)
Rule 3 - Request that the moderator use a non-directive approach. (A non-directive approach is one that constructs questions for the group that encourages participants to be free flowing with their descriptions)
Projective techniques are often useful in easing participants out of an analytical mode. One projective technique, asks, "If this company were an animal what animal would it be? What would the competitors be?" In this way, they talk about brand image without being peppered with a series of brand questions.
Use advance written questionnaires. This primes respondents on key issues to be discussed, and it gives them a reference for the group discussion, thus making it easier for the unpopular viewpoint to be mentioned. ("Well, no one else has said this, but...")
Rule 4 - Don't count heads! (It's tempting, but this is not a projectable quantitative method, no matter how many groups
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the research are to gauge the effectiveness of brand and advertising on the consumer public.
RESEARCH PROCEDURE - METHODOLOGY
Qualitative marketing research is generally used for exploratory purposes, has a small number of respondents and is not generalizable to the whole population - the statistical significance and confidence are not calculated such as in focus groups, in-depth interviews and projective techniques. (Market Research Tools: Qualitative Market Research, 2006)
Methods used in Qualitative market research are:
1) Focus discussion studies;
2) Depth interviews triads (one interviewer and two respondents) dyads (one interviewer and one respondent)
3) Observational techniques combined with interviewing.
Qualitative research is suggested by the Power Decisions Group when:
You're in new territory and little is known - When considering products or new markets, qualitative research can deliver an early landscape profile of consumer or business buyer attitudes and behavior.
Customer perceptions or attitudes may be hidden from easy view - When the product category may represent unspoken meaning to buyers, qualitative market research may provide needed tools.
Generate ideas for products, advertising, or brand positioning - The nuances of buyer attitudes and beliefs can often provide stimulus for fresh new ideas, and feed a formal idea generation process.
Screening ideas and concepts - Qualitative market research can be a useful first step, prior to quantitative research, to screen new advertising, product, or positioning concepts. This allows time for refining concepts prior to quantitative market research. (Power Decisions Group, 2006)
RESEARCH DESIGN
The following chart labeled Figure 1 illustrates the Qualitative Research Methodology structure.
Qualitative Research Structure
Source: Power Decisions Group (2006)
Qualitative research is "a marketing research method that plays an important market research role in conducting customer value analysis, customer satisfaction research, market segmentation research, branding and naming research, brand equity research, and new product research." (Power Decisions Groups, 2006) Additionally stated is that qualitative market research."..means "quality." Conversely, and importantly, it does not mean "quantity." Qualitative research methods are designed to talk to a relatively few people in the target audience of interest. The purpose of qualitative research is to plumb the depths and range of buyer attitudes and beliefs, not to measure incidence, project, or forecast quantity." (Power Decisions Group, 2006)
INSTRUMENTATION AND DATA COLLECTION
Focus-Groups: The instrument that has been chosen for use in this research is the instrument of focus-group and in-depth interviews. The focus group is generally groups of 6 to 12 people traditionally conducted in a live group setting with a moderator or in online groups conducted via the internet, or can be accomplished through a phone conference with web or video. For the purpose...
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now