Chapter Six Descriptive Research Design Survey and Observation

Survey Method: A structured questionnaire given to a sample of a population and designed to bring out specific information from respondents. Sample Question - Shopping in department stores is fun Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -2

A Classification of Survey Methods Fig. 6. 1 Telephone Survey Methods Personal Mail In-Home Mall Intercept Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing Traditional Telephone Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall Mail Interview Electronic E-mail Internet Mail Panel 6 -3

A Classification of Survey Methods 1. Telephone interview: involves phoning a sample of respondents and asking them a series of questions. 2. Computer-assisted telephone interview: the computer dials a telephone number, the interviewer asks the questions on the screen of the computer, and the interviewer records the respondents’ answers directly into the computer. 3. Personal in-home interview: involves asking questions of a sample of respondents face-to-face in their homes. 4. Mall-intercept personal interview: respondents are intercepted while they are shopping in a mall and brought to a central location test facility located in the mall, and then a questionnaire is administered to them by the interviewer. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -4

A Classification of Survey Methods 5. Computer-assisted personal interview: the respondent sits in front of a computer terminal and answers the questionnaire on the Computer screen by using the keyboard and/or mouse. 6. Mail interview: questionnaires are mailed to pre-selected potential respondents where the respondents complete and return the questionnaires by mail. A typical mail interview package consists of outgoing envelope, cover letter, questionnaire, return envelope and possibly an incentive. 7. Mail panel: consists of a large and nationally representative sample of households which have agreed to periodically participate in mail questionnaires and product tests. 8. E-mail interview: the survey is written within the body of the e-mail message. The e-mails are sent out over the Internet. 9. Internet interview: Internet or Web surveys use hypertext markup language (HTML), the language of the Web, and are posted on a Web site. Respondents are asked to go to a particular web location to complete the survey. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -5

A Comparative Evaluation of Survey Methods Diversity of Questions and Flexibility of Data Collection • The flexibility of data collection is determined primarily by the extent to which the respondent can interact with the interviewer and the survey questionnaire. The diversity of questions that can be asked in a survey depends upon the degree of interaction the respondent has with the interviewer and the questionnaire, as well as the ability to actually see the questions. Use of Physical Stimuli • The ability to use physical stimuli such as the product, a product prototype, commercials, or promotional displays during the interview. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -6

A Comparative Evaluation of Survey Methods Sample Control • Sample control is the ability of the survey mode to reach the units specified in the sample effectively and efficiently. Quantity of Data • The ability to collect large amounts of data. Response Rate • Survey response rate is broadly defined as the percentage of the total attempted interviews that are completed. Personal, in -home, mall-intercept and computer assisted interviews yield the highest response rate (typically between 60 & 80 percent). Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -7

A Comparative Evaluation of Survey Methods RESPONDENT FACTORS Perceived Anonymity • Perceived anonymity refers to the respondents' perceptions that their identities will not be recognized by the interviewer or the researcher. Social Desirability/Sensitive Information • Social desirability is the tendency of the respondents to give answers that are socially acceptable, whether or not they are true. Mail surveys, mail panels and internet surveys do not involve any social interaction between the interviewer and the respondents. • Evidence suggests that such methods are good for obtaining sensitive information. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -8

A Comparative Evaluation of Survey Methods Table 6. 2 Mall Intercept Mail Surveys Mail Panels E-Mail Internet High Moderate Moderate to high Low Moderate High Moderate Low Moderate to high Sample Control Moderate to Potentially Moderate Low Moderate to Low to high moderate Quantity of data Low High Moderate Moderate High Low Criteria Telephone/ In-Home CATI Interviews TASK FACTORS Diversity of questions and flexibility Low High to moderate Use of physical stimuli Response rate Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall CAPI Very low 6 -9

A Comparative Evaluation of Survey Methods Table 6. 2 Criteria Telephone In-Home Intervie ws CAPI Mail Panels EMail Internet Moderate High Low Low to high Control of field force Moderate Low Moderate High Potential for interviewer bias Moderate High Low None Speed High Moderate Low High Very to high to moderate high Cost Moderate High Moderate Low Low to high to moderate Control of data collection environment Interviews Mail Surveys SITUATIONAL FACTORS CATI Mall. Interce pt Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -10

A Comparative Evaluation of Survey Methods Table 6. 2 Criteria RESPONDENT FACTORS Perceived anonymity of the respondent Social desirability Telephon e / In-Home Mall. Intercept CATI Intervie ws Interviews Mail CAPI Surveys Mail Panels EMail Internet Moderate Low Low High Moderate High Moderat e Low Moderate High to High Obtaining sensitive information Low High Moderate High to moderate to high Low Moderat e Moderate High Respondent control Low Low Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall to moderate Low High Low incidence rate High Low Moderate 6 -11 to high

