Võ Văn Diễn

Khoa Kinh tế – Đại học Nha Trang

[email protected] ☏ 09 08 98 70 70
Marketing research
applications
• A bank want to measure satisfaction scores of a
group of customers on 40 satisfaction criteria and
explores the basic dimensions of satisfaction
judgments.
• Is the average consumption of beer per capita per
year in Vietnam significantly different from the U.S?
• A supermarket chain tries to define different
segments of customers on the basis of the
similarities in the type of goods they buy, the
amount they buy, and the brands they prefer.
Marketing research
applications
• The XYZ hotel wants to know if the country of origin
of a traveler, age and the number of children
he/she has determines whether the traveler will
select the XYZ hotel or not for a summer holiday.
• A manufacturer of branded ice-cream wants to find
out to what extent his price level and advertising
efforts have contributed to sales over a period of 36
months.
• Is there a difference between sales figures in three
samples of shops in which a different sales
promotion campaign has been implemented?
 Example of jobs in MR (in
UK)
Job title Job description Annual salary

Field interviewer - Trained to select and interview respondents £ 10,000

using a structured questionnaire
- Works from home, possibly part-time
Coder Processes open-ended questions by developing £ 10,000
a code frame and applying it to data
Web analyst Evaluates website visitor behavior £ 20,000

Client company - Responsible for buying research from agencies £ 30,000

market research - Has a duty to provide users with information
manager they need

Research agency - Responsible for particular projects £ 34,000

project manager - Ensures deadlines are met and work moves
through an agency smoothly

Source: Nigel Bradley (2013)

 Prepare for a career in
MR
• Take all the marketing courses you can
• Take courses in statistics and quantitative methods
• Acquire Internet, social media, and computer skills
• Takes courses in psychology, sociology, and
consumer behavior
• Acquire effective written and verbal communication
skills
• Think creatively
Contents
• Introduction to Marketing Research
• Defining the Marketing Research Problem
• Research Design
• Qualitative Research
• Survey and Observation
• Measurement and Scaling
• Questionnaire and Form Design
• Sampling Design and Procedures
• Data Collection and Preparation
• Data Analysis
• Report Preparation and Presentation
Introduction to MR
• Definition of marketing research
• A classification of marketing research
• The marketing research process
• The role of MR in marketing decision making
• The decision to conduct marketing research
• The MR industry
• Careers in
marketing
research
Marketing research
problem
• The importance of defining the problem
• The process of defining the problem and
developing an approach
• Tasks involved in problem definition
• Environmental context of the problem
• Management decision problem and
Marketing research problem
• Defining the MR problem
• Ethics in marketing research
Research design
• Research design definition
• Basic research designs
• Primary versus secondary data
• Advantages and disadvantages of
secondary data
• Criteria for evaluating secondary
data
• Classification of secondary data
• The nature of syndicated data
• Syndicated services for consumer
data
Qualitative research
• Qualitative versus Quantitative research
• A classification of qualitative research procedures
• Focus group interviews
• Depth interviews
• Projective techniques
• Word association
• Sentence completion
• Picture response and
cartoon test
• Role playing and third-
person techniques
Survey and observation
• Survey methods
• Telephone methods
• Personal methods
• Mail methods
• Electronic methods
• Criteria for selecting a survey method
• Improving survey
response rates
• Observation methods
• Personal observation
• Mechanical observation
Measurement and scaling
• Definition of measurement and
scaling
• Primary scales of measurement
• Comparative scaling techniques
• Non-comparative scaling techniques
• Multi-item scales
• Scale evaluation
• Reliability
• Validity
• Choosing a scaling technique
Questionnaire and Form
design
• Questionnaire definition
• Objectives of a questionnaire
• Questionnaire design process
• Specify the information needed
• Determine of the content of
individual questions
• Decide on the question structure
• Determine the question wording
• Arrange the questions in proper order
• Choose the form and layout
• Pre-test the questionnaire
Sampling design and
procedures
• Sample or census
• The sampling design process
• A classification of sampling techniques
• Non-probability sampling techniques
• Convenience sampling
• Quota sampling
• Snowball sampling
• Probability sampling techniques
• Simple random sampling
• Systematic sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Choosing appropriate sampling
technique
Data collection and
preparation
• The nature of field work or
data collection
• Data collection process
• Selection of field workers
• Training of field workers
• Supervision of field workers
• Validation and evaluation of
field workers
• Data preparation process
• Questionnaire checking
• Editing
• Coding
• Data cleaning
• Selecting a data analysis
strategy
 Data analysis
• Frequency distribution of data
• Cross-tabulation
• Introduction to hypothesis
testing
• Procedure for hypothesis
testing
• Classification of hypothesis
testing procedure

