
Summarize findings and plan follow-up research or action
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Advantages of Focus Group Interview
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Synergism: When a group of people with similar interest
discuss an issue together they are expected to produce a rich
insight, a wide range of information and innovative ideas than
will individual respondents obtain separately.
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Snowballing: In a group discussion one person’s comment sets
a chain reaction from other participants and generates more
views.
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Stimulation: Once the focus group discussion in on, general
level of interest over the topic increases, and a large no. of
respondents want to share their views and express their
feelings.
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Advantages of Focus Group Interview
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Security: Because of the homogeneity of composition, focus group
participants are expected to have similar feelings. This enables
them to feel comfortable to express their feelings.
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Spontaneity: Focus group participants are not required to answer
specific questions. Their responses can be spontaneous and
unconventional that reflect an accurate idea of their views.
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Speed: Because people discuss the issues spontaneously, the
speed of the total process becomes very high.
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Inexpensive: Considering the richness of the output, the total
process is relatively inexpensive for data collection.
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Disadvantages of Focus Group Interview
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Lack of representativeness: Since focus groups are not the
representatives of the general population, the result can not be
generalized and projected as the only basis for decision making.
Misjudgment: Compared to the other methods of data collection,
this method is susceptible to client and researcher biases and
thereby, misjudgment.
Misused: Focus groups can be misused considering the results as
conclusive rather than exploratory.
Moderation: Moderation quality is an important factor for
successful focus group interview results.
Difficult to Analyze: The unstructured nature of the responses of
the focus group makes the analysis and interpretation difficult
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Projective Techniques
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These are indirect interviewing methods which enable
respondents to project their ideas, beliefs and feelings to a
third-party or into some task situation.
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The researcher sets up a situation for the respondents asking
them to express their own views, or to complete/ interpret some
ambiguous situations presented to them.
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Generally used by the researcher when language barrier,
illiteracy among respondents, social barrier or psychological
barrier create difficulty.
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Projective Techniques: Types
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Various types. More common ones are:
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Free word association test
Sentence completion test
Unfinished scenario/story completion
Cartoon completion test
Picture interpretation (Thematic Appreciation Test)
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Observation
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Appropriate Conditions
– The event must occur in a short time interval
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avoid lag affect
Must occur in a setting where the researcher
can observe the behavior
● praying, cooking are not suitable things to observe
 Necessary under situations of faulty recall
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faulty recall>>remembering things such as how many
times one looked at his wristwatch
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Advantages of Observation
● Greater data accuracy than direct questioning, in natural settings
people behave naturally,
● Problems of refusal, not at home, false response, non-cooperation etc.
are absent,
● Does not rely on willingness of respondents to cooperate and supply
information
● No recall error,
● In some situations, only way
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Number of customers visiting a store
Studying children’s behavior
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Disadvantages of Observation
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Time consuming.
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Too many things to observe.
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May not be representative of the population.
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Difficulty in determining root cause of the behavior,
i.e. consumers’ beliefs, feelings, awareness etc.
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Classification of Observation
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Natural vs. Contrived observation
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Disguised vs. Undisguised observation
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Structured vs. Unstructured observation
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Human vs. Mechanical observation
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