10/16/2022

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Chapter 12
Fieldwork

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning

Learning Objectives
1. Understand the nature of fieldwork
2. Describe the role of fieldworkers
3. Summarize the skills required in fieldwork
4. Describe the activities involved in training
and managing fieldworkers
5. Discuss how field supervisors can minimize
errors in the field

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18-2

1
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Software for Fieldwork? Ask Askia

• Fieldworkers used to use notebooks and
clipboards to record data. They then had to
code it and enter it into a database.
• Technology has made this process significantly
easier.
• Askia has developed a fully functioning
software application that works with tablet PCs
and PDAs for field researchers.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18-3

Fieldwork
• Fieldwork, as the name suggests, is work that is
conducted in the field.
• The work in this instance is data gathering, and
the field is any setting beyond the desk, the
library and/or the laboratory in which the
required data can be gathered.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning

2
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The Nature of Fieldwork

• Fieldworker
• An individual who is responsible for gathering
data in the field.
• Typical fieldwork activities:
◗Administering a questionnaire door to door
◗Telephone interview calling from a central location
◗Counting pedestrians on the street or in a shopping
mall
◗Supervising the collection of data

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–5

Who Conducts the Fieldwork?

• The student undertaking a research project for a degree at
college or university is generally responsible for every
aspect of the research project, including fieldwork.
• The student must find the data necessary for the research
project. This might involve identifying key informants on
the research topic, on the phenomenon to be investigated
in the research process. Then, when the key informants
have been identified, the researcher must decide on the
best method to use to gather the required data.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–6

3
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In the field
• When in the field, the researcher has to manage relationships
in the field, in order to maintain the level of access necessary to
stay in the field and to gather the required data.
• In this work of developing, building and maintaining
relationships the researcher has to establish the value of the
research, the need for the research and the contribution that
the research will make to knowledge.
• The researcher has to establish the ethical standards of the
research and the researcher, in order to create and maintain
the level of trust needed in order to be able to carry out the
fieldwork.
• When leaving the field, the researcher ensures that the good
relationships established throughout the fieldwork
are maintained.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning

Contract Fieldworkers
• Among professional researchers, the actual data collection
process is rarely carried out by the person who designs
the research. Fieldworkers are generally hired to do this
work.
• These fieldworkers have to be trained in the fieldwork
process, the process to be used in the particular research
project for which they have been hired.
• These fieldworkers have to be managed throughout the
fieldwork process, and the research
administrator/manager is generally responsible for this.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning

4
 10/16/2022

Training Inexperienced Interviewers

• Briefing Session
• A training session to ensure that each interviewer is provided
with common information.
• Training Objective
• To ensure that the data collection instrument will be
administered in a uniform fashion by all fieldworkers.
• Other Training Topics
• How to make initial contact with the respondent and secure
the interview
• How to ask survey questions
• How to probe
• How to record responses
• How to terminate the interview
For use with Business Research Methods
by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–9

Making Initial Contact

• Personal Interviews
• Making opening remarks that will convince the respondent that
his or her cooperation is important.
• Telephone Interviews
• Giving the interviewer’s name personalizes the call.
• Providing the name of the research agency is used to imply that
the caller is trustworthy.
• Providing an accurate estimate of the time helps gain cooperation.
• Internet Surveys
• Respondent may receive an e-mail requesting
assistance.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–10

10

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Interviewing for Horizon Research

Services

• Horizon Research Services is not big, but

it serves many local organizations.
• Sometimes recruiting 12 participants for
a focus groups takes about three hours
and up to six hundred phone calls!

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18-11

11

Gaining Participation
• Foot-in-the-Door Compliance Technique
• Compliance with large or difficult task is induced by
first obtaining the respondent’s compliance with a
smaller request.
• Door-in-the-Face Compliance Technique
• A two-step process for securing a high response rate.
◗Step 1: An initial request, so large that nearly everyone
refuses it, is made.
◗Step 2: A second request is made for a smaller favor;
respondents are expected to comply with this more
reasonable request.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–12

12

6
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Asking the Questions

• Major Rules for Asking Questions:
1. Ask questions exactly as they are worded in the
questionnaire.
2. Read each question very carefully and clearly.
3. Ask the questions in the specified order.
4. Ask every question specified in the questionnaire.
5. Repeat questions that are misunderstood or
misinterpreted.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–13

13

Why is “Why” Important?