• Basic data analysis models

• T-test, F-test, Correlation,
Regression
• Software applications
• EXCEL, SPSS, STATA,
EVIEWS, SAS, R, PYTHON…
Report presentation
• Importance of the report
and presentation
• The report preparation and
presentation process
• Report preparation
• Report format
• Report writing
• Guideline for tables
• Guideline for graphs
• Oral presentation and
dissemination
Material
• Naresh K. Malhotra (2015), Essentials of Marketing
Research: A Hand-On Orientation, Pearson.
• Alvin Burns, Ann Veeck, Ronald Bush (2017), Marketing
Research, 8th edition, Pearson.
• Kenneth Clow, Karen James (2014), Essentials of Marketing
Research: Putting Research into Practice, SAGE Publicarions,
Inc.
• Nigel Bradley (2013), Marketing Research: Tools &
Techniques, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press.
• William Zikmund, Barry Babin (2010), Essentials of
Marketing Research, 4th edition, South-Western Cengage
Learning.
• Wim Janssens, Katrien Wijen, Patrick de Pelmacker, Patrick
van Kenhove (2008), Marketing Research with SPSS,
Introduction to
Marketing
Research
Material:
Naresh Malhotra (2015), Essentials of Marketing Research: A
Hands-on Orientation, Pearson.
Chapter 1 - Introduction to Marketing Research
Alvin Burns, Ann Veeck, Ronald Bush (2017), Marketing Research,
8th edition, Pearson.
Chapter 1 – Introduction to Marketing Research
Chapter 2 – The Marketing Research Industry
Research in Marketing
R ecognition of information “Marketing
E ffective decision making
research is the
process of
S ystematic and objective
designing,
gathering,
E xude/ disseminate information analyzing, and
reporting
A nalysis of information information that
may be used to
R ecommendation for action solve a specific
marketing
C ollection of information problem”

H elpful to managers (Burns et al., 2017)

Learning objectives
• Define marketing research and distinguish between
problem identification and problem-solving
research
• Describe a framework for conducting marketing
research and process
• Understanding the nature and scope of marketing
research
• Explain how the decision to conduct marketing
research is made
• Discuss the marketing research industry
MR is part of Marketing
• What is marketing?
• The activity, set of institutions, and processes for
creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging
offerings that have value for customers, clients,
partners, and society at large.
• What is Marketing Research?
• The process of designing, gathering, analyzing, and
reporting information that may be used to solve a
specific marketing problem.
• Marketing research or market research?
• Interchangeably
Definition of marketing
research

• Marketing research is the systematic

and objective procedures
• Marketing research uses the
scientific method
• Marketing research involves
collection and use of information
that attempts to provide accurate
information for marketing decision
making.
The function of MR
• To link the consumer to the marketer
• To provide information that can be used in
marketing decisions
• Consumers vs. customers?
• B2C vs. B2B
The uses of Marketing
Research
• Identifying marketing opportunities and problems
• Generating, refining, and evaluating potential
marketing actions
• Selecting target markets
• Product research
• Pricing research
• Promotion research
• Distribution research
• Improving marketing as a process
• Monitoring marketing performance
• Marketing research is sometimes wrong!
Role of MR in marketing decision making

The task of MR
is to assess the
information
needs and
provide
management
with relevant,
accurate,
reliable, valid,
current, and
actionable
information.
 Marketing Research in MIS
and DSS

• MIS: a formalized set of procedures for generating,

analyzing, storing, and distributing pertinent
information to marketing decision makers on an
going basis.
• DSS: an information system that enables decision
makers to interact directly with both databases and
analysis models.
• Information generated by MR should be made a part
of a MIS and a DIS.
Components of MIS
• Internal Reports System
• Gathers information generated within a firm, including
orders, billing, receivables, inventory level
• Marketing Intelligence System
• A set of procedures and sources used by managers to
obtain everyday information
• Marketing Decision Support System
• Access and analyze collected data using tools and
techniques that assist managers in decision making
• Marketing Research System
• Gathers information for a specific situation facing the
company
 A classification of marketing
research

To help To help
identify solve
problems specific
that are not marketing
necessarily problems
apparent on
the surface
and yet exist
or are likely
to arise in
the future.

Problem-identification research is generally followed by problem-solving research.

