Focus Groups Course Objectives Explain What are Focus

Focus Groups

Course Objectives Explain What are Focus Groups List the Objectives of Focus Group List the Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Group Describe the Types of Focus Groups Explain the Steps involved in Conducting a Focus Group Describe the Designing of Questions for Focus Groups Explain How Moderator should Speak to Focus Group List the Ground Rules for Moderator of Focus Groups Explain the Facilitating of Focus Groups List the Characteristics of a Good Moderator

Introduction Larry & Whitney Software Inc. is a leading provider of software services to various clients across the globe. Larry & Whitney have a widespread presence across several countries. As a result of which, its workforce consists of people from diverse cultures and ethnicities.

Introduction Moreover, employees working in local offices are often transferred to overseas offices to gain international exposure, and experience of working with global clients and global market.

Introduction This diverse cultured workforce in each of Larry & Whitney’s office raises a huge concern for proper diversity management. It becomes especially important for the Managers and the employees to be sensitive to diverse cultures and work efficiently with people of diverse cultures and ethnicities.

Introduction Hence, the Management decides to conduct a research into the kind of issues and problems that Managers as well as the employees are facing while working with a diverse workforce. So, they decide to conduct a focus group.

Introduction The Management decides to use ‘focus groups’ to understand the attitude or behavior of the employees. The focus group included ten managers and employees from various locations of Larry & Whitney’s offices.

Introduction Also, one moderator was selected. The moderator introduced the topic to the participants of the focus group and he also lead and controlled the discussions. The entire discussion of the focus group was recorded.

Introduction The focus group was then used to identify the diversity management issues as well as issues that individual employees face while working with people from different cultures and ethnicities.

Introduction The following are some of the questions that were posed to the participants of the focus group: • What are the advantages of working with a diverse workforce? • What are the disadvantages of working with a diverse workforce? • What should Managers do to improve diversity management? • What should be done by Management to improve cultural sensitization? • What are your expectations from a diverse workforce environment? • What should an employee know and understand about diverse cultures?

Introduction The results that were collected from the focus group were analyzed and used to create a report on the key diversity management issues faced by Managers, concerns and issues that employees face while working with a diverse workforce, feedback to improve diversity management and cultural sensitization

Introduction Hence, you can see that the focus group conducted by Larry & Whitney helped the organization to become more culturally sensitized and more capable of handling a diverse workforce.

Introduction Therefore, focus groups serve as an important tool to gather information for qualitative research. Let us now learn about ‘Focus Groups’ in detail.

What are Focus Groups? • ‘Focus Groups’ are also known as ‘Group Interviews’ or ‘Group Discussions’. • They are used to understand the attitude or behavior of the audience. • Six to twelve individuals are selected and either one or two moderators are selected.

Relation between Focus Group and Marketing Research • • Focus Group is an important tool for Marketing Research. So, it can be said that if there was no Marketing Research being conducted, then there was really no need for conducting focus groups too. Marketing Research is the function that links consumer, customer and public to marketer through information gathered through tools such as focus groups.

Did You Know? There may be certain members in a focus group who may play ‘Blocking Roles’ are those activities that disrupt the group. Some blocking roles may be in the form of dominating discussions, verbally attacking other focus group members, and distracting the focus group with petty information or unnecessary humor.

Exploratory Focus Groups • Exploratory Focus Groups: o o o Such focus groups mainly explore how a group perceives a problem They use the power of group thinking to brainstorm potential solutions Such focus groups also try to identify the areas of further investigation or action They help design surveys for wide distribution They help understand unclear or contradictory survey responses Such focus groups tend to use openended questions to evoke participation y Explorator ps u o r G s u c o F

Select a Sample 2 • Select a Sample o The second step for conducting a focus group is to determine and select a sample. o Here, the sample is a list of people that are selected and chosen from a group from whom the information is needed.

Designing Questions for Focus Groups • Properly arrange the questions: To determine the order of the question, take decisions on aspects like opening questions (simple, interesting questions should be used as opening questions to gain co-operation and confidence of respondents), type of information (Basic information relates to the research issue, classification information relates to social and demographic characteristics, and identification information relates to personal information such as name, address, contact number of respondents), difficult questions (complex, embarrassing, dull and sensitive questions could be difficult), effect on subsequent questions, logical sequence, etc.

Real Life Example Percy & Grimm is a leading manufacturer of oral health care products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush, dental whitening creams, dental floss etc.

Ground Rules for Moderator of Focus Groups The following are a few ground rules that a moderator of Focus Groups should follow: First understand, and then be understood to apply to all participants Be clear and concise. Never label/judge any of the participants Do not assume; instead ask and listen actively to understand each participant Use visual means like drawings, charts, as well as tables in order to facilitate discussion. Do not preach to any of the participants Keep each discussion on track. Never warn/ threaten any of the participants Never respond with sarcasm to any of the participants’ responses Do not issue orders or commands to any of the participants

Methods for Evaluation of Focus Groups There are various methods that you can use for the evaluation of the success of focus group. Some of the most commonly used methods for evaluation are as follows: Interview with/Feedback from Moderator Measuring Before and After On-job Performance Feedback of Participants Discussions Quizzes

Management. Study. Guide. com This is a DEMO Course On – Focus Groups. Become a Member and Get Access to Complete Powerpoint Presentations for more than 140 Subjects. What Do you Get: 1. View All Courses Online. 2. Download Powerpoint Presentation for Each Course. 3. Do the Knowledge Checks for Each Course.