• Field interviewers can follow up and probe
deeper on a respondent’s initial responses.
• A key way is through asking “why” follow-up
questions.
• Calo Research Services assisted a company
by conducting a short interview that asked
why the visitor was at the company’s booth
at a trade show.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18-14

14

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Probing When No Response Is Given

• Probing
• Verbal attempts made by a field-worker when
the respondent must be motivated to
communicate his or her answers more fully.
• Probing Tactics that Enlarge and Clarify:
• Repeating the question
• Using a silent probe
• Repeating the respondent’s reply
• Asking a neutral question

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–15

15

Probing for Deeper Meaning at Olson

Zaltman Associates
• The Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET)
begins by asking each respondent to come to a one-
on-one interview, bringing 8-10 photos related to
their thoughts and feelings about a topic.
• Interviewer uses the photos as nonverbal cues in a 2-
hour interview.
• Software identifies response patterns that suggest
metaphors the describe respondents’
attitudes.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18-16

16

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Recording the Responses

• Rules for recording responses to fixed-alternative
questions vary with the specific questionnaire.
• Rules for recording open-ended answers include:
• Record responses during the interview.
• Use the respondent’s own words.
• Do not summarize or paraphrase the respondent’s answer.
• Include everything that pertains to the question objectives.
• Include all of your probes.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–17

17

Terminating the Interview

• How to close the interview is important:
• Fieldworkers should wait to close the interview until they have
secured all pertinent information including spontaneous
comments of the respondent.
• Fieldworkers should answer any respondent questions concerning
the nature and purpose of the study to the best of his or her
ability.
• Avoiding hasty departures is a matter of courtesy.
• It is important to thank the respondent for his or her time and
cooperation as re-interviewing may be required.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning

18

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Principles of Good Interviewing

• The Basics:
1. Have integrity, and be honest.
2. Have patience and tact.
3. Pay attention to accuracy and detail.
4. Exhibit a real interest in the inquiry at hand,
but keep your own opinions to yourself.
5. Be a good listener.
6. Keep the inquiry and respondents’ responses
confidential.
7. Respect others’ rights.
For use with Business Research Methods
by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–19

19

Principles of Good Interviewing (cont’d)

• Required Practices
1. Complete the number of interviews according to the sampling plan
assigned to you.
2. Follow the directions provided.
3. Make every effort to keep schedules.
4. Keep control of each interview you do.
5. Complete the questionnaires meticulously.
6. Check over each questionnaire you have completed.
7. Compare your sample execution and assigned quota with the total
number of questionnaires you have completed.
8. Clear up any questions with the research agency.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–20

20

10
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Fieldwork Management
• Briefing Session for Experienced Interviewers
• Background of the sponsoring organization
• Demonstration of sampling techniques
• Asking of questions
• Callback procedures
• Other matters specific to the particular project
• Training to Avoid Procedural Errors in Sample
Selection
• Avoiding selection errors that result in bias
• Engaging the sample unit

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–21

21

Supervision of Fieldworkers
• Sampling Verification
• Verifying that interviews are being conducted
according to the sampling plan rather than with
the sampling units most accessible to the
interviewer.
• Interviewer cheating
• The practice by fieldworkers of filling in fake
answers or falsifying interviews.
◗Curbstoning: a form of interviewer cheating in
which an interviewer makes up the responses
instead of conducting an actual interview.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–22

22

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Supervision of Fieldworkers (cont’d)

• Verification by Reinterviewing
• Supervision for quality control attempts to ensure that
interviewers are following the sampling procedure and to
detect falsification of interviews.
• Supervisors verify approximately 10–15 percent of the
interviews by re-interviewing.
• Normally the interview is not repeated; rather, supervisors re-
contact respondents and ask about the length of the interview
and their reactions to the interviewer; then they collect basic
demographic data to check for interviewer cheating.
• Fieldworkers should be aware of supervisory verification
practices. Knowing that there may be a telephone
or postcard validation check often reminds
interviewers to be conscientious in their work.

For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning 18–23

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