MR2300 MARKETING RESEARCH WITH PAUL TILLEY Unit 5: Primary Research - Survey Research

IN THIS VIDEO WE WILL: Part 1  Define Primary research  Discuss the nature of surveys in primary Market research.  Understand the advantages and disadvantages of surveys  Identify the various types of survey error Part 2  Discuss the different ways to conduct Market research surveys and the relative advantages and relative disadvantages of each way.  Discuss possible strategies to improve survey response rates

Stages of the Research Process 1.Problem Discovery and Definition Exploratory Research Secondary Data Research 2. Research Design Primary Research 3. Sampling 4. Data Gathering 5. Data Processing and Analysis 6. Conclusions and Reporting and so on

PRIMARY RESEARCH  Primary research is any type of research that you go out and collect yourself for the purposes of helping to address a particular research problem. Primary data is usually collected through surveys, observations, and experiments.

PRIMARY RESEARCH

PRIMARY RESEARCH: SURVEYS This unit will focus on Survey Research. Surveys ask respondents for information using verbal or written questioning

RESPONDENTS Respondents the people that we survey. They are a representative sample of people in the population.

GATHERING INFORMATION VIA SURVEYS: ADVANTAGES  Quick  Inexpensive  Efficient  Accurate  Flexible

GATHERING INFORMATION VIA SURVEYS: DISADVANTAGES The reliability of survey data may depend on the following factors:  Respondents may not feel encouraged to provide accurate, honest answers  Respondents may not feel comfortable providing answers that present themselves in a unfavorable manner.  Respondents may not be fully aware of their reasons for any given answer because of lack of memory on the subject, or even boredom.  Data errors due to question non-responses may exist. The number of respondents who choose to respond to a survey question may be different from those who chose not to respond, thus creating bias.  Survey question answer options could lead to unclear data because certain answer options may be interpreted differently by respondents.  Customized surveys can run the risk of containing certain types of errors

SURVEY PROBLEMS  Survey Sample Error  Poor Design/Improper Execution

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

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

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

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

 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. EXTREMITY BIAS

 A response bias that occurs because the presence of the interviewer influences answers. INTERVIEWER BIAS

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.

ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR  Improper administration of the research task  Blunders  Confusion  Neglect  Omission

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

ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR  Sample selection error - improper sample design or sampling procedure execution.

ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR  Interviewer error - field mistakes

ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR  Interviewer cheating - filling in fake answers or falsifying interviewers

PART 2  Conducting the Survey

CONDUCTING MARKETING RESEARCH: COMMUNICATING WITH RESPONDENTS  Personal interviews  Door-to-door  Shopping mall intercepts  Telephone interviews  Self-administered questionnaires

PERSONAL INTERVIEWS

Good Afternoon, my name is _________. I am with _________ survey research company. We are conducting a survey on_________

DOOR-TO-DOOR PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Speed of data collection  Moderate to fast  Geographical flexibility  Limited to moderate  Respondent cooperation  Excellent  Versatility of questioning  Quite versatile

DOOR-TO-DOOR PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Questionnaire length  Long  Item nonresponse  Low  Possibility of respondent misunderstanding  Lowest

DOOR-TO-DOOR PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Degree of interviewer influence of answer  High  Supervision of interviewers  Moderate  Anonymity of respondent  Low

DOOR-TO-DOOR PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Ease of call back or follow-up  Difficult  Cost  Highest  Special features  Visual materials may be shown or demonstrated; extended probing possible

MALL INTERCEPT PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Speed of data collection  Fast  Geographical flexibility  Confined, urban bias  Respondent cooperation  Moderate to low  Versatility of questioning  Extremely versatile

MALL INTERCEPT PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Speed of Data Collection  Fast  Geographical Flexibility  Confined, urban bias  Respondent Cooperation  Moderate to low  Versatility of Questioning  Extremely versatile

MALL INTERCEPT PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Questionnaire length  Moderate to long  Item nonresponse  Medium  Possibility of respondent misunderstanding  Lowest

MALL INTERCEPT PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Degree of interviewer influence of answers  Highest  Supervision of interviewers  Moderate to high  Anonymity of respondent  Low

