Descriptive Research

1. Descriptive Research Marketing Research – MKTG 446 Angela D’Auria Stanton, Ph.D.

2. Descriptive Research • Descriptive research (often referred to as survey research) is aimed at characterizing phenomena and identifying association among selected variables.  Descriptive research can be used to: • describe the characteristics of certain groups • estimate the proportion of people in a specified population who behave in a certain way • make specific predictions • Some specific examples of descriptive studies include: • The proportion of companies that have an electronic storefront • Target customer's evaluation of key product attributes • Measuring employee satisfaction

3. Classification of Descriptive Studies • Longitudinal Surveys • Provides a series of pictures that, when pierced together, provide a movie of the situation the changes that are occurring. • The sample remains relatively constant through time and the sample members are measured repeatedly. • Cross-Sectional Studies • Provides a snapshot of the variables of interest at a single point in time. • The sample is typically selected to be representative of some known universe.

4. Longitudinal Data – Advantages

5. An Example of a Panel Design Number of Households in Panel Purchasing Each Brand of Detergent

6. Another Way of Looking at It Loyalty Analysis

7. Survey Research Methods • Personal Interview • Telephone • Self-Administered • Online (computer administered)

8. Survey Research Methods • Personal Interviews (or Person Administered Surveys) – requires the presence of a trained human interviewer who asks questions and records the subject’s answers • In-home or In-office • Executive interview • Mall intercept • Purchase intercept

9. By physically being there, the interviewer may persuade the person to supply answers (probably the highest response rate). Information on the situation may be observed, without asking. Best for getting response from specific, identified person. Versatility of questioning methods (and flexibility in sequencing) and use of visual materials. Allows for probing of open-ended questions and clarification of ambiguous questions. Long questionnaires may be used successfully under interviewer's urging. If the respondent is having trouble understanding, interviewer may notice and remedy this. Selection of sample members can be more precise. Expensive and time intensive. Generally narrow distribution. People may be reluctant to talk with strangers. Often difficult to identify individuals to include in the sampling frame. Interviewer's presence, mannerisms and inflections may bias responses. Respondents know that they can be identified, which may inhibit their willingness to give information. Great difficulty in trying to supervise and control field interviewers. Staffing with capable interviewers, especially when conducted in distant places. May inaccurately record respondent’s answers Personal Interviews Advantages Disadvantages

10. Survey Research Methods • Telephone Interviews – personal interviews conducted via telephone technology typically from a central location Advantages Disadvantages • Relatively low cost • Wide distribution eliminates distance obstacle • Callbacks • Avoids personal travel to interview • Rapid coverage of even widely scattered sample. • Interviewers can be closely supervised • Less interview bias due to anonymity • Allows easy use of computer support (CATI/CAI) • Representative sampling frame difficult to establish due to unlisted numbers and increased use of cell phones • Inability to observe a respondent • Limitation to audio materials • Difficulty of conducting long interviews; no way to prevent hang-ups • More difficult to establish rapport over the telephone than in-person • Difficult to determine that appropriate respondent is being interviewed • Restrictions on types of data collected • Misperceptions and “sugging”

11. What to do about lack of listed numbers & cell phones? Plus-one dialing Random digit dialing Systematic random digit dialing Telephone Interviews Results of First Dialing Attempts * Probability of occurrence given eligible individual is at home

12. Survey Research Methods • Self-Administered – the respondent reads the survey questions and record his/her own answers without the presence of an interviewer. Typically done via mail, fax or drop-off. Advantages Disadvantages • Sampling frame easily developed when mailing lists are available • Respondent reads and answers questions without interviewer influence • May respond whenever convenient and without pressure • Any visual materials can be used • Relatively less expensive • More confidential information may be divulged • Anonymity of respondents easier to achieve • Eliminates the need for an interviewer • A majority may not respond, and those who do may not be typical • Significant time lag between the time the survey is mailed and when returned • Nothing can be learned except what is written on the questionnaire • The apparent low cost becomes relatively high when response is poor • Questions may be misunderstood or skipped • A person may read the entire form before answering any questions, so later questions can influence answers to earlier ones. • Significant problems in "pass along" effect.

13. Survey Research Methods • Online – typically conducted via e-mail or the Internet Advantages Disadvantages • Survey setup and execution can be done very quickly • Visual materials can be used • Respondent responds without being influenced by the interviewer • May respond whenever convenient and without pressure • Typically the least expensive • Can permit the respondent to be interrupted and later resume where he/she left off • Eliminates the cost of the interviewer. • Permits real-time data cleaning • Response rates are becoming an issue • May be confused with spam. • Will not be able to reach people without access or desire to use the Internet • Nothing can be learned except what is written on the questionnaire • No one present to stimulate replies or offer instructions. • Potential for "pass along" effect. • Respondent frustration if questionnaire forces response. • Issues with projectability of the sample

14. Selecting a Survey Method: Factors to Consider

15. Errors (or Bias) Affecting Survey Research Total Error = Sampling Error (difference between the actual sample results and the true population results) + Non-Sampling (Systematic) Error

16. Non-Sampling Errors • Respondent Errors • Non-response error • Response Bias • Deliberate falsification (social desirability error, auspices error, hostility, yea and nay-saying) • Unconscious misrepresentation (faulty recollection, fatigue, acquiescence error, extremity bias)

17. Non-Sampling Errors • Measurement/Research Design Errors • Construct development error • Scale measurement error (inappropriate questions, scale attributes or scale point descriptors) • Survey instrument error (improper sequence, length, poor or no instructions, etc.) • Data analysis error (use of wrong analytical technique, etc.) • Misinterpretation error (making the wrong inference, using only a selected portion of the study results)

18. Non-Sampling Errors • Problem Definition Errors • Misinterpreting the true nature of the problem situation • Administrative Errors • Data processing errors (coding, data entry or editing) • Interviewer error (cheating, recording error, misinterpretation, carelessness • Sample design error (sample selection error, sampling frame error, specifying the wrong population, etc.)