Observation Methods Structured Versus Unstructured Observation • For structured observation, the researcher specifies in detail what is to be observed and how the measurements are to be recorded, e. g. , an auditor performing inventory analysis in a store. • In unstructured observation, the observer monitors all aspects of the phenomenon that seem relevant to the problem at hand, e. g. , observing children playing with new toys. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -12

Observation Methods Disguised Versus Undisguised Observation • In disguised observation, the respondents are unaware that they are being observed. Disguise may be accomplished by using oneway mirrors, hidden cameras, or inconspicuous mechanical devices. Observers may be disguised as shoppers or sales clerks or in other appropriate role. • In undisguised observation, the respondents are aware that they are under observation. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -13

Observation Methods Natural Versus Contrived Observation • Natural observation involves observing behavior as it takes places in the environment. For example, one could observe the behavior of respondents eating fast food at Burger King. • In contrived observation, respondents' behavior is observed in an artificial environment, such as a test kitchen set up in a shopping mall. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -14

Observational Case - Marketing research: The Japanese way… A good example is Canon’s decision on a new U. S. distribution strategy. In the early 1970 s, the company’s senior management became worried about U. S. camera sales. Other product lines were doing well, but camera sales had lost ground to the chief competitor, Minolta. Canon finally decided it needed its own sales subsidiary because its distributor, Bell & Howell, wouldn’t give additional support for the Canon line. Senior managers didn’t use a broad survey of consumers or retailers to make this decision. They sent three managers to the United States to look into the problem and changed strategies based on their observations. Canon’s head of the U. S. team himself spent almost six weeks in 1972 visiting camera stores and other retail outlets across the United States. On entering a camera store, he would act just like a customer. He would note how the cameras were displayed and how the clerks served customers. He observed that the dealers were not enthusiastic about canon. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -15

A Classification of Observation Methods Fig. 6. 3 Classifying Observation Methods Personal Observation Mechanical Observation Audit Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall Content Analysis Trace Analysis 6 -16

Observation Methods: Personal Observation • A researcher observes actual behavior as it occurs. • The observer does not attempt to manipulate the phenomenon being observed but merely records what takes place. • For example, a researcher might record traffic counts and observe traffic flows in a department store. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -17

Observation Methods: Mechanical Observation • • • The AC Nielsen audimeter Turnstiles that record the number of people entering or leaving a building. On-site cameras (still, motion picture, or video) Eye-tracking monitors People meters Voice pitch analyzers Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -18

Observation Methods: Audit • The researcher collects data by examining physical records or performing inventory analysis. • Data are collected personally by the researcher. • Retail and wholesale audits conducted by marketing research suppliers were discussed in the context of syndicated data in Chapter 4. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -19

Observation Methods: Content Analysis • The objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of a communication. The unit of analysis may be words, characters (individuals or objects). • Suppose we want to examine how the portrayal of women in U. S. magazine advertising has changed, positively or negatively, over the 10 -year period from 1996 to 2006. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -20

Observation Methods: Trace Analysis Data collection is based on physical traces, or evidence, of past behavior. n n n The selective erosion of tiles in a museum indexed by the replacement rate was used to determine the relative popularity of exhibits. The number of different fingerprints on a page was used to gauge the readership of various advertisements in a magazine. The position of the radio dials in cars brought in for service was used to estimate share of listening audience of various radio stations. The age and condition of cars in a parking lot were used to assess the affluence of customers. Internet visitors leave traces which can be analyzed to examine browsing and usage behavior by using cookies. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -21

Relative Advantages of Observation • They permit measurement of actual behavior rather than reports of intended or preferred behavior. • There is no reporting bias, and potential bias caused by the interviewer and the interviewing process is eliminated or reduced. • Certain types of data can be collected only by observation. • If the observed phenomenon occurs frequently or is of short duration, observational methods may be cheaper and faster than survey methods. • For example: Information on babies’ toy preferences is best obtained by observing babies at play, since they are unable to express themselves adequately. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -22

Relative Disadvantages of Observation • The reasons for the observed behavior may not be determined since little is known about the underlying motives, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences. • Selective perception (bias in the researcher's perception) can bias the data. • Observational data are often time-consuming and expensive, and it is difficult to observe certain forms of behavior. • In some cases, the use of observational methods may be unethical, as in observing people without their knowledge or consent. • For example: People observed buying a brand of cereal may or may not like it themselves. They may be purchasing that brand for someone else in the household. It is best to view observation as a complement to survey methods, rather than as being in competition with them. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -23

Ethnographic Research • Ethnographic research is the study of human behavior in its natural context and involves observation of behavior and setting along with depth interviews. Sometimes audio and visuals recording are also obtained. Thus both questioning and observation methods are combined to understand the behavior of consumers. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 6 -24