Observation, Focus Groups, and Other Qualitative Measures

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 Qualitative research: research involving collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say
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Categories of Research
Pluralistic research: combination of both quantitative and qualitative research methods in order to gain the advantages of both

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Observation Techniques
Observation methods: techniques in which the researcher relies on his or her powers of observation rather than communicating with a person in order to obtain information

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Observation Techniques
Types of observation: Direct versus indirect Disguised versus undisguised Structured versus unstructured Human versus mechanical

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Observation Techniques Direct versus Indirect

Direct observation: observing behavior as it occurs Indirect observation: observing the effects or results of the behavior rather than the behavior itself Archives Physical traces Structured versus unstructured Human versus mechanical
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Observation Techniques Disguised versus Undisguised

Disguised observation: subject is unaware that he or she is being observed Undisguised observation: respondent is aware of observation

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Observation Techniques Structured versus Unstructured

Structured observation: researcher identifies beforehand which behaviors are to be observed and recorded Unstructured observation: no restriction is placed on what the observer would note: all behavior in the episode under study is monitored

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Observation Techniques Human versus Mechanical

Human observation: observer is a person hired by the researcher, or, perhaps the observer is the researcher Mechanical observation: human observer is replaced with some form of static observing device

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Observation Techniques Appropriate Conditions for Use

Short duration Public Faulty recall conditions

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Observation Techniques Advantages of Observational Data

Insight into actual, not reported, behaviors No chance for recall error Better accuracy Less cost

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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 unobservedwe dont know why?
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Home Depot: An Example of Direct Observation

Shopper/Store Use Profile Average time in store: 32.4 (minutes) Customer party size: 1.2 (persons) Average expenditures: 57.34 (dollars) Payment method 73.0% (credit card) Number of aisles traveled: 5.7 Product Categories of Requests for assistance: 0.5 Purchases Appliances 10% Stops and looks at items 5.4 Hand tools 22% Items handled per stop 2.1 Electrical 31% Total items handled 9.3 Plumbing 14% Items purchased 2.5 Roofing 3% Garden 35% We know WHAT Other 26%

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BUT, We dont know WHY!

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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.

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Focus Groups
The moderators task is to ensure that open discussion is focused on some area of interest. Focus groups are used to generate ideas, to learn the respondents vocabulary, to gain some insights into basic needs and attitudes.

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Types of Focus Groups

Traditional: Select 6 to 12 persons and meet in a dedicated room with one-way mirror for client viewing, for about two hours.

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Types of Focus Groups

Nontraditional: Online with client viewing from distant locations; may have 25 or even 50 respondents; allow client interaction; may take place in nontraditional locations. Online focus groups are a form of nontraditional focus groups.

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Focus Groups Online Focus Groups

Online focus group: one in which the respondents and/or clients communicate and/or observe by use of the Internet

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Focus Groups 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 Ch 8 19

Focus Group Facility Floor Plan

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Source: Market Trends (www.markettrends.com)

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Pros of Focus Groups

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
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Cons of Focus Groups

Representativeness of participants Interpretation sometimes difficult High cost per participant

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The Proper Use of Focus Groups

Focus groups should not be used when the research objective is to predict a specific number based upon sample data.

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The Proper Use of Focus Groups

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?
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Operational Issues of Focus Groups

Size: 6 to 12 Who: homogeneous Recruiting: use incentives Selection: what is purpose? Where: conducive to group discussion When moderator gets involved: early Reporting results: report qualitative data
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Focus Groups Reporting and Use of Results

Factors to remember when analyzing data: Some sense must be made by translating the qualitative statements of participants into categories and then reporting the degree of consensus apparent in the focus groups
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Focus Groups Reporting and Use of Results

Factors to remember when analyzing data: Demographics and buyer behavior characteristics of focus group participants should be judged against the target market profile to assess what degree the groups represent the target market
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Focus Groups Reporting and Use of Results

A focus groups analysis should identify major themes as well as salient areas of disagreement among the participants

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Other Qualitative Techniques

Depth interview 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. Protocol analysis involves placing a person in a decision-making situation and asking him or her to verbalize everything he or she considers when Ch 8 making a decision. 29

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 Word association test Sentence completion Picture test Cartoon or balloon test Ch 8 Role-playing activity 30

Sentence Completion Example

INSTRUCTIONS. Write in words to complete each of the sentences below.

For college students, credit cards are

College students use credit cards to When a college freshman gets a new credit card application, he/she When a college student reaches the limit of his/her credit card he/she

When a college senior gets a new credit card application, he/she

If parents of college students learned about their childrens credit card situations, they would
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Other Qualitative Techniques

Ethnographic research: borrowed from anthropologydescriptive study of a group Observing, interviewing, recording consumers behavior Researchers must be present and known but not interfere with normal behavior.
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Physiological Measurements
Physiological measurements: involves monitoring a respondents involuntary responses to marketing stimuli via the use of electrodes and other equipment Pupilometer Galvonometer

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