Problem-identification research and problem-solving research go hand-in-hand, and a
given marketing research project may combine both types of research.
Example of Scott products
• The situation
• Sales of Scott products were increasing
• But, the brand was losing market share
• Problem-identification research
• The problem was identified as price competition from
lower-priced regional brands
• Problem-solving research
• The company undertook problem-solving research,
specifically product research
• Solution
• Based on the findings of product research, the company
introduced a lower-priced line of paper products, under a
new brand name.
Marketing Research
Process
Step 1
Secondary and Syndicated Data Analysis
Defining the problem
Qualitative Research
Step 2
Developing an Approach to the Problem Survey and Observation Research

Step 3 Experimental Research

Formulating a Research Design

Measurement and Scaling

Step 4
Doing Field Work/ Collecting Data
Questionnaire and Form Design
Step 5
Preparing and Analyzing Data Sampling Process and Sample Size

Step 6 Preliminary Plan of Data Analysis

Preparing and Presenting the Report
Source: Malhotra (2015)
 Marketin
g
Researc
h
Process

Source: Burns et al., 2017

The decision to conduct
MR
• The decision to conduct marketing research is not
automatic, and should be made carefully.
• Conduct MR when the value of information it
generates will exceed the costs of doing research.
• Considerations:
• The costs vs. the benefits
• The resources available to conduct the research
• The resources available to implement the research
findings
• Management’s attitude toward research
• Time, money and employees resources are always
limited.
 Marketing research
industry

Marketing research industry consists of all internal and external suppliers who
provide marketing research services.
- Internal suppliers: MR departments located within firms
- External suppliers: Outside MR companies hired to supply MR services
 Marketing research
services
Full-Services Limited-Services
• Customized services • Field services
• Tailor the research • Offering their expertise in
procedures to best meet the collecting data
needs of each clients
• Qualitative services
• Syndicated services • Facilities, recruitment for
• Collect and sell common focus group and/or one-
pools of data designed to on-one depth interview
serve information needs
shared by a number of • Technical and analytical
clients services
• Internet service • Provide guidance in the
development of the
• Specialize in conduction MR
research design and
on the internet, including computer analysis of data
social media
 MR: earliest known study
• Charles Coolidge Parlin conducted
the first continuous and organized
research in 1911.
• He was hired by the Curtis
Publishing Company to gather
information about customers and
markets to help Curtis sell
advertising space.
• Father of Marketing Research
Charles Coolidge Parlin
(1872 - 1942)
Why did the industry grow?
• In an economy based on artisans and craftsmen
• There was not much need to “study” consumers
• Business owners saw their customers daily
• They knew their needs and wants and their likes and dislikes
• When manufacturers began producing goods for
distant markets: the need for marketing research
• 1900s - The MR industry evolve
• 1923 - A.C. Neilsen started his firm
• 1930s - Colleges began to teach courses in MR
• 1940s - Alfred Politz introduced statistical theory for sampling
in marketing research
• 1940s - Robert Merton introduced focus groups
• 1950s - Computers revolutionized the industry
Top ten global research
suppliers
International marketing
research
Market Marketing
research
expenditures

