Exploratory Research Design: Qualitative Research

Outline
1) Overview 2) Primary Data: Qualitative versus Quantitative Research 3) Rationale or using Qualitative Research Proce!ures ") # $lassi ication o Qualitative Research Proce!ures

%) &ocus 'roup (nterviews i) $haracteristics ii) Planning an! $on!ucting &ocus 'roups iii) *elesessions iv) Other +ariations in &ocus 'roups v) #!vantages #n! Disa!vantages o &ocus 'roups vi) #pplications o &ocus 'roups ,) Depth (nterviews i) $haracteristics ii) *echni-ues iii) #!vantages an! Disa!vantages o Depth (nterviews iv) #pplications o Depth (nterviews

# $lassi ication o .ar/eting Research Data

.ar/eting Research Data

0econ!ary Data

Primary Data

Qualitative Data Descriptive 0urvey Data O1servational an! Other Data

Quantitative Data $ausal Experimental Data

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research O15ective *o gain a -ualitative un!erstan!ing o the un!erlying reasons an! motivations 0mall num1er o non2 representative cases Quantitative Research *o -uanti y the !ata an! generali6e the results rom the sample to the population o interest 7arge num1er o representative cases 0tructure! 0tatistical Recommen! a inal course o action

0ample

Data $ollection 3nstructure! Data #nalysis Outcome 4on2statistical Develop an initial un!erstan!ing

# $lassi ication o Qualitative Research Proce!ures

Qualitative Research Proce!ures

Direct 84on !isguise!)

(n!irect 8Disguise!) Pro5ective *echni-ues

&ocus 'roups

Depth (nterviews

#ssociation *echni-ues

$ompletion *echni-ues

$onstruction *echni-ues

Expressive *echni-ues

$haracteristics o &ocus 'roups

8 also terme! as Exten!e! $reativity 'roups)

'roup 0i6e 'roup $omposition Physical 0etting *ime Duration Recor!ing .o!erator

9212 :omogeneous; respon!ents; prescreene! Relaxe!; in ormal atmosphere 123 hours 3se o au!iocassettes an! vi!eotapes O1servational; interpersonal; an! communication s/ills o the mo!erator

Proce!ure or Planning an! $on!ucting &ocus 'roups

Determine the Objectives of the Marketing Research Project and Define the Problem

Specify the Objectives of Qualitative Research

State the Objectives/Questions to be Answered by Focus Groups

Write a Screening Questionnaire Develop a Moderator s Outline !onduct the "ocus #roup $ntervie%s Revie% &apes and 'naly(e the Data Summari(e the "indings and Plan "ollo%)*p Research or 'ction

<ey Quali ications o &ocus 'roup .o!erators

1) <in!ness with irmness: *he mo!erator must com1ine a !iscipline! !etachment with un!erstan!ing empathy so as to generate the necessary interaction) 2) Permissiveness: *he mo!erator must 1e permissive yet alert to signs that the group=s cor!iality or purpose is !isintegrating) 3) (nvolvement: *he mo!erator must encourage an! stimulate intense personal involvement) ") (ncomplete un!erstan!ing: *he mo!erator must encourage respon!ents to 1e more speci ic a1out generali6e! comments 1y exhi1iting incomplete un!erstan!ing)

%) Encouragement: *he mo!erator must encourage unresponsive mem1ers to participate) ,) &lexi1ility: *he mo!erator must 1e a1le to improvise an! alter the planne! outline ami! the !istractions o the group process) >) 0ensitivity: *he mo!erator must 1e sensitive enough to gui!e the group !iscussion at an intellectual as well as emotional level)

0ample $osts o a &ocus 'roup

(tem Developing outline an! screening participants .o!erator=s ee &acility rental; recruiting &oo! Respon!ent incentives 8Rs) 1??@1% people) #nalysis an! report Extras +i!eotaping *ravel costs or mo!erator an! o1servers *otal 1%?? 1%?? Rs) 13;%?? $ost Rs)3??? 1%?? 1??? 9??21??? 1%?? 2%?? Rs)1?;%??

