Marketing Research

1. Marketing Research Aaker, Kumar, Day Ninth Edition Instructor’s Presentation Slides

2. Chapter Eight Information Collection: Qualitative and Observational Methods http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

3. Marketing Research Marketing Research Primary Secondary Qualitative Quantitative Qualitative Quantitative http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

4. Information Collection : Qualitative and Observational Methods Qualitative Methods • Recommended to capture the basic feel of a problem prior to conducting more analytical study Observational Methods • Limited to providing information on current behavior http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

5. Qualitative Research Methods Exploratory • Conducted primarily to explicitly define the problem and formulate hypotheses Orientation • To learn more about target customer (e.g. Culture, language) Clinical • To gain insights into topics that are difficult in a structured research http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

6. Qualitative Research Methods Four major constraints: • Volume of data • Complexity of analysis • Detail of clarification record • Time-consuming nature of the clerical efforts required • Computer technology helps alleviate these problems and increase the use of qualitative research http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

7. Use of Computers in Qualitative Research • Transmitting • Storing • Coding • Searching and Retrieving • Building Relationships • Matrix Building http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

8. Individual In-depth Interviews • Nondirective interviews • Respondent given maximum freedom to respond • Semi-structured or focused individual interviews • Covers a specific list of topics or sub-areas • Individual in-depth interview techniques • Laddering • Hidden-issue • Symbolic Analysis http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

9. Focus Group Discussions • Offers participants more stimulation than an interview; makes new ideas and meaningful comments more likely • Issues to be addressed: • Outlining the intended direction of the group • Explaining how participants were recruited • Re-educating observers on the concepts of random selection, statistical reliability, and projectability of research results http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

10. Focus Group Discussions Source: www.simpleton.com http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

11. Types of Focus Groups Exploratory Focus Groups • Used in the exploratory phase of the market research process • Used for generating the hypotheses for testing Clinical Focus Groups • Based on the premise that an individual's true feelings and motivations are subconscious in nature Experiencing Focus Groups • Allows the researcher to experience the emotional framework in which the product is being used http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

12. Key Factors for Focus Group Success • Planning the Agenda • Recruitment • Moderator • Analysis and Interpretation of the Results http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

13. Ten Tips for Running a Successful Focus Group • You can never do too much planning for a focus group • Manage the recruitment process actively to get the right people in the groups • Don’t prejudge the participants based on physical appearance • The best focus group moderators bring objectivity and expertise to a project • Achieving research objectives does not guarantee a successful group project • The moderator and client should coordinate their efforts at all stages of the process for the research to achieve its objectives http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

14. Ten Tips for Running a Successful Focus Group (cont.) • Most client organizations conduct more focus groups than are necessary to achieve the research objective • One of the most important services a moderator can provide is a fast report turnaround 9. Client observers should be thoroughly briefed about research objectives before the sessions start 10. The most valuable service a moderator can provide is objective conclusions based on the interpretations of the research, without regard for what the client wants to hear http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

15. Trends in Focus Groups • Telephone Focus Groups • Video Conference • Two-way focus groups • Online focus groups http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

16. Projective Techniques • Presentation of an ambiguous, unstructured object, activity, or person that a respondent is asked to interpret and explain. • Categories of Projective Techniques: • Word Association • Completion Test • Picture Interpretation • Third Person Techniques • Role Playing • Case Studies http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

17. Limitations of Qualitative Methods • Potential susceptibility of the results to get misused or misinterpreted • Results not necessarily representative of the whole population • Moderator or interviewer's role is extremely critical and can lead to ambiguous or misleading results http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

18. Observational Methods • Casual Observation • Systematic Observation • Direct Observation • Contrived Observation • Content Analysis • Physical Trace Measures • Humanistic Inquiry • Behavior Recording Devices http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

19. Limitations of Observational Methods • Cannot be used to observe motives, attitudes or intentions • More costly and time consuming • May yield biased results if there are sampling problems or if significant observant subjectivity is involved http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/

20. Recent Applications of Qualitative and Observational Methods • Talking Shopper program by Pathfinder Research Group • Virtual Customers system for evaluating service quality • On-site observation to observe and learn customer purchase decisions as they are being made http://www.drvkumar.com/mr9/