Marketing research: Quantitative vs Qualitative Flashcards
Which has the larger sample size, qualitative or quantitative?
Quantitative
At what level is the consumer treated in quantitative research?
Aggregate level - make assumptions & characterise
At what level is the consumer treated in qualitative research?
Individual level
How are the questions in quantitative research methods characterised & why?
Short & simple - highly structured approach to be able to collate & analyse aggregate data
How are the questions in qualitative research methods characterised & why?
Open-ended & semi structured to promote discussion
How is data collection in quantitative research methods characterised & why?
Highly structured
Must be collected in exact same way to allow for aggregation (cannot add apples & oranges together)
How is data collection in qualitative research methods characterised & why?
Unstructured
Do not need to aggregate data, need to get a feel for general mood & attitudes
How skilled will an interviewer required to be to carry out quantitative research?
Low skills
Skill is in creation of questionnaire, interviewer only needs to follow script & collect data
How skilled will an interviewer required to be to carry out qualitative research?
Highly skilled
Must interpret results, body language, answers & conversations
What is the nature of the information collated in quantitative research?
Objective - quantitative analysis
What is the nature of the information collated in qualitative research?
Subjective - can draw different conclusions
Which is more expensive, qualitative or quantitative & why?
Qualitative - payment of researcher & process is longer
What are the questions that can be answered in quantitative research?
Who? When? Where? How? How much? How often?
What are the questions that can be answered in qualitative research?
Why?
Where can face to face interviews take place?
In-home
Doorstep
Executive
Street
Advantages of face-to-face interviews over telephone and self completion surveys (7):
1) Motivate respondent to take part
2) Convince of legitimacy and genuine
3) Check eligibility
4) Assist with complex questions
5) Judge interest, impatience, seriousness
6) Improve respondent’s understanding
7) Control visual elements of questionnaire
Drawbacks of face-to-face interviews (6):
1) Costly
2) Time consuming
3) Interviews need to be clustered in areas
4) Training is difficult due to geographical dispersal
5) Difficult quality control - distance
6) Difficult to motivate interviewers (vs in large call centre)
Drawbacks of street-interviewing
- Shopping centre managers see them as nuisance
- Less attentive - wet/cold weather
- Distractions from passers by, noise, traffic
- Shoppers avoid interviewers - in a hurry/pre-occupied
- Limited interview length - unwilling
Advs of street-interviewing
- Less expensive
2. Quicker - don’t need to visit separate homes
Advs of postal survey
- National & international coverage
- Low cost
- No interviewer bias
- Respondent convenience
- Piggybacking other correspondence (newsletters)
Disadvs of postal survey
- Low response rate
- Biased response - not representative
- Lack of control of questioning
- Lack of control of respondent
- Limited open ended questions
- Pre-reading of questionnaire
- Response time
Other types of survey
Kiosk (Alton Towers)
E-mail
Online
Mobile phone
Simulated test market
Predict potential results of product launch
Experiment with changes to different elements of the marketing mix
Rely on simulated/laboratory type testing and mathematical modelling
Difficulties with traditional test marketing
Isolation: TV advertising, circulation areas
Timing: must be run up to 6 months, difficult to control variables for long period of time
Competitor spoiling: flooding area with own products/promotions
Area selection: Identify area that truly reflects demographic make-up of nation
Cost: very expensive
5 steps of simulated test markets
- Recruit and screen participants (street, door, tel interviews)
- Expose participants to product concept/prototype/packaging/promotion
- Participants given opportunity to buy product from researcher (catalogue of products, freedom of choice)
- Researchers visit weekly, respondents asked to repurchase from catalogue… questionnaires used to examine their experience and why they bought it
- Trail and repeat purchase info put into computerised simulation programme - project share/volume for product if distributed on national basis
Observation
Data gathering approach
Info collected on behaviour of people, objects and organisations
Without any questions being asked of participants
User-generated content
Online material
Social media
Produced by end users
Observations tells you what people are doing but it doesn’t tell you…
…why people are doing it
Examples of what can be observed
Arrival time in store TV viewing patterns Comments made one review sites Time spent shopping Payment methods Products purchased Brands mentioned in social media Use of public transport
5 key dimensions of observation
- Natural vs contrived
- Visible vs hidden
- Structured vs unstructured
- Mechanised vs human
- Participants vs non-participant
Contrived observation
Observation of participants in controlled setting
Hidden observation
Participant does not know they are being observed
Structured observation
Observers use record sheet or form to count phenomena or to record their observations
Mechanised observation
Automated counting devices, scanners, or other equipment
Mystery shopping
Researchers act as customers or potential customers to monitor the processes and procedures used in delivery of service
Participant observation
Researcher interacts with subject(s) being observed (mystery shopping)
3 main purposes of mystery shopping
1) Diagnostic tool: identify failings, weak points
2) Encourage, develop, motivate service personnel - linking with appraisal, training and reward schemes
3) Assess competitiveness of service provision by benchmarking against other offerings in industry