U.S. 40%

Western Europe 40%

(Germany, U.K.,
France, Italy, Spain)
Japan 10%

Other part of the 10%

world

International MR takes into account the environmental factors

in the countries where research is being conducted.
Challenges in the MR
industry
• New and evolving sources of data and methods
• Traditional methods of research: mail, telephone
surveys, focus groups
• Electronic surveys and syndicated data
• Social media websites
• Effective communication of results
• Clients often complain that researchers are not
knowledgeable about their businesses
• Demand simple and straightforward reports that “tell a
story” rather than give their clients lengthy, complex
documents
• Need for talented and skilled employees
• Younger employees have not been trained in basic
statistics and methodologies
MR and Social media
• Social media
• Social network (Facebook, Twitter)
• Video share (YouTube)
• Photo sharing (Flickr, Instagram)
• Product and service reviews
(TripAdvisor)
• Analysis of social media can
complement the traditional
methods of doing research
• Understanding, explaining,
influencing and predicting the
behaviors of consumers in the
marketplace
Selecting a research
supplier
• Collect a list of prospective suppliers
• Trade publications
• Professional directories
• Word of mouth
• Criteria for selecting an outside supplier
• What is the reputation of the supplier?
• Does it complete projects on schedule?
• Is it know for maintaining ethical standards?
• Is it flexible?
• Are its research projects of high quality?
• What kind and how much experience does the supplier have?
• Has the firm had experience with projects similar to this one?
• Do the supplier’s personnel have both technical and non-
technical expertise?
• Can they communicate well with the client?
 Ethic in Marketing
Research
- The marketing
researcher behaves
ethically with
respect to the other
stakeholders.
- The MR research
firms should follow
the codes of
conduct from the
various professional
associations.
- The other
stakeholders also
have a
responsibility to
behave ethically.
Ethical conduct
• Fair dealings with Respondents, Clients and Subcontractors
• Maintaining Research Integrity
• Data will be never falsified or omitted
• Research results will be reported accurately and honestly
• Concern for society
• Research released for public information will contain information
transparency (i.e. disclosure of method of data collection, the sample
frame, sample method, sample size, and margin of error, if
appropriate)
• Standards of ethical conduct of some associations
• AAPOR (www.aapor.org): Go to Standards & Ethics.
• MRA (www.marketingresearch.org): MRA Code of Marketing
Research Standards.
• CASRO (www.casro.org): Go to Resources, then The CASRO Code.
• MRIA (www.mria-arim.ca): Go to Standards.
• ESOMAR (www.esomar.org): Go to Knowledge and Standards.
• MRS (www.mrs.org.uk): Go to Standards.
 Prepare for a career in
MR
• Take all the marketing courses you can
• Take courses in statistics and quantitative methods
• Acquire Internet, social media, and computer skills
• Takes courses in psychology, sociology, and
consumer behavior
• Effectively written and verbal
communication skills
• Think creatively
Professional Research
Certification
• Certification programs assure
that certified individuals have
passes some standard(s) of
performance.
• Similar to Certification Programs
in Accounting (CPA) or Finance
(CFA).
• Certified Marketing Research
Professional (CMRP) in Canada
Summary
• Marketing research assesses information needs and
provides relevant information in order to improve
the marketing decision-making process.
• It is a systematic and objective project designed to
identify and solve marketing problems.
• Thus, marketing research can be classified as
problem-identification research and problem-
solving research.
• The marketing research process consists of steps
that must be followed systematically.
 Marketing
Research
Problem
Material:
Naresh Malhotra (2005), Essentials of Marketing Research: A
Hands-on Orientation, Pearson.
Chapter 2- Defining the Marketing Research Problem and Developing an
Approach
Alvin Burns, Ann Veeck, Ronald Bush (2017), Marketing Research,
8th edition, Pearson.
Chapter 3 – The Marketing Research Process and Defining the Problem
and Research Objectives.
Source: Joseph Hair Jr. et al. (2003)
Marketing Research
Process
Step 1
Defining the problem
Step 2
Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3
Formulating a Research Design
Step 4
Doing Field Work/ Collecting Data
Step 5
Preparing and Analyzing Data

Step 6
Preparing and Presenting the Report
Source: Malhotra (2015)
Learning objectives
• Understand the importance of and process used for
defining the marketing research problem
• Describe the tasks involved in problem definition
• Discuss the environmental factors affecting the
definition of research problem
• Clarify the distinction between the management
decision problem and the marketing research
problem
• Explain the structure of a well-defined marketing
research problem
Important of defining the
problem
• Defining the problem is the first and most important
step
• Problems are situations calling for managers to make
choices among alternatives
• Only when a problem has been clearly and
accurately identified, a research project can be
conducted properly
• If the problem is defined incorrectly, the rest of the
steps in the research process will be fundamentally
flawed
• All of the time and money spent conducting the
marketing research will be wasted
Types of problems
• Management Decision Problem
• Asks what the decision makers needs to do
• Action-oriented
• Focuses on symptoms
• Marketing Research Problem
• Asks what information is needed and how it should be
obtained in the most feasible way
• Information-oriented
• Focuses on underlying causes
Examples
Management Decision Problem Marketing Research Problem

Should a new product be To determine consumer preferences and

introduced? purchased intentions for the proposed
new product.

Should the advertising campaign To determine the effectiveness of the

be changed? current advertising campaign

Should the price of the brand be To determine the price elasticity of

increased? demand and the impact on sales and
profits of various levels of price changes

Should company invest to To determine if customers would be

produce more products? loyal buyers of the product in the long-
term
Management Decision Problem &
Marketing Research Problem
Process for defining a
problem
Recognize the problem
• A manager encounters a problem when he/she
encounters a situation that is negative or
potentially positive for the organization
• Source of problems
• The failure to meet an objective
• An advertising campaign does not reach its expected level of
awareness
• The identification of an opportunity
• A failure to realize a “favorable” circumstance or chance for
progress or advancement
Tasks involved in problem
recognition
• Discussions with decision makers
• Understand the nature of the decision faced
• Management’s expectation of the research
• Interviews with experts
• Little information is available from other sources
• Using unstructured personal interviews
• Secondary data analysis
• Can provide valuable insights into the problem situation
• Qualitative research
• To provide insight and understanding of the problem
setting
Understanding the
background of the problem
• Conduct a situation analysis
• A form of exploratory research by review both internal
and external secondary data
• Clarify the symptoms
• The role of a symptom is to alert management to a
problem
• Determine the probable causes of the symptom
• Determine alternative decisions
 Symptoms can be
misleading
Firm Symptoms Problem Definition

