Exploratory Research

1. Exploratory Research QUALTITATIVE DATA

2. Qualitative Methodologies • Focus Groups • In-Depth Interviews • Projective Techniques • Observation

3. Definitions (Yuck!): • Inquiry – • Disguised: • Undisguised:

4. Final Definitions (I promise): • Structured: • Questions: • Answers: • Unstructured: • Questions: • Answers:

5. Distinction between:

6. Qualitative Methods • An unstructured exploratory methodology based on small samples that provides insights and understanding • Researcher dependent – i.e., researcher extracts meaning from unstructured responses • “Touchy-feely” – no numbers – unstructured responses • Examine thoughts, feelings, motivations… • SO: • Can be results be projected to the population? • Yes or No • However: • Can spot trends 3 to 4 years before they show up in surveys

7. 1. Focus Groups • Definition: • Lasts _________ • Types: • Round-table (Comfortable room with one-way mirror) • Telephone • Video conferencing • Internet chat rooms • Usually multiple groups

8. Uses of Focus Groups • Obtain impressions on products, packages and brand names • Evaluate ads • Develop questionnaires • Check language for minority or geographically concentrated populations • Develop hypotheses…..

9. Advantages: 1.Experiencing Consumers 2.Immediate information 3.Relatively Inexpensive 4.Flexible 5.Serendipity 6.High Respondent Involvement 7. Group interaction Disadvantages: 1.Can not project (or generalize) to population 2.Difficult to moderate 3.Difficult to interpret 4.May be more susceptible to bias 5. Not useful for sensitive topics Advantages/Disadvantages of Focus Groups

10. Focus Group Moderator • Keeps discussion focused • Believe that participants have wisdom • Encourages shy to talk and dominant participants to be quiet • Should say little, but keep eye contact • Accepts all answers but do not indicate agreement with any one answer • Must be a quick study

11. Register participants Small talk- bonding Introductions welcome why they are here guidelines or ground rules opening question Ask questions Anticipate flow Control your reactions Probe as needed Summarize the discussion Conducting a Focus Group

12. Developing Questions for Focus Groups • Where to Begin: • Clarify the problem first • Identify questions • Develop a draft of moderator’s guide --REVISE, REVISE, REVISE • General Rules: • Conversation Tone • Be Clear • Allow sufficient time to answer

13. Question Categories • Opening questions • Introductory questions • Transition questions • Key questions • Ending Questions

14. 2. DEPTH INTERVIEWS • One-on-one interviews between professional researcher and a respondent • Try to uncover underlying motivations, prejudices and attitudes – lots of probing • Often toward sensitive information

15. Depth Interviewing Analysis • Lots of Intense Probing • Laddering – building on responses • Example: • Attributes • Benefits/Consequences • Values/Motivations

16. When to use depth interviews: • Sensitive or confidential subject matter • Situations where strong social norms exist • Need intensive probing • When respondent interaction unlikely to be helpful (e.g., with children) • Have lots of $$$$ and time • Need detailed responses

17. Projective Techniques: • Unstructured & Indirect form of questioning • Used when subjects cannot or will not directly communicate feelings • “A man is least himself when he talks in his own person; when he is given a mask he will tell the truth.” • E.g., TATs, inkblot

18. Word Association • Examine brand/service image • Measure • frequency of responses • no responses • response latency • body language • Example

19. Sentence Completion • Gives more direction than word association • Examples: • People who drink imported beer are _____________. • People who don’t give blood are____________. • I always give blood during blood drives at work unless________.

20. Unfinished Story • Finish the story or tell why the person acted the way he or she did. • Evolved from TAT

21. Third Person Role Play • What would the typical person do in this situation? • We tend to think others are like ourselves, yet we are more willing to tell the truth about “others” • Example: • Why would your neighbor buy a Mercedes

22. Haire’s Shopping List 1 1/2 lbs hamburger 2 loaves Wonder Bread 1 bunch of carrots 1 Rumfords Baking Powder Maxwell House coffee (drip ground) 2 cans Del Monte peaches 5 lbs potatoes 1 1/2 lbs hamburger 2 loaves Wonder Bread 1 bunch of carrots 1 Rumfords Baking Powder Nescafe Instant coffee 2 cans Del Monte peaches 5 lbs potatoes

23. Haire’s Results Nescafe Shopper 48% lazy 48% failed to plan purchases 4% thrifty 12% spendthrift 4% good wife Maxwell Shopper 4% lazy 12% failed to plan purchases 16% thrifty 0% spendthrift 16% good wife

24. Cartoon Completion (Picture Frustration) • Subjects fill in the bubble – suggests a dialogue between the characters

25. Draw a Picture • Subject given a topic to draw • Examples:

26. Some Boring Definitions: • Ethnographic/Observational Research • Systematic recording of behavioral patterns of people, objects, and occurrences as they are witnessed • Direct Observation: • Indirect Observation

27. Observation can be disguised or undisguised • HOWEVER – CAN NOT UNCOVER COGNITIVE PHENOMENA (e.g., thoughts, attitudes, motivations…) • SO… Can NOT explain WHY a behavior occurred

28. Observation of Physical Objects • Naturalist Inquiry • Physical Trace evidence • wear on floor tiles • pings • Garbology • Audits - pantry

29. Mechanical Observation • Television/Internet • AC Neilson People Meter • Click Through Rates • Scanners • Eye Tracking • Psychogalvanometer • Response Latency