3se o &ocus 'roup at '.

Auic/ !ivision o 'eneral .otors use! ocus groups an! survey research to help !evelop the Regal two2!oor; six passenger coupe) Auic/ hel! 2? ocus groups across the country to !etermine what eatures customers wante! in a car) *he ocus groups tol! '. they wante! a stylish car; legitimate 1ac/ seat; at least 2? miles per gallon; an! ? to ,? miles per hour acceleration in 11 secon!s or less)

Aase! on these results; Auic/ engineers create! clay mo!els o the car an! moc/2ups o the interior) *hese were shown to another set o ocus groups o target 1uyers) *hese respon!ents !i! not li/e the oversi6e! 1umpers an! the severe slope o the hoo!; 1ut li/e! the our2!isc 1ra/es an! in!epen!ent suspension)

V O

Y K

7 4 9

&ocus groups also helpe! re ine the a!vertising campaign or the Regal) Participants were as/e! which competing cars most resem1le! Auic/ in image an! eatures) *he answer was Ol!smo1ile; a sister '. !ivision) (n an e ort to !i erentiate the two; Auic/ was repositione! a1ove Ol!smo1ile 1y ocusing on com ort an! luxury eatures)

++

*he tag line or the 1BB9 Regal; Co icial car o the 0upercharge! amily;D was 1ase! on ocus group in!ings) *his repositioning has greatly ai!e! the sales o Auic/ Regal)

Depth Interview Techniques: Laddering

In laddering, the line of questioning proceeds from product characteristics to user characteristics. This technique allows the researcher to tap into the consumer's network of meanings. Wide bod aircrafts I can get more work done I accomplish more I feel good about m self !user characteristic" !product characteristic"

#dvertising theme: $ou will feel good about ourself when fl ing our airline. %$ou're The &oss.'

Depth Interview Techniques: Hidden Issue Questioning

In hidden issue uestioning, the focus is not on sociall shared values but rather on personal %sore spots(' not on general lifest les but on deepl felt personal concerns. fantasies, work lives, and social lives historic, elite, %masculine)camaraderie,' competitive activities #dvertising theme: communicate aggressiveness, high status, and competitive heritage of the airline.

Depth Interview Techniques: Sy!bolic Analysis

Sy!bolic analysis attempts to anal *e the s mbolic meaning of ob+ects b comparing them with their opposites. The logical opposites of a product that are investigated are: non)usage of the product, attributes of an imaginar %non)product,' and opposite t pes of products. %What would it be like if ou could no longer use airplanes,' %Without planes, I would have to rel on letters and long distance calls.'

#irlines sell to the managers face)to)face communication. #dvertising theme: The airline will do the same thing for a manager as -ederal ./press does for a package.

Definition of 0ro+ective Techniques

An unstructured" indirect #or! o# uestioning that encourages respondents to project their underlying !otivations" belie#s" attitudes or #eelings regarding the issues o# concern$ In projective techni ues" respondents are as%ed to interpret the behavior o# others$ In interpreting the behavior o# others" respondents indirectly project their own !otivations" belie#s" attitudes" or #eelings

Pro5ective *echni-ues
i) #ssociation *echni-ues a) Eor! #ssociation *ests ii) $ompletion *echni-ues a) 0entence $ompletion 1) 0tory $ompletion iii) $onstruction *echni-ues a) Picture Response 1) $artoon *ests 8 *hematic #ppreciation *ests) iv) Expressive *echni-ues a) Role Playing 1) *hir!2Person *echni-ue v) #!vantages an! Disa!vantages o Pro5ective *echni-ues

Word #ssociation
In word association, respondents are presented with a list of words, one at a time and asked to respond to each with the first word that comes to mind. The words of interest, called test words, are interspersed throughout the list which also contains some neutral, or filler words to disguise the purpose of the stud . 1esponses are anal *ed b calculating: !2" the frequenc with which an word is given as a response( !3" the amount of time that elapses before a response is given( and !4" the number of respondents who do not respond at all to a test word within a reasonable period of time.