Based on Based on
Symptoms Underlying Causes
Manufacturer Consumers Determine Color.
of orange soft say the consumer The color of the drink is a
drinks sugar preferences for dark shade of orange,
content is alternative levels giving the perception that
too high of sugar content the product is too
“sugary.”

Manufacturer Customers Determine the Channel management.

of machine complain price elasticity of Distributors do not have
tools prices are demand adequate product
too high knowledge to
communicate product
benefits to customers.
Determine what decisions
need to be made
• Specify decision alternatives
• All marketing action that manager thinks may resolve
the problem
• Prices change, product modification or improvement,
promotion, or adjustments in channels of distribution
• Weigh the alternatives
• Consequences are the results of marketing actions
• Decision makers make assumptions when they assign
consequences to decision alternatives
Identify what additional
information is needed
• Inventory the current information state
• Information state is the quantity and quality of evidence
a manager possesses for each of his/her assumptions
• Assumptions are assertions that certain conditions exist
or that certain reactions will take place if the considered
alternatives are implemented
• Identify the information gaps
• Information gaps are discrepancies between the current
information level and the desired level of information at
which the manager feels comfortable resolving the
problem at hand
Formulate the problem
statement
• The problem
statement is a
concise description
of the problem or
opportunity that
management is
facing that requires
research to make a
decision
Formulating
a Research
Design
Marketing Research
Process
Step 1
Defining the problem
Step 2
Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3
Formulating a Research Design
Step 4
Doing Field Work/ Collecting Data
Step 5
Preparing and Analyzing Data

Step 6
Preparing and Presenting the Report
Source: Malhotra (2015)
The iterative process
 Analysis of secondary and syndicated data
Formulating a Research Design
Qualitative research

Survey and observation research

Measurement and scaling procedures

Design a questionnaire/ interview form

Sampling process

Development of a preliminary plan of data analysis

 Types of
Research design
Material:
Naresh Malhotra (2015), Essentials of Marketing
Research: A Hands-on Orientation, Pearson.
Chapter 3: Research Design, Secondary and Syndicated Data
Research design
definitions
• A research design is a framework for conducting
the marketing research project.
• A research design is a master plan that specifies the
methods that will be used to collect and analyze
the information needed for a research project.
• A research design specifies the details of the
procedures necessary for obtaining the information
needed to structure and/or solve marketing
research problems.
Types of research designs
Exploratory research
• Unstructured research
• Do not have a pre-determined set of procedures
• The nature of research changes as the researcher gains
information
• Informal research
• No formal set of objectives, sample plan, or questionnaire
• Uses of exploratory research
• Gain background information
• Define terms
• Clarify problems and hypotheses
• Establish research priorities
Methods of conducting
exploratory research
• Secondary data analysis
• Searching for and interpreting existing information relevant to
research topic
• Experience surveys
• Gathering information from those thought to be
knowledgeable on the issues relevant
• Case analysis
• Review of available information about one or more former
situations
• Focus groups
• Small groups brought together and guided by a moderator
through an unstructured discussion
Descriptive research
• Descriptive research is undertaken to collect data to
examine the characteristics of consumers and/or
markets
• Aims to describe answers to questions:
• Who our customers are
• What brands they buy and in what quantities
• Where they buy the brands
• When they shop
• How they found out about our products
Types of descriptive
research
• Cross-sectional design
• Measure units from a sample of the population at one
point in time
• Sample surveys
• Samples to be representative of a specific population at a pre-
determined margin of error
• Longitudinal design
• Repeatedly measure the same sample units of a
population over a period of time
• Panels
• Samples of respondents who have to provide information or
answer questions at regular intervals
Types of descriptive
research
Causal research
• To measure causality in relationships
• “if X, then Y”
• Causality is a condition in which one or more
variables affect one or more other variables
• Variables
• Independent variables
• Level of advertising expenditure, placement of website ads,
price of product
• Dependent variable
• Sales, market share, customer satisfaction
Causal research
Exploratory and conclusive
research
Exploratory Conclusive
Objective To provide insights and To test specific hypothesis
understanding and examine relationships

