Data Collection

Classification of Data
 Based on Sources
 Primary
 Secondary
 Based on Nature
 Qualitative
 Quantitative
 Based on Dimension
 Cross Sectional
 Time Series
 Panel Data
Primary V/S Secondary Data
 Primary: Primary data are information collected by a
researcher specifically for a research assignment. In
other words, primary data are information that a
company must gather because no one has compiled
and published the information in a forum accessible to
the public

 Secondary: Secondary data is a type of data that has

already been published in books, newspapers,
magazines, journals, online portals etc.  There is an
abundance of data available in these sources about
your research area in business studies, almost
regardless of the nature of the research area.
Qualitative V/S Quantitative Data
 Quantitative data: Quantitative data are
measures of values or counts and are expressed
as numbers.
 Qualitative data: Qualitative data is extremely
varied in nature. It includes virtually any
information that can be captured that is not
numerical in nature.
Time Series V/S Cross Sectional V/S
Panel Data
 Time series data - It is a collection of
observations(behavior) for a single
subject(entity) at different time intervals
(generally equally spaced).
 Cross-Sectional data - Its is a collection of
observations(behavior) for multiple
subjects(entities) at single point in time.
 Panel Data  - It is usually called as Cross-
sectional Time-series data as it a combination of
above mentioned types, i.e., collection of
observations for multiple subjects at multiple
instances.
Sources of Secondary data
 Statement of the profit and loss
 Balance sheets
 Sales figures
 Inventory records
 Previous research
 Official statistics
 Government reports
 Web information
 Historical data and information
Methods of Primary Data Collection
 Focus group
 Interviews
 Observation
 Survey
Focus Group
 Focus groups consist typically of 8 to 10
members with a moderator leading the
discussions for about 2 hours on a particular
topic, concept, or product. Members are generally
chosen on the basis of their expertise in the topic
on which information is sought. Originally used as
a market research tool to investigate the appeal
of various products.

 Data obtained through focus group is less expensive

 Data so obtained provides only qualitative and not
quantitative information.
Interview
 A widely used method of collecting data in
business research is to interview respondents to
obtain information on an issue of interest.
 An interview is a guided, purposeful
conversation between two or more people.

 Unstructured and structured interviews

 Face-to-face and telephone interviews
Things to keep in mind during Interview
 Unbiased questions
 Clarifying issues
 Taking notes
Observation
 Observational techniques are methods by which an
individual or individuals gather firsthand data on programs,
processes, or behaviors being studied.
 They provide evaluators with an opportunity to collect data
on a wide range of behaviors, to capture a great variety of
interactions, and to openly explore the evaluation topic.
Advantages
 Provide direct information about behavior of individuals and groups
 Permit evaluator to enter into and understand situation/context.
Disadvantages
 Need well-qualified, highly trained observers; