Business Research Methods William G. Zikmund

1. BusinessResearch MethodsWilliam G. Zikmund Chapter 15: Questionnaire Design

2. “It is not every question that deserves an answer.” Publius Syrus(roman,1st century B.C.)

3. Newcomers, who naively believe that common sense and good grammar are all one needs to construct a questionnaire, generally learn that their hasty efforts are inadequate.Respondents may be confuse over definition:e.g. Do you own any stock?Stock = company share / livestock

4. A Good Questionnaire Appears • As easy to compose as a good poem • But, it is usually the result of long, painstaking work • When designing the questionnaire, the researcher must also be thinking about the types of statistical analysis that will be conducted.

5. The Major Decisions in Questionnaire Design 1. What should be asked? 2. How should each question be phrased? 3. In what sequence should the questions be arranged? E.g. easy q first, personal info at the back 4. What questionnaire layout will best serve the research objectives? Attractive, easy to use layout 5. How should the questionnaire be pretested? Does the questionnaire need to be revised? Assess if respondents have difficulty understanding

6. What Should Be Asked? • Relevance and accuracy are the two most basic criteria to be met if the questionnaire is to achieve the researcher’s purpose. • A questionnaire is relevant if no unnecessary information is collected and if only the information needed to solve the marketing problem is obtained.

7. Questionnaire accuracy • Accuracy means that the information is reliable and valid. • While it is generally believed that one should use simple, understandable, unbiased, unambiguous, and nonirritating words, no step-by-step procedure can be generalized. • Respondents tend to be most cooperative when the subject of the research is interesting - if questions are lengthy, difficult to answer, or ego threatening, there is a high probability of biased answers. Question wording and sequence substantially influence accuracy.

8. Phrasing Questions • There are many ways to phrase questions and many standard question formats have been developed in previous research. • Open-ended response versus fixed- alternative questions. • Phrasing questions for mail, telephone, and personal interview surveys

9. Open-ended response versus fixed- alternative questions. • Open-ended response questions pose some problem or topic and ask the respondents to answer in their own words. Open-ended response questions are free response questions. • Open-ended response questions are most beneficial when the researcher is conducting exploratory research. By gaining free and uninhibited responses, the researcher may find some unanticipated reaction toward the project. They may also be useful at the beginning of an interview as they allow the respondent to warm up to the questioning process. • The cost of open-ended response questions is substantially higher than that of fixed-alternative questions, since the job of coding, editing, and analyzing the data is quite extensive. Also, open-ended response questions allow potential interviewer bias to influence the answer - even the best interviewer can take shortcuts in recording answers.

10. Fixed-alternative questions. • In contrast, fixed-alternative questions, or closed questions, give the respondents specific, limited, alternative responses and ask the respondent to choose the response closest to his or her viewpoint. • Fixed-alternative questions require less interviewer skill, take less time, and are easier for the respondent to answer. There are various types of fixed-alternative questions. • Single-dichotomy or dichotomous-alternative questions: “yes” or “no” 2. Multi-choice alternatives: e.g.Determinant choice questions ask a respondent to choose one and only one - response from among several possible alternatives. The frequency determination. Attitude rating scales, such as the Likert scale. The check list question allows respondents to provide multiple answers to a single question. • The researcher should strive to ensure that there are sufficient response choices to include almost all possible answers. • Most questionnaires include a mixture of open-ended and closed questions. Each form has unique benefits; in addition, respondent boredom and fatigue are eliminated with a change of pace offered by a mixture of question types.

11. Phrasing questions for mail, telephone, and personal interview surveys: • In general, mail and telephone questions must be less complex than those utilized in personal interviews. Questionnaires for telephone and personal interviews should be written in a “conversational” manner.

12. Developing a Questionnaire • No hard and fast rules • Only guidelines

13. Avoid Complexity: use simple, conversational language. Words used in a questionnaire should be readily understandable to all respondents. The technical jargon of top executives should be avoided. • Avoid leading and loaded questions, • Leading questions suggest or imply certain answers, • e.g. Many people are using dry cleaning less because of improved wash-and-wear clothes. How do you feel wash-and-wear clothes have affected your use of dry-cleaning facilities in the past 4 years? • ________ use less _____No change _______ use more

14. Loaded questions suggest social desirability or are emotionally charged. Some questions invite only positive answers. In other cases, respondents are able to interpret which answers are most socially acceptable, and the resulting answers may not portray the respondent’s true feelings. e.g. Are you an ethical student? _____Yes ____Uncertain ____No

15. Avoid ambiguity: be as specific as possible. Items on questionnaires are often ambiguous because they are too general. Indefinite words such as frequently, often, ready, etc., have many different meanings. Use of such words should be avoided. • E.g. How difficult is it for you to get the necessary information about the company objectives or goals for decision making? • “necessary information” is subjective, may refer to minimum info or optimal/best information.

16. Avoid making assumptions - assuming that the respondent has previously thought about an issue • E.g. Should Macy continue its excellent gift-wrapping program? YES / NO • Assume people know Macy and assume people believe the gift-wrapping program is excellent.

17. Avoid burdensome questions – may tax the respondent’s memory Do you recall any TV commercials on last week’s Amazing race programme?

18. Avoid double-barreled items – asking two questions instead of one e.g. Between you and your husband, who does the housework (cleaning, cooking, dishwashing, laundry) over and above that done by any hired help? I do all of it I do almost all of it I do over half of it We split the work fifty-fifty My husband did over half of it

19. Questionnaire Design • Question sequence – ask simple to understand questions first and personal info/embarrass questions later. • Order bias • Funnel technique • Filter bias • Question layout

20. Pretesting is Important

21. Questions asked in pre-testing • Are simple words used? • Is the language vague? • Are the questions short? • Are the questions easy to understand? • Are the questions specific or general? • Are the questions leading? • Are the questions loaded? • Is any objectional language utilized? • Have any assumptions been made in the questions? • Are any hypothetical questions used? • Did you talk down to the respondent? • Are any of the questions double-barreled? • Are you asking two questions or one? • Are any questions too sensitive? • Is the question necessary? • Is the questionnaire layout appealing? • Is the questionnaire layout easy to follow? • Is there enough room to answer the questions? • Are the instructions easy to understand?