Chapter 7:

Qualitative Research Tools

What is Qualitative Business Research ?

Research that address business objectives through techniques that allow the researcher to provide elaborate interpretations of phenomena without depending on numerical measurement; its focus is on discovering true inner meanings and new insights.

Uses of Qualitative Research

Generally, the less specific the research objectives, the more likely that qualitative research tools will be appropriate.

When the emphasis is on a deeper understanding of innovations or developing novel concepts, qualitative research is very appropriate.

How a phenomenon occurs in a natural setting

Quantitative ResearchBusiness research that addresses research objectives through empirical assessment that involve numerical measurement and analysis.

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research

• Purpose– Exploratory versus descriptive and conclusive

• Small versus large samples

• Broad range of questioning versus structured questions

• Subjective interpretation versus statistical analysis

Exploratory research

• Secondary data• Experience survey• Pilot studies

Exploratory Research

• Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem

• Does not provide conclusive evidence

• Subsequent research expected

What is Exploratory Research?

QUANTITATIVEQUANTITATIVEDATADATA

QUALITATIVEQUALITATIVEDATADATA

Diagnose a situation

Screening of alternatives

Discover new ideas

Why Conduct Exploratory Research?

Orientation to Qualitative Research

Phenomenology -Originating in philosophy and psychology

Ethnography - Originating in Anthropology

Grounded Theory - Originating in sociology

Case Studies - Originating in psychology and in business

Case Study Method

• Case studies refer to the documented history of a particular person, group, organization or event.

• Intensely investigates one or a few situations similar to the problem

• Investigate in depth

• Careful study

• May require cooperation

Common Techniques Used in Qualitative Research

• Focus group• Depth Interviews• Conversation• Semi-structured Interview• Word association / Sentence completion• Observation • Projective Techniques• Thematic Apperception Test (T.A.T)

Focus Group Interviews

• Unstructured• Free flowing• Group interview• Start with broad topic

and focus in on specific issues

• Led by a trained moderator who follows a flexible format encouraging dialog among respondents.

Group Composition

• 6 to 10 people• Relatively

homogeneous• Similar lifestyles and

experiences

Outline for a Focus Group

• Establish a rapport

• Begin with broad topic

• Focus in on specific topic

• Generate discussion and interaction

The Moderator

• Develops rapport - helps people relax

• Interacts• Listens to what people

have to say• Everyone gets a

chance to speak

The Moderator

• Maintains loose control and focuses discussion

• Stimulates spontaneous responses

Advantages of Online Focus Groups

• Fast

• Inexpensive

• Bring together many participants from wide-spread geographical areas

• Respondent anonymity

• Transcript automatically recorded

Disadvantages of Online Focus Groups

• Less group interaction

• Absence of tactile stimulation

• Absence of facial expression and body language

• Moderator’s job is difficult

“A man is least himself when he talksin his own person; when given a maskhe will tell the truth.”

--Oscar Wilde

Depth interviews

• A one-one-one interview between a professional researcher and a respondent conducted about some relevant business or social topic.

Conversations

• An informal data gathering approach in which the researcher engages a respondent in a discussion of the relevant subject matter.

Semi-structured Interview

Social Networking

Word Association/ Free-association

• Subject is presented with a list of words

• Asked to respond with first word that comes to mind

• Or, respondents view an ambiguous figure and are asked to say the first thing that comes to their mind.

Sentence Completion

People who drink beer are ______________________

A man who drinks light beer is ___________________

Imported beer is most liked by ___________________

A woman will drink beer when____________________

Projective Techniques

• Word association tests

• Sentence completion method

• Third-person technique

• Role playing

• T.A.T.

• Picture frustration version of T.A.T.

Observation

• Can be a very important qualitative tool

• It is keenly advantageous for gaining insight into things that respondents can not or will not verbalize.

