Qualitative, Observation & Experimental Research

Topic Eight
Class Nine

MR
Ad hoc Quantitative Testing Observation Surveys Qualitative FG IDIs Comparative Monadic Conjoint Marketing Mix Product Advertising Video Mystery Shopping Traffic Count Business Measures Pack Price U &A Customer Satisfaction Brand Image B2B Continuous

Retail Panel
Consumer Panel

Omnibus

The Importance of Qualitative Research

Most of what influences what we say and do occurs below the level of awareness. Thats why we need new techniques: to get at hidden knowledge to get at what people dont know they know. Jerry Zaltman

8-3

Qualitative Research in the Research Process

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Qualitative Research
Focus Groups Observation IDIs

Ethnography

Data Collection Techniques

Case Studies

Grounded Theory

Why we use qualitative research?

Polls and focus groups do a good job on issues where people have made up their minds, but there are a number of gridlock issues laden with complex trade-offs that people havent thought out.
Daniel Yankelovich Creator of Yankelovich Monitor and ViewPoint Learning

8-6

Uses of Qualitative Research for Business

Market Segmentation Advertising Concept Development New Product Development Sales Analysis Sales Development Productivity
8-7

Benefits Management Package Design

Brand Image
Positioning Retail Design Process Understanding

Data Sources
People Organizations Texts
Environments Artifacts/ media products

Events and happenings

The Roots of Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research

Economics Psychology Sociology

Anthropology

Communication

Distinction between Qualitative & Quantitative

Theory Building

Theory Testing

Focus of Research
Qualitative Understanding Interpretation Quantitative Description Explanation

8-11

Researcher Involvement
Qualitative

High
Participation-based Quantitative Limited

Controlled
8-12

Sample Design and Size

Qualitative Non-probability Purposive

Small sample Quantitative Probability

Large sample
8-13

Turnaround
Qualitative
Shorter turnaround possible Insight development ongoing Quantitative May be time-consuming Insight development follows data entry

8-14

Pre-tasking Activities
Use product in home Bring visual stimuli Create collage Keep diaries Draw pictures

Construct a story
8-15

Choosing a Qualitative Method

Projects purpose

Researcher characteristics

Schedule

Factors
Types of participants
Topics Budget

Non-Probability Sampling

Purposive Sampling

Snowball Sampling

Convenience Sampling

Qualitative Sampling

General sampling rule:

You should keep conducting interviews until no new insights are gained.

8-18

The Interview Question Hierarchy

8-19

Interviewer Responsibilities
Recommends topics and questions Controls interview Plans location and facilities Proposes criteria for drawing sample Develops pretasking activities Prepares research tools Supervises transcription Helps analyze data Draws insights

Writes screener
8-20

Recruits

Writes report

Whats Included in a Recruitment Screener?

Heading Screening requirements Identity information Introduction Product/ brand usage/ purchase questions Lifestyle questions Attitudinal and knowledge questions Articulation and creative questions

Security questions
Demographic questions
8-21

Offer/ Termination

Requirements for Unstructured Interviews

Developed dialog

Probe for answers

Distinctions

Interviewer creativity

Interviewer skill

The Interview Mode

Individual

Group

IDI vs. Group

Individual Interview Research Objective Explore life of individual in depth Create case histories through repeated interviews over time Test a survey Topic Concerns Detailed individual experiences, choices, biographies Sensitive issues that might provoke anxiety Participants Time-pressed participants or those difficult to recruit (e.g., elite or high-status participants) Participants with sufficient language skills (e.g., those older than seven) Participants whose distinctions would inhibit participation
8-24

Group Interview

Orient the researcher to a field of inquiry and the language of the field Explore a range of attitudes, opinions, and behaviors Observe a process of consensus and disagreement Issues of public interest or common concern Issues where little is known or of a hypothetical nature Participants whose backgrounds are similar or not so dissimilar as to generate conflict or discomfort Participants who can articulate their ideas Participants who offer a range of positions on issues

Types of Research using IDIs

Oral histories

Sequential interviewing

Life histories

Types
Cultural interviews
Ethnography Critical incident techniques

8-26

Group Interviews
Dyads Triads Mini-Groups

Small Groups
(Focus Group) Supergroups

Determining the Number of Groups

Scope Number of distinct segments
Desired number of ideas Desired level of detail Level of distinction Homogeneity

Group Interview Modes

Face-to-Face Telephone

Online
Videoconference

8-28

Merging Qualitative and Quantitative

Conduct studies simultaneously Perform series: Qualitative, Quantitative, Qualitative

Ongoing qualitative with multiple waves of quantitative Quantitative precedes Qualitative

Selecting the Data Collection Method

Sensitive material Behavior data needed

Memory decay
Natural setting

Respondent unwilling to participate Purpose must be disguised

Research Design

Who?

Where?

What? (event or time)

Task Details
How? When?

Data Collection

Watching Listening
Touching Smelling Reading

Using Observation

Systematic planning Properly controlled Consistently dependable Accurate account of events

9-33

Observation Classification
Behavioral Nonverbal Linguistic Extra-linguistic Spatial Nonbehavioral Physical condition analysis Process analysis Record analysis

9-34

Behavioral Observation
We noticed people scraping the toppings off our pizza crusts. We thought at first there was something wrong, but they said, We love it, we just dont eat the crust anymore. Tom Santor, Donatos Pizza

Systematic Observation
Standardized procedures Structured Trained observers

Encoding observation information

Systematic
Recording schedules

Observer-Participant Relationship

Direct or indirect observation Presence is known or unknown Observer involved or not involved in events

Extra-linguistic Observation

Vocal Temporal Interaction Verbal Stylistic

9-38

Desired Characteristics for Observers

Concentration Detail-oriented Unobtrusive Experience level

9-39

Errors Introduced by Observers

Halo Effect

Observer Drift

Evaluation of Behavioral Observation

Strengths Securing information that is otherwise unavailable Avoiding participant filtering/ forgetting Weaknesses Enduring long periods Incurring higher expenses Having lower reliability of inferences Quantifying data Keeping large records Being limited on knowledge of cognitive processes

Securing environmental context

Optimizing naturalness

Reducing obtrusiveness