Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Marketing Research 2e by Hair, Lukas, Bush and Ortinau Slides prepared by Judy Rex 4-1 Chapter Four Select

Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill Pty LtdPPTs t/a Marketing Research 2e by Hair, Lukas, Bush and OrtinauSlides prepared by Judy Rex

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Chapter FourSelect the Research MethodExploratory Research Designs: Depth Interviews


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Learning ObjectivesIdentify the fundamental differences

between qualitative and quantitative research designs used in the collection of primary data and explain their appropriateness in creating useful managerial information.

Explain the basic pros and cons of using qualitative methods of data collection.

Explain and describe in-depth interviews.


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IntroductionIf secondary data sources are not sufficient, the

researcher must decide on the appropriate research design to generate primary data.

Need to consider the research objectives and specific data requirements.

Decide which research design best fits those objectives and requirements.

Choose either an exploratory, descriptive or causal research design.


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Introduction

Exploratory research design

Undertaken when objectives focus on gaining background

information, defining terms and establishing research priorities.

Exploratory research design

Undertaken when objectives focus on gaining background

information, defining terms and establishing research priorities.


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Quantitative Research

Research that places heavy emphasis on using formalised, standard questions and pre- determined response options in questionnaires administered to large numbers of respondents.

Descriptive and causal designs.


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Main Goals of Quantitative Research

1. To make accurate predictions about relationships;

2. Gain meaningful insights into these relationships;

3. Validate the existing relationships;

4. Test hypotheses. See exhibit 4.2


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Qualitative Research To gain preliminary insights to decision

problems and opportunities.

Qualitative research refers to selected research methods mostly in exploratory research designs.

Places heavy emphasis on open-ended, semi-structured and even unstructured questions in questionnaires or face-to-face interviews. See exhibit 4.3


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Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Qualitative Methods

Economical and timely data collection.

Richness of the data. Accuracy of recording

marketplace behaviors.

Preliminary insights into building models and scale measurements.

Lack of generalisability. Inability to distinguish

small differences. Lack of reliability and

validity. Difficulty finding well-

trained investigators, interviewers and observers.

Advantages of Qualitative Methods Disadvantages of Qualitative Methods


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Exploratory research designs may include:

Focus group interviews, experience surveys and pilot studies, to classify problems or opportunities.

A multiple design approach, where both qualitative and quantitative methods are used to collect data.

See Exhibit 4.3


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Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Designs

Research goals/objectives

Discovery and identification of new ideas, thoughts, feelings; preliminary insights on and understanding of, ideas and objects

Validation of facts, estimates,relationships, predictions

Type of Research Normally exploratory designs Descriptive and causal designs

Type of Questions Open-ended, semistructured,unstructured, deep probing

Mostly structured

Time of Execution Relatively short time frames Usually significantly longertime frames

Factors/Characteristics Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods


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Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Designs (continued)

Representativeness Small samples, limited to thesampled respondents

Large samples, normally goodrepresentation of targetpopulations

Type of analysis Debriefing, subjective content,interpretive, semiotic analyses

Statistical, descriptive, causal predictions and relationships

Researcher skillsInterpersonal communications,observations, interpretive skills

Scientific, statistical procedure,and translation skills; and somesubjective interpretive skills

Generalisability of results

Very limited; only preliminaryinsights and understanding

Usually very good; inferences about facts, estimates of relationships

Factors/Characteristics Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods


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When to Use Qualitative Research Methods in Exploratory Designs

In the process of correctly identifying a business problem or opportunity situation or establishing information requirements.

Interested in obtaining some preliminary insights into the motivational, emotional, attitudinal and personality factors that influence marketplace behaviours.

In the process of building theories and models to explain marketplace behaviours or relationships between two or more marketing constructs.

Attempting to develop reliable and valid scale measurements for investigating specific market factors, consumer qualities (e.g. attitudes, emotional feelings, preferences, beliefs, perceptions) and behavioural outcomes.

Trying to determine the preliminary effectiveness of their marketing strategies on actual marketplace behaviours.

Interested in new-product or service development or repositioning current product images.

Qualitative research methods are appropriate when decision makers or researchers are:


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Research Objectives of In-depth Interviews

Research Objectives of In-depth Interviews

In-depth InterviewsTo discover preliminary insights of what the subject thinks or believes

about the topic of concern or why the subject exhibits certain behaviours.

To discover preliminary insights of what the subject thinks or believes

about the topic of concern or why the subject exhibits certain behaviours.

To obtain unrestricted and detailed comments that include feelings, beliefs, or opinions that can help better understand the different

elements of the subject’s thoughts and the reasons why they exist.