Characteristics - Information needed is - Information needed is

defined only loosely clearly defined
- Research process is - Research process is
flexible and formal and structured
unstructured - Sample is large and
- Sample is small and representative
non-representative - Data analysis is
- Data analysis is quantitative
qualitative

Findings Tentative Conclusive

Outcome Generally followed by Findings used as input into
further exploratory decision
 Marketing
Research Data
Material:
Naresh Malhotra (2015), Essentials of Marketing Research:
A Hands-On Orientation, Pearson.
Chapter 3 – Research Design, Secondary and Syndicated Data
William Zikmund, Barry Babin (2010), Essentials of
Marketing Research, 4th edition, South-Western Cenage
Learning
Chapter 6 – Secondary Data Research in a Digital Age
 Analysis of secondary and syndicated data
Formulating a Research Design
Qualitative research

Survey and observation research

Measurement and scaling procedures

Design a questionnaire/ interview form

Sampling process

Development of a preliminary plan of data analysis

Learning objectives
• Distinguish secondary data from primary data
• Evaluate secondary data
• Classify secondary data
• Sources of secondary data
• Discuss the syndicated data
Marketing research data

Data originated by the Data collected for

researcher for the specific some purpose other
purpose of addressing the than the problem at
MR problem. hand.
Primary vs. Secondary
data
Primary data Secondary data

Collection For the problem For other

purpose at hand problems
Process Very involved Rapid and easy

Cost High Relatively low

Time Long Short

Secondary data

• Saving time
Advantage • Saving money

• Limit to fit with the current

research problem
Disadvantage • Lacking of compatibility of
units of measurement
Evaluating secondary data
• Specifications
• Methodology used to collect the data
• Error
• Accuracy of the data
• Currency
• When the data were collected
• Objective
• The purpose of the study
• Nature
• The content of the data
• Dependability
• How dependable are the data?
Classification of secondary
data
Internal secondary
source
External secondary
source
Syndicated data
• A special form of secondary data that are meant for
use by multiple clients
• Companies that collect and sell common pools of
data designed to serve information needs shared by
a number of clients, including competing firms in
the same industry.
Syndicated services for
consumer data
Syndicated services for
institutional data
 Qualitative
Research
Material:
Naresh Malhotra (2015), Essentials of Marketing
Research: A Hands-On Orientation, Pearson.
Chapter 4 – Qualitative Research
 Analysis of secondary and syndicated data
Formulating a Research Design
Qualitative research

Survey and observation research

Measurement and scaling procedures

Design a questionnaire/ interview form

Sampling process

Development of a preliminary plan of data analysis

Learning objectives
• Explain the difference between qualitative and
quantitative research
• Understand the various forms of qualitative
research
• Considerations in conducting qualitative research
• The use of social media in obtaining and analyzing
qualitative data
• The ethical issues in conducting qualitative research
Qualitative data
Qualitative
research should
be conducted
before
undertaking
quantitative
research in MR
project
 Definitions
• Qualitative research
• An unstructured exploratory research methodology
based on small samples that provides insights and
understanding of the problem setting.
• Quantitative research
• A research methodology that seeks to quantify the data
and typically applies some form of statistical analysis.
Qualitative vs. Quantitative
Qualitative Research Quantitative Research
Objective To gain a qualitative To quantify the data and
understanding of the generalize the results
underlying reasons and from the sample to the
motivations population of interest
Sample Small number of non- Large number of
representative cases representative cases
Data Unstructured Structured
collection
Data analysis Non-statistical Statistical
Outcome Develop an initial Recommend a final
understanding course of action
Example
Types of qualitative
research
 Focus group interviews
• An interview
conducted by a
trained
moderator
among a small
group of
respondents in
an
unstructured
and natural
manner.
Operational aspects of
focus group
• How many people should be in a focus group?
• 6 (8) -12 people
• Who should be in the focus group?
• Homogeneous
• How many focus groups should be conducted?
• More than one
• How should focus group participants be recruited and selected?
• The purpose of focus group, “no-shows” problem
• Where should a focus group meet?
• Comfortable room
• When should the moderator become involved in the research
project?
Moderator in focus group
• Genuine interest in people, their behavior,
emotions, lifestyles, passions and opinions
• Acceptance and appreciation for the differences in
people
• Good listening skills
• Good observation skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Interest in a wide range of topics
• Flexibility
• Good attention and organizational ability
Characteristics of focus
group
Group size 8-12
Group Homogeneous; respondents pre-
composition screened
Physical setting Relaxed, informal atmosphere
Time duration 1-3 hours
Recording Use of audio and video recording
Moderator Observational, interpersonal, and
communication skills
Layout of a focus group room
and viewing room
Layout of a focus group
facility
Reception Area
Respondents Waiting Room
Layout of a focus group
facility
 The moderator of
Examination
must:
the objectives
(1) of
Establish
the MR
rapport with
project
the group
members
Focus group

