Qualitative tools in Market Research

1. QUALITATIVE TOOLS IN
MARKET RESEARCH
Tina Sepehrifar
Ebrahim Alavi
Babak Boghrati
Amir Mousavinia

2. The emphasis is on understanding rather
than simple measurement.
Qualitative research usually uses
unstructured techniques to collect data
Qualitative methodology refers in the
broadest sense to research that produces
descriptive data
Qualitative Tools Definition

3.  Qualitative research is inductive.
 Qualitative researcher concerned with how
people think and act in their everyday lives.
 Qualitative researchers are concerned with
the meaning people attach to things in their
lives.
 In qualitative methodology the researcher
looks at settings and people holistically
 For the all qualitative researcher, all
perspectives are worthy of study.
Qualitative Methodology

4. Usage of Qualitative Methods
• New product idea generation
• Investigating current or potential product
positioning
• Strengths and weaknesses of products/brands
• Understanding dynamics of purchase decision
dynamics
• Studying reactions to advertising and public
relations campaigns…
• Exploring market segments
• Assessing the usability of websites or other
interactive products
• Understanding perceptions of a company,
product…

5. Principles for Quality
1. Validity, credibility
• Confirm the reasonable likeliness, e.g. by triangulation or
respondent validation
2. Reliability
• Keep your research clean from your “self”, e.g. by detailed
documentation and external auditing
3. Generalizability
• Show possible transfer (limits) of your (non-representative) data,
e.g. by comparisons
4. Objectivity
• Open-mindedness needs some discipline: do not neglect data that
do “not fit”, check rival theories.

6. Validity Vs Reliability
Validity refers to the credibility or believability of the research.
Reliability refers to the repeatability of findings.
If data are valid, they must be reliable. However, if a test is reliable, that does not mean that it is
valid. Reliability is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for validity.

7. Advantages And Disadvantages
Qualitative research has two primary advantages:
1. It allows the moderator (or interviewer) to interact with respondents. This allows for
in-depth probing of issues and yields great detail in response.
2. It allows for interaction between group members. This interaction often stimulates
discussion and uncovers issues unanticipated by the marketing team.
The primary disadvantage of qualitative research methods is that they are unreliable
predictors of the population.

8. Propriety of Qualitative Research
Because of the advantages and disadvantages discussed above, qualitative research is
appropriate for two uses:
 To generate ideas and concepts (lists of possibilities)
 To uncover consumer language in order to subsequently ask consumers the right
questions in a way they most accurately understand.
■ This method may not be appropriate for evaluating pre-existing ideas.

9. Types of Qualitative Tools
The main methods for collecting qualitative data are:
1. Individual interviews
2. Focus groups
3. Observations
4. Action Research Methods
Individual
interviews
Focus Groups
Observations
Action Research
Other Methods

10. Interview

12. Individual Interviews
Unstructured
• The interviewer may just go with the aim
of discussing a limited number of topics,
sometimes as few as just one or two
• The interviewer may frame the interview
questions based on the interviewee and
his/her previous response
• This allows the discussion to cover areas
in great detail
• They involve the researcher wanting to
know or find out more about a specific
topic without there being a structure or a
preconceived plan or expectation as to
how they will deal with the topic
Structured
• The interviewed asks the respondent the
same questions in the same way
• The questions may be phrased in order
that a limited range of responses may be
given - i.e. 'Do you rate our services as
very good, good or poor’
• 'If the interview schedule is too tightly
structured this may not enable the
phenomena under investigation to be
explored in terms of either breadth or
depth.'
Semi structured
• Semi structured interviews allow the
researcher to promt or encourage the
interviewee if they are looking for more
information or find what they are saying
interesting
• This method gives the researcher the
freedom to probe the interviewee to
elaborate or to follow a new line of
inquiry introduced by what the
interviewee is saying
• Work best when the interviewed has a
number of areas he/she wants to be
sure to be addressing

13. Focus Group

15. ■ A focus group is an interview, conducted
by a trained moderator among a small
group of respondents.
■ The use of focus groups is sometimes
used when it is better to obtain
information from a group rather than
individuals.
■ The aim of the focus group is to make
use of participants' feelings, perceptions
and opinions
Focus Groups

16. Procedure for Planning Focus Group:
Summarize the Findings and Plan Follow-Up Research or Action
Review Tapes and Analyze the Data
Conduct the Focus Group Interviews
Develop a Moderator’s Outline
Write a Screening Questionnaire
State the Objectives/Questions to be Answered by Focus Groups
Specify the Objectives of Qualitative Research
Determine the Objectives and Define the Problem

17. Key qualifications of focus group moderator:
Kindness with
firmness
Permissiveness
Involvement
Incomplete
understanding
Encouragement
Flexibility
Sensitivity

18. Variations in focus groups:
Two-way
focus
groups
Dual
moderator
group
Dueling
moderator
group
Respondent
moderator
group
Client
participant
groups
Mini groups

19. Advantages And Disadvantages
Should we use Focus
Group method?
Positive Factors:
1. Synergism
2. Snowballing
3. Stimulation
4. Security
5. Spontaneity
6. Specialization
7. Scientific scrutiny
8. Structure
9. Speed
Negative Factors:
1. Misuse
2. Misjudge
3. Moderation
4. Messy
5. Misrepresentation

20. Observation
In observation, the researcher simply observes the research matter. This method is
frequently used when the researcher wants to examine a subject in its natural
environment or study naturally occurring behaviors
Strengths of observation
■ Can offer a flavor for what is happening
■ Can give an insight into the bigger picture
■ Can demonstrate sub-groups
■ Can be used to assist in the design of the rest of the
research
Limitations with observation
■ Change in people's behavior when they know they are
being observed
■ A 'snap shot' view of a whole situation
■ Think Big Brother...
■ The researcher may miss something while they are
watching and taking notes
■ The researcher may make judgments of make value
statements or misunderstand what has been observed

21. Techniques for Collecting in Observation
Written descriptions
– The researcher makes written descriptions of the people, situations or environment
– Limitations include:
■ Researcher might miss out on an observation as they are taking notes
■ The researcher may be focused on a particular event or situation
■ There is room for subjective interpretation of what is happening
Video recording
– Allows the researcher to also record notes
– Limitations may include:
■ people acting unnaturally towards the camera or others avoiding the camera
■ The camera may not always see everything
Photographs and artefacts
– Useful when there is a need to collect observable information or phenomena such as
buildings, neighborhoods, dress and appearance
– Artefacts include objects of significance - memorabilia, instruments, tools etc.

22. Action Research
 Action Research doesn't just involve asking about it, it involves doing it.
 Action Research is a framework that is collaborative.
 There is a practical intervention made - i.e. you do something to make a change or
intervention in a situation that you research.
 The researcher will be actively involved in the planned intervention

23. Other Methods
■ Innovation game
Innovation game refers to a form of primary
market research, where customers play a set of
directed games as a means of generating
feedback about a product or service. A facilitator
explains the game(s) to be played and controls
the paces, monitors the participants' levels and
manages the time

24. Other Methods
■ Case study
 Case study research is a methodology which can take either a
qualitative or quantitative approach. In the qualitative approach,
case study refers to the in depth analysis of a single or small
number of units. A case study unit may include a single person,
a group of people, an organization or an institution.
 Case studies aims to Offer a richness and depth of information
by capturing as many variables as possible to identify how a
complex set of circumstances come together to produce a
particular manifestation.
STUDY

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