MALL INTERCEPT PERSONAL INTERVIEW  Ease of call back or follow-up  Difficult  Cost  Moderate to high  Special features  Taste test, viewing of TV commercials possible

TELEPHONE SURVEYS

 Speed of Data Collection  Very fast  Geographical Flexibility  High  Respondent Cooperation  Good  Versatility of Questioning  Moderate

TELEPHONE SURVEYS  Questionnaire Length  Moderate  Item Nonresponse  Medium  Possibility of RespondentMisunderstanding  Average  Degree of Interviewer Influence of Answer  Moderate

TELEPHONE SURVEYS  Supervision of interviewers  High, especially with central location WATS interviewing  Anonymity of respondent  Moderate  Ease of call back or follow-up  Easy

TELEPHONE SURVEYS  Cost  Low to moderate  Special features  Fieldwork and supervision of data collection are simplified; quite adaptable to computer technology

TELEPHONE SURVEYS  Central location interviewing  Computer-assisted telephone interviewing  Computerized voice-activated interviews

MAIL SURVEYS

 Speed of data collection  Researcher has no control over return of questionnaire; slow  Geographical flexibility  High  Respondent cooperation  Moderate--poorly designed questionnaire will have low response rate

MAIL SURVEYS  Versatility of questioning  Highly standardized format  Questionnaire length  Varies depending on incentive  Item nonresponse  High

MAIL SURVEYS  Possibility of respondent misunderstanding  Highest--no interviewer present for clarification  Degree of interviewer influence of answer  None--interviewer absent  Supervision of interviewers  Not applicable

MAIL SURVEYS  Anonymity of respondent  High  Ease of call back or follow-up  Easy, but takes time  Cost  Lowest

INCREASING RESPONSE RATES  Effective cover letter  Money helps  Interesting questions  Follow-ups  Advanced notification  Survey sponsorship  Keying questionnaires

QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS  Speed of data collection  Instantaneous  Geographic flexibility  worldwide  Cheaper distribution and processing costs

QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS  Flexible, but  Extensive differences in the capabilities of respondents’ computers and software limit the types of questions and the layout  s are not secure and “eavesdropping” can possibly occur  Respondent cooperation  Varies depending if is seen as “spam”

INTERNET SURVEYS  A self-administered questionnaire posted on a Web site.  Respondents provide answers to questions displayed online by highlighting a phrase, clicking an icon, or keying in an answer.

INTERNET SURVEYS  Speed of data collection  Instantaneous  Cost effective  Geographic flexibility  worldwide  Visual and interactive

INTERNET SURVEYS  Respondent cooperation  Varies depending on web site  Varies depending on type of sample  When user does not opt-in or expect a voluntary survey cooperation is low.  Self-selection problems in web site visitation surveys - participants tend to be more deeply involved than the average person.

INTERNET SURVEYS  Versatility of questioning  Extremely versatile  Questionnaire length  Individualized base on respondent answers  Longer questionnaires with panel samples  Item nonresponse  Software can assure none

INTERNET SURVEYS  Representative samples  The quality of internet samples may vary substantially.  A sample of those who visit a web page and voluntarily fill out a questionnaires can have self-selection error.

INTERNET SURVEYS  1) not all individuals in the general public have internet access  2) many respondents lack powerful computers with high-speed connections to the internet  3) many respondents computer skills will be relatively unsophisticated.

INTERNET SURVEYS  Possibility for respondent misunderstanding  High  Interviewer influence of answers  None  Supervision of interviewersnot required

INTERNET SURVEYS  Anonymity of Respondent  Respondent can be anonymous or known  Ease of Callback or Follow-up  difficult unless address is known  Special Features  allows graphics and streaming media

THERE IS NO BEST FORM OF SURVEY; EACH HAS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES.

SELECTED QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUE  Is the assistance of an interviewer necessary?  Are respondents interested in the issues being investigated?  Will cooperation be easily attained? How quickly is the information needed?  Will the study require a long and complex questionnaire?  How large is the budget?

PRETESTING  A trial run with a group of respondents to iron out fundamental problems in the instructions of survey design

“PRACTICE IS THE BEST OF ALL INSTRUCTORS.” PUBLIUS SYRUS