(2) Develop
State the a rules
procedure
detailed
of group list of
interaction
objectives
(3) Set objectives
(4) Probe A the
- questionnaire
Specific
respondents
comments
to screen
and provoke
and findings
intense
potential
- participants
Looks for in
discussion
the relevant
consistent
Specify
areas the
responses,
topics
(5) thattowill
Attempt
new ideas,
besummarize
discussed
concerns
the group
suggested
members’ by
facial
responses to
expressions
determine the
and body
extent
agreement
language
Steps in conducting a
focus group
Advantages and
disadvantages

Advantages Disadvantages
• Immediacy and the • Difficult to moderate
richness of the comments • Quality of the results
• Wider range of depends heavily on the
information, insights, and skills of the moderator
ideas
Online focus groups
• Using internet
• Convenience
• Cost effectiveness
Depth interview
• An unstructured,
direct, personal
interview in which a
single respondent is
questioned by a
highly skilled
interviewer to
uncover underlying
motivations, beliefs,
attitudes, and
feelings on a topic
Characteristics
• Around 30 minutes
to more than one
hour
• Probing questions
• Why do you say
that?
• That’s interesting,
can you tell me
more?
• Would you like to
add anything else?
Advantages and
disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
• Greater depth • Depend on
of insights the
• Free exchange interviewer’s
of information skills
• High costs
Projective techniques
• An unstructured and indirect form of questioning
• Types of projective techniques
• Word association
• Sentence completion
• Picture response technique
• Cartoon test
• Role playing
• Third-person techniques
• Mystery shopping
Word association
• Respondents are presented with a list of words,
one at a time and asked to respond to each with
the first word that comes to mind
• Example:
Which words come to your mind when I say:
- Ice cream
- Adidas
- Education
- Party
- Apple
Sentence completion
• Respondents are presented with a number of
incomplete sentences and asked to complete them
• Example:
• A person who shops at Nha Trang Center is

• A person who receives a gift certificate good for Sak’s

Fifth Avenue would be

• When I think of shopping in a department store, I

Picture response
• Respondents
are show a
picture and
asked to tell a
story
describing it
Cartoon test

• Cartoon characters are

shown in a specific
situation related to the
problem
• The respondents are
asked to indicate the
dialogue that one
cartoon character might
say in response to the
comment(s) of another
character
Role playing
• Respondents are asked to play the role or assume
the behavior of someone else
Third-person technique
• Respondent is presented with a verbal or visual
situation and asked to relate the beliefs and
attitudes of a third person toward the situation
• Example
• Are you afraid to fly?
• Do you think your neighbor is afraid to fly?
 Mystery shopping
• Trained observers
pose as consumers
and shop at the
company’s stores or
those of competitors
to collect data about
customer-employee
interaction and other
marketing variables
such as prices,
displays, layout.
Advantages and
Disadvantages
• Increase the validity of responses
by disguising the purpose
Advantage • Applicability for personal and
sensitive issues

• A risk of interpretation bias

• Require personal interviews
Disadvantage with highly trained interviewers
• Expensive
Observation and
Survey
 Analysis of secondary and syndicated data
Formulating a Research Design
Qualitative research

Observation and survey

Measurement and scaling procedures

Design a questionnaire/ interview form

Sampling process

Development of a preliminary plan of data analysis

 Observation
Material:
William Zikmund, Barry Babin (2010), Essentials of
Marketing Reseach, 4th edition, South-Western Cengage
Learning
Chapter 8 - Observation
Observation in Marketing
research
• A systematic process of recording actual behavioral
patterns of people, objects, and events as they
happen
• No questioning or communication with people
• Can be a useful part of either qualitative or
quantitative research
• Example
• How long does the child’s attention stay with the toy?
• Are the child’s peers equally interested in the toy?
 What can be observed?
Phenomenon Example
Physical activities The way shopper moves through a store
Verbal behavior Sales conversations
Expressive behavior and Facial expressions of consumers in a restaurant of
physiological reactions the body language of consumers visiting a day spa