Chapter 9

Survey Research: An Overview

Surveys

Surveys ask respondents for information using verbal or written questioning

Respondents

Respondents are a representative sample of people

Gathering Information via Surveys

• Quick

• Inexpensive

• Efficient

• Accurate

• Flexible

Problems

• Poor Design

• Improper Execution

Totalerror

Systematicerror (bias)

Random samplingerror

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Random Sampling Error

• A statistical fluctuation that occurs because of change variation in the elements selected for the sample

Systematic Error

• Systematic error results from some imperfect aspect of the research design or from a mistake in the execution of the research

Systematicerror (bias)

Administrativeerror

Respondenterror

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Sample Bias

• Sample bias - when the results of a sample show a persistent tendency to deviate in one direction from the true value of the population parameter

Respondenterror

Nonresponseerror

Responsebias

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Respondent Error

• A classification of sample bias resulting from some respondent action or inaction

• Nonresponse bias

• Response bias

Nonresponse Error

• Nonrespondents - people who refuse to cooperate

• Not-at-homes

• Self-selection bias• Over-represents extreme positions

• Under-represents indifference

Responsebias

Unconsciousmisrepresentation

Deliberatefalsification

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Response Bias

• A bias that occurs when respondents tend to answer questions with a certain slant that consciously or unconsciously misrepresents the truth

Acquiescence bias

Extremity bias

Interviewer bias

Auspices bias

Social desirability bias

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Acquiescence Bias

• A category of response bias that results because some individuals tend to agree with all questions or to concur with a particular position.

Extremity Bias

• A category of response bias that results because response styles vary from person to person; some individuals tend to use extremes when responding to questions.

Interviewer Bias

• A response bias that occurs because the presence of the interviewer influences answers.

Auspices Bias

• Bias in the responses of subjects caused by the respondents being influenced by the organization conducting the study.

Social Desirability Bias

• Bias in responses caused by respondents’ desire, either conscious or unconscious, to gain prestige or appear in a different social role.

Systematicerror (bias)

Administrativeerror

Respondenterror

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Administrative Error

• Improper administration of the research task

• Blunders• Confusion• Neglect• Omission

Data processing error

Sample selection error

Interviewer error

Interviewer cheating

Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error

Administrative Error

• Interviewer cheating - filling in fake answers or falsifying interviewers

• Data processing error - incorrect data entry, computer programming, or other procedural errors during the analysis stage.

• Sample selection error -improper sample design or sampling procedure execution.

• Interviewer error - field mistakes

M E TH O DO F

C O M M U N IC A TIO N

S TR U C TU R E DA N D D IS Q U IS E D

Q U E S TIO N S

TE M P O R A LC L A S S IF IC A TIO N S

C L A S S IF Y IN GS U R V E Y

R E S E A R C HM E TH O D S

Structured Unstructured

Undisguised

Disguised

Example:

Typical descriptive surveywith straight-forward, structured questions

Example:

Survey with open-endedquestions to discover “new”answers or focus group interview

Example:

Survey interview to measurebrand A’s image versuscompetitive brands’ images or brand recall (unaided recall)

Example:

Projection techniques usedmostly for exploratory research

Classifying Surveys by Degree of Structure and Degree of Disguise

Time Period for Surveys

• Cross-sectional

• Longitudinal

Cross-Sectional Study

• A study in which various segments of a population are sampled

• Data are collected at a single moment in time.

Longitudinal Study

• A survey of respondents at different times, thus allowing analysis of changes over time.

• Tracking study – use successive samples, compare trends and identify changes in variables such as consumer satisfaction

Consumer Panel

• A longitudinal survey of the same sample of individuals or households to record (in a diary) their attitudes, behavior, or purchasing habits over time.

Total Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction Surveys

• Total quality management - A business philosophy that emphasizes market-driven quality as a top organizational priority.

Stages in Tracking Quality Improvement

CommitmentCommitmentand and ExplorationExploration

Bench-Bench-markingmarking

InitialInitialqualityqualityimprove-improve-mentment

ContinuousContinuousQualityQualityImprovementImprovement

Commitment and Exploration Stage

• Management makes a commitment to total quality assurance

• Business researchers explore external customers’ needs and problems.

• Business researchers explore internal customers’ needs, beliefs, and motivations.

Benchmarking Stage

• Research establishes quantitative measures as benchmarks or points of comparison

• Overall satisfaction and quality ratings of specific attributes

• Employees actual performance and perceptions

Initial Quality Improvement Stage

• Tracking wave 1 measures trends

• Establishes a quality improvement process within the organization.

• Translate quality issues into the internal vocabulary of the organization.

• Establish performance standards and expectations for improvement.

Continuous Quality Improvement

• Consists of many consecutive waves with the same purpose—to improve over the previous period.

• Quality improvement management continues.

Determinants of the Quality of Goods

• Performance

• Features

• Conformance with specifications

• Reliability

• Durability

• Serviceability

• Aesthetic design

Determinants of Service Quality

• Access

• Communication

• Competence

• Courtesy

• Reliability

• Credibility