1. Chapter 7: Qualitative Research Tools

2. 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.

3. 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

4. Quantitative Research
Business research that addresses research objectives through empirical assessment that involve numerical measurement and analysis.

5. 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

6. Exploratory research
Secondary data
Experience survey
Pilot studies

7. Exploratory Research
Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem
Does not provide conclusive evidence
Subsequent research expected

8. What is Exploratory Research?
QUANTITATIVE
DATA
QUALITATIVE
DATA

9. Why Conduct Exploratory Research?
Diagnose a situation
Screening of alternatives
Discover new ideas

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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)

13. 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.

14. Group Composition 6 to 10 people Relatively homogeneous
Similar lifestyles and experiences

15. Outline for a Focus Group
Establish a rapport
Begin with broad topic
Focus in on specific topic
Generate discussion and interaction

16. The Moderator Develops rapport - helps people relax Interacts
Listens to what people have to say
Everyone gets a chance to speak

17. The Moderator Maintains loose control and focuses discussion
Stimulates spontaneous responses

18. Advantages of Online Focus Groups
Fast
Inexpensive
Bring together many participants from wide-spread geographical areas
Respondent anonymity
Transcript automatically recorded

19. Disadvantages of Online Focus Groups
Less group interaction
Absence of tactile stimulation
Absence of facial expression and body language
Moderator’s job is difficult

20. “A man is least himself when he talks
in his own person; when given a mask
he will tell the truth.”
--Oscar Wilde

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

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

23. Semi-structured Interview
Social Networking

24. 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.

25. 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____________________

26. Projective Techniques
Word association tests
Sentence completion method
Third-person technique
Role playing
T.A.T.
Picture frustration version of T.A.T.

27. 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.

28. Chapter 9 Survey Research: An Overview

29. Surveys
Surveys ask respondents for information using verbal or written questioning

30. Respondents
Respondents are a representative sample of people

31. Gathering Information via Surveys
Quick
Inexpensive
Efficient
Accurate
Flexible

32. Problems
Poor Design
Improper Execution

33. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Random sampling
error
Total
error
Systematic
error (bias)

34. Random Sampling Error
A statistical fluctuation that occurs because of change variation in the elements selected for the sample

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

36. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Administrative
error
Systematic
error (bias)
Respondent
error

37. 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

38. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Nonresponse
error
Respondent
error
Response
bias

39. Respondent Error
A classification of sample bias resulting from some respondent action or inaction
Nonresponse bias
Response bias

40. Nonresponse Error Nonrespondents - people who refuse to cooperate
Not-at-homes
Self-selection bias
Over-represents extreme positions
Under-represents indifference

41. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Deliberate
falsification
Response
bias
Unconscious
misrepresentation

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

43. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Acquiescence bias
Extremity bias
Interviewer bias
Auspices bias
Social desirability bias

44. 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.

45. 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.

46. Interviewer Bias
A response bias that occurs because the presence of the interviewer influences answers.

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

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

49. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Administrative
error
Systematic
error (bias)
Respondent
error

50. Administrative Error Improper administration of the research task
Blunders
Confusion
Neglect
Omission

51. Tree Diagram of Total Survey Error
Data processing error
Sample selection error
Interviewer error
Interviewer cheating

52. 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

54. by Degree of Structure and Degree of Disguise
Classifying Surveys
by Degree of Structure and Degree of Disguise
Structured Unstructured
Example:
Typical descriptive survey
with straight-forward, structured
questions
Survey with open-ended
questions to discover “new”
answers or focus group interview
Survey interview to measure
brand A’s image versus
competitive brands’ images or
brand recall (unaided recall)
Projection techniques used
mostly for exploratory research
Undisguised
Disguised

55. Time Period for Surveys
Cross-sectional
Longitudinal

56. Cross-Sectional Study
A study in which various segments of a population are sampled
Data are collected at a single moment in time.

57. 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

58. 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.

59. Total Quality Management and Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Total quality management - A business philosophy that emphasizes market-driven quality as a top organizational priority.

60. Stages in Tracking Quality Improvement
Initial
quality
improve-
ment
Continuous
Quality
Improvement
Commitment
and
Exploration
Bench-
marking

61. 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.

62. 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

63. 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.

64. Continuous Quality Improvement
Consists of many consecutive waves with the same purpose—to improve over the previous period.
Quality improvement management continues.

65. Determinants of the Quality of Goods
Performance
Features
Conformance with specifications
Reliability
Durability
Serviceability
Aesthetic design

66. Determinants of Service Quality
Access
Communication
Competence
Courtesy
Reliability
Credibility