Spatial relations and How close shoppers stand to service providers while
locations getting advice about fashion
Temporal patterns Amount of time spent shopping
Physical objects What brand of shoes, clothing or skateboards teens
at a skate park own and use
Verbal and pictorial Comments left on Internet blogs
records
Neurological events Brain activity in response to marketing stimuli
 Observation methods
• Personal observation
• A trained observer
collects the data by
recording behavior
exactly as it occurs
• Mechanical observation
• The use of a mechanical
device to record
behavior
Advantages and
Disadvantages
Method Advantages Disadvantages

- More flexible - High observation bias

Personal - Highly suitable in - High analysis bias
observation natural settings

- Low observation - Can be intrusive

Mechanical bias - Not always suitable in
observation - Low to medium natural settings
analysis bias
Types of observation

Direct observation
• A straightforward attempt to observe and
record what naturally occurs
• The investigator does not create an artificial
situation

Contrived observation
• The investigator creates an artificial
environmental on order to test a hypothesis
Ethical issues in the
observation of humans
• The right of respondent
to keep privacy
• Considerations:
• Is the behavior being
observed commonly
performed in public?
• Do the anonymity of the
person being observed
be assured?
• Has the person agreed
to be observed?
Survey
Marketing research
data
Learning objectives
• Classify survey methods
• Compare the different methods
• Survey response rate
• Considerations to implement survey methods
Quantitative research

A structured questionnaire The recording of people’s

given to a population sample behavioral patterns and of objects
and designed to elicit specific and events in a systematic manner
information from respondents to obtain information about the
phenomenon of interest
Telephone methods
• Traditional telephone interviews
• Phoning a sample of respondents and asking them a
series of questions
• Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI)
• Use a computerized
questionnaire
administered to
respondents over the
telephone
• CATI is now much more
popular than traditional
method
Advantages and
Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
• Fast • No use physical
• High sample control stimuli
• Good control of • Limited to simple
field force questions
• Good response rate • Low quality of data
• Moderate cost
Personal methods
• Personal in-home interviews
• Respondents are interviewed
face to face in their homes
• Mall-intercept personal
interviews
• Respondents are approached
and interviewed in shopping
malls
• Computer-Assisted Personal
Interviewing (CAPI)
• Respondents sits in front of a
computer terminal and
answers a questionnaire on
the screen
 Advantages and
Disadvantages
Method Advantages Disadvantages
- Complex questions can be asked - Low control field force
- Good for physical stimuli - High social desirability
- Very good sample control - Potential for interviewer bias
In-home - High quantity of data - Most expensive
- Very good response rate - May take longer

- Complex questions can be asked - High social desirability

- Good for physical stimuli - Potential for interviewer bias
Mall-intercept - Very good sample control - Quantity of data is moderate
- Very good response rate - High cost

- Complex questions can be asked - High social desirability

Computer- - Very good for physical stimuli - Quantity of data is moderate
Assisted - Very good control of - High cost
Personal environment
Interviewing - Very good response rate
(CAPI) - Low potential for interviewer
bias
Mail methods
• Mail interviews
• Envelope, Cover letter, Questionnaire
• Postage-paid return envelope
• Possibly an incentive
• Fax survey
• Questionnaire is transmitted by fax machine
• Mail panels
• A large and nationally representative sample of
households that have agreed to participate periodically
in mail questionnaires, product tests, and survey
research
 Advantages and
Disadvantages
Method Advantages Disadvantages

- No field force problems - Limited to simple questions

- No interviewer bias - Low sample control for cold
- Moderate/High quantity of mail
Mail data - No control of environment
- Low social desirability - Low response rate for cold
- Low cost mail
- Low speed
- No field force problems - Limited to simple questions
- No interviewer bias - Low/ moderate speed
- Low/ moderate cost - No control of environment
Mail - High quantity of data
Panel - Good sample control
- Low social desirability
Electronic methods
• E-mail
• Questionnaires are distributed through electronic mail
• Respondent anonymity is difficult to maintain because a
reply to an email message includes the sender’s address
• Internet survey
• Questionnaire is
posted on a
website that is
self-administrated
by the respondent
 Advantages and
Disadvantages
Method Advantages Disadvantages
- Low cost - Moderate quantity of data
- No interviewer bias - Low sample control
- High speed - No control of environment
Email - Low social desirability - Low response rate
- Contact hard-to-reach - Security concerns
respondents

- Visual appeal and interactivity - Moderate quantity of data

- No interviewer bias - Low sample control
- Low cost - No control of environment
- Low social desirability - Low response rate
Internet - Very high speed
- Personalized, flexible
questioning
- Contact hard-to-reach
respondents
Survey response rate