To obtain unrestricted and detailed comments that include feelings, beliefs, or opinions that can help better understand the different

elements of the subject’s thoughts and the reasons why they exist.

To have the respondent communicate as much detail as possible about his

or her knowledge and behaviour towards a given topic or object.

To have the respondent communicate as much detail as possible about his

or her knowledge and behaviour towards a given topic or object.


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Techniques for in-depth interviewing

Attitudinal and behavioural dataMotivations, feelings, opinions Past, present and futureEg. Marriott used in depth interviews to

understand how to deliver better on-site services to business customers

QUESTION: How would we recruit the business customers?


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Skills Required

Interpersonal communication skillsListening skillsInterpretative skillsPersonality suitabilityAbility to probe


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Advantages and Disadvantages of In-depth Interviews

Flexibility to collect data on activities and behaviour patterns, and attitudes, motivations and feelings.

Large amount of detailed data possible.

The possibility to probe the respondent further.

Lack of generalisability. Inability to distinguish

small differences. Lack of reliability and

validity. Potential for biases to

emerge. Potential interviewer

errors. Costs and time (may not

always be a disadvantage).

Advantages of In-depth Interviews Disadvantages of In-depth Interviews


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Experience Interviews

Informal gathering of information from individuals thought to be knowledgeable on the issues relevant to the research question.

Eg. People who are experienced in the situation, such as dissatisfied customers.


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Protocol Interviews

The subject is placed in a specified decision making situation and asked to express verbally the process and activities that he or she would undertake to make a decision.

Useful when research problem focuses on selected aspects (eg. Motivational or procedural) of making a purchase decision.

Eg. Asking Del customers to verbalise the steps and activities they went through in the purchase decision.


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Articulative Interviews

Qualitative group interviews that focus on listening for and identifying key conflicts in a person's orientation values towards products and services.

Structured to elicit narratives.


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Projective Techniques

Indirect method of questioning that enables a subject to project beliefs and feelings onto a third party, into the task situation or an inanimate object.


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Word AssociationA projective technique in which the

subject is presented with a list of words or short phrases and asked to respond with the first thing that comes to mind.

Eg. What comes to mind when I say ‘red’, and the researcher uses the findings to look for hidden meanings and associations.


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Sentence Completion

The subjects are given a set of incomplete sentences and asked to complete them in their own words.

People who eat at Red Rooster are……….

Red Rooster reminds me of…..


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Picture Tests

Subjects are given a picture and instructed to describe their reactions by writing a short narrative story about the picture.

Useful to test the impact of pictures for use on product packaging, print ads, and brochures.


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Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Subjects are presented with a series of pictures and asked to provide a description of or a story about the pictures.

Typically there is continuity in the pictures, and they are ambiguous.


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Cartoon or Balloon Tests

A subject is given a cartoon drawing and suggests the dialogue in which the characters may engage.


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Role-Playing Interviews

A subject is asked to act out someone else’s behaviour in a specified setting.

The subject assumes the identity of a third person.


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Questioning Techniques in Qualitative Research

Experience surveys

Surveys that refer to informal gatherings of individuals thought to be knowledgeable on the issues.

To quickly gather information that can be used to develop future research topics.

Protocol interviews

Process where subject is placed in a decision-making situation and is asked to express the process and activities undertaken to make a decision.

To provide the researcher with insights and understanding of those motivational and/or procedural activities within the overall decision process.

Projective techniques

Indirect methods of questioning that enable a subject to project beliefs and feelings onto a third party.

To learn more about the subjects’ true thoughts and feelings.

Word association testTo test the impact of pictures for use on product packaging, print ads and brochures.

Type Description Purpose

Interviewers read pre-selected words, and ask subject to respond with immediate thoughts.


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Questioning Techniques in Qualitative Research (continued)

Cartoon or balloon test

Cartoon characters appear in a vague manner with blank balloon spaces, and the respondent writes in thoughts or feelings about the characters.

To identify the respondent’s latent feelings about the situation that the cartoon portrayed.

Role-playing interviews A subject acts out someone else’s behaviour in a specified setting.

To learn more about the subjects’ likely actions.

In-depth interviews

A formalised process in which an interviewer asks a subject a set of semi-structured probing questions in a face-to-face setting.

To uncover insights; obtain unrestricted and detailed comments; to gather details of knowledge and behaviours towards a given topic or object.

Focus group interviews

A formalised process of fostering an small-group, interactive spontaneous discussion on a particular topic or concept.

To provide the researcher with as much information as possible about how the group regards the topic or concept.

Type Description Purpose

Documents

Copyright 2007 McGraw-Hill Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Marketing Research 2e by Hair, Lukas, Bush and Ortinau Slides prepared by Judy Rex 4-1 Chapter Four Select