The document discusses qualitative and quantitative consumer research methods. Quantitative research uses experimental and survey techniques to descriptively and empirically measure consumer behavior. Qualitative research uses depth interviews, focus groups, and projective techniques administered by trained interviewers to subjectively understand consumption practices. Positivism aims to predict behavior through quantitative methods, while interpretivism seeks to understand experiences through qualitative research. The consumer research process involves defining objectives, collecting secondary and primary data, designing qualitative and quantitative studies, analyzing results, and reporting findings.

1. CONSUMERCONSUMER
RESEARCH PROCESSRESEARCH PROCESS
Qualitative and QuantitativeQualitative and Quantitative
researchresearch

2. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHQUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
 Descriptive in nature.Descriptive in nature.
 Enables marketers to “predict” consumer behaviour.Enables marketers to “predict” consumer behaviour.
 Research methods include experiments, surveyResearch methods include experiments, survey
techniques, and observation.techniques, and observation.
 Findings are descriptive, empirical and can beFindings are descriptive, empirical and can be
generalized.generalized.
 Known as PositivismKnown as Positivism

3. QUALITATIVE RESEARCHQUALITATIVE RESEARCH
 Consists of depth interviews, focus groups, metaphorConsists of depth interviews, focus groups, metaphor
analysis, collage research, and projective techniques.analysis, collage research, and projective techniques.
 Administered by highly trained interviewer-analysts.Administered by highly trained interviewer-analysts.
 Findings tend to be subjective.Findings tend to be subjective.
 Small sample sizes.Small sample sizes.
 Known as InterpretivismKnown as Interpretivism

4. POSITIVISM VS INTERPRETIVISMPOSITIVISM VS INTERPRETIVISM
PURPOSEPURPOSE
METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY
PositivismPositivism
Prediction of consumer
actions
PositivismPositivism
Prediction of consumer
actions
InterpretivismInterpretivism
Understanding consumption
practices
InterpretivismInterpretivism
Understanding consumption
practices
PositivismPositivism
Quantitative
PositivismPositivism
Quantitative
InterpretivismInterpretivism
Qualitative
InterpretivismInterpretivism
Qualitative

5. ASSUMPTIONS
PositivismPositivism
•Rationality; consumers make
decisions after weighing
alternatives
•The causes and effects of
behavior can be identified
•Individuals are problem
solvers
•A single reality exists
•Events can be objectively
measured
InterpretivismInterpretivism
•No single, objective truth
•Reality is subjective
•Cause and effect cannot be
isolated
•Each consumption
experience is unique
•Researcher/respondent
interactions affect research
findings

6. THE CONSUMER RESEARCH PROCESS
Develop Objectives
Collect Secondary Data
Design Qualitative Research
• Method
• Screener questionnaire
• Discussion guide
Prepare Report
Analyze Data
(Subjective)
Conduct Research
(Using highly trained
interviewers) Exploratory
Study
Prepare report
Analyze Data
(Objective)
Collect Primary Data
(Usually by field staff)
Design Quantitative Research
• Method
• Sample design
• Data collection instrument

7. DEVELOPING RESEARCH OBJECTIVESDEVELOPING RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 Defining purposes and objectives helps ensure anDefining purposes and objectives helps ensure an
appropriate research design.appropriate research design.
 A statement of objectives helps to define the type andA statement of objectives helps to define the type and
level of information needed.level of information needed.

8. SECONDARY VERSUS PRIMARY DATASECONDARY VERSUS PRIMARY DATA
 Secondary data: data that has been collected forSecondary data: data that has been collected for
reasons other than the specific research project at handreasons other than the specific research project at hand
 Primary data: data collected by the researcher for thePrimary data: data collected by the researcher for the
purpose of meeting specific objectivespurpose of meeting specific objectives

9. MAJOR SOURCES OF SECONDARYMAJOR SOURCES OF SECONDARY
DATADATA
Government
Publications
Internal
Sources
Periodicals
&
Books
Commercial
Data

10. DATA COLLECTION METHODSDATA COLLECTION METHODS
Observation
Experimentation
Surveys

11. OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCHOBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH
 Helps marketers gain an in-depth understanding of theHelps marketers gain an in-depth understanding of the
relationship between people and products by watchingrelationship between people and products by watching
them buying and using products.them buying and using products.
 Helps researchers gain a better understanding of whatHelps researchers gain a better understanding of what
the product symbolizes.the product symbolizes.
 Widely used by interpretivist researchers.Widely used by interpretivist researchers.

12. EXPERIMENTATIONEXPERIMENTATION
 Can be used to test the relative sales appeal of manyCan be used to test the relative sales appeal of many
types of variables.types of variables.
 Only one variable is manipulated at a time, keeping otherOnly one variable is manipulated at a time, keeping other
elements constant.elements constant.
 Can be conducted in laboratories or in the field.Can be conducted in laboratories or in the field.

13. SURVEY DATA COLLECTION METHODSSURVEY DATA COLLECTION METHODS
Personal Interview
Mail
Telephone
Online

14. ValidityValidity
The degree to which
a measurement
instrument accurately
reflects what it is
designed to measure.

15. ReliabilityReliability
The degree to which a
measurement
instrument is
consistent in what it
measures.

16. ATTITUDE SCALESATTITUDE SCALES
 Likert scalesLikert scales: easy for researchers to prepare and: easy for researchers to prepare and
interpret, and simple for consumers to answer.interpret, and simple for consumers to answer.
 Semantic differential scalesSemantic differential scales : relatively easy to: relatively easy to
construct and administer.construct and administer.
 Rank-order scales:Rank-order scales: subjects rank items in order ofsubjects rank items in order of
preference in terms of some criteria.preference in terms of some criteria.

17. Qualitative Data Collection MethodsQualitative Data Collection Methods
DepthDepth
InterviewsInterviews
ProjectiveProjective
TechniquesTechniques
FocusFocus
GroupsGroups
MetaphorMetaphor
AnalysisAnalysis
(use of pictures, non(use of pictures, non
verbal expressions etc)verbal expressions etc)

18. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DATACUSTOMER SATISFACTION DATA
COLLECTION INSTRUMENTSCOLLECTION INSTRUMENTS
 Gap Analysis of Expectations versus ExperienceGap Analysis of Expectations versus Experience
 Mystery ShoppersMystery Shoppers
 Critical Incident TechniqueCritical Incident Technique
 Customer Complaint AnalysisCustomer Complaint Analysis
 Analysis of Customer DefectionsAnalysis of Customer Defections

19. SAMPLING PLAN DECISIONSSAMPLING PLAN DECISIONS
Whom to
survey?
Whom to
survey?
How many?How many?
How to
select them?
How to
select them?

20. PROBABILITY SAMPLING DESIGNS
Simple random
sample
Every member of the population has a known and
equal chance of being selected.
Systematic random
sample
A member of the population is selected at random
and then every “nth” person is selected.
Cluster (area)
sample
The population is divided into mutually exclusive
groups (such as blocks), and the researcher draws
a sample of the groups to interview.
Stratified random
sample
The population is divided into mutually exclusive
groups (such as age groups), and random samples
are drawn from each group.

21. NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING DESIGNS
Convenience
sample
The researcher selects the most accessible
population members from whom to obtain
information (e.g., students in a classroom)
Judgment sample The researcher uses his or her judgment to select
population members who are good sources for
accurate information (e.g., experts in the relevant
field of study).
Quota sample The researcher interviews a prescribed number of
people in each of several categories (e.g., 50 men
and 5 women).