Word #ssociation
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8TI69798 washda fresh pure scrub filth bubbles famil towels

618. 6

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ever da ironing and sweet clean air soiled don't( husband does clean this neighborhood dirt bath soap and water squabbles children dirt wash

:ompletion Techniques
In Sentence co!pletion" respondents are given inco!plete sentences and as%ed to co!plete the!$ Generally" they are as%ed to use the #irst word or phrase that co!es to !ind$ A person who shops at Sears is &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& A person who receives a gi#t certi#icate good #or Sa%'s Fi#th Avenue would be &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& ($ )$ *enney is !ost li%ed by &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& +hen I thin% o# shopping in a depart!ent store" I &&&&&&&& A variation o# sentence co!pletion is paragraph co!pletion" in which the respondent co!pletes a paragraph beginning with the sti!ulus phrase$

:ompletion Techniques
In story co!pletion, respondents are given part of a stor ; enough to direct attention to a particular topic but not to hint at the ending. The are required to give the conclusion in their own words.

:onstruction Techniques
With a picture response" the respondents are asked to describe a series of pictures of ordinar as well as unusual events. The respondent's interpretation of the pictures gives indications of that individual's personalit .

In cartoon tests, cartoon characters are shown in a specific situation related to the problem. The respondents are asked to indicate what one cartoon character might sa in response to the comments of another character. :artoon tests are simpler to administer and anal *e than picture response techniques.

# $artoon *est
0ears

7et=s see i we can pic/ up some housewares at 0ears

./pressive Techniques
In e,pressive techni ues, respondents are presented with a verbal or visual situation and asked to relate the feelings and attitudes of other people to the situation. -ole playing 1espondents are asked to pla the role or assume the behavior of someone else. .hird/person techni ue The respondent is presented with a verbal or visual situation and the respondent is asked to relate the beliefs and attitudes of a third person rather than directl e/pressing personal beliefs and attitudes. This third person ma be a friend, neighbor, colleague, or a %t pical' person.

#dvantages of 0ro+ective Techniques

The ma elicit responses that sub+ects would be unwilling or unable to give if the knew the purpose of the stud . <elpful when the issues to be addressed are personal, sensitive, or sub+ect to strong social norms. <elpful when underl ing motivations, beliefs, and attitudes are operating at a subconscious level.

Disadvantages of 0ro+ective Techniques

8uffer from man of the disadvantages of unstructured direct techniques, but to a greater e/tent. 1equire highl trained interviewers. 8killed interpreters are also required to anal *e the responses. There is a serious risk of interpretation bias. The tend to be e/pensive. 6a require respondents to engage in unusual behavior.

=uidelines for 9sing 0ro+ective Techniques 0ro+ective techniques should be used because the required information cannot be accuratel obtained b direct methods. 0ro+ective techniques should be used for e/plorator research to gain initial insights and understanding. =iven their comple/it , pro+ective techniques should not be used naivel .

$omparison o &ocus 'roups; Depth (nterviews; an! Pro5ective *echni-ues

!riteria "ocus #roups Depth $ntervie%s Projective &echni4ues ,+ Degree of Structure Relatively high - Probing of individual 6o% respondents .+ Moderator bias Relatively medium /+ $nterpretation bias Relatively lo% 0+ *ncovering 6o% subconscious information 1+ Discovering innovative 7igh information 2+ Obtaining sensitive 6o% information 3+ $nvolve unusual 8o behavior or 4uestioning 5+ Overall usefulness 7ighly useful Relatively medium Relatively lo% 7igh Medium Relatively high 6o% to high Relatively high Relatively medium 7igh Medium to high 6o% Medium 7igh Medium &o a limited :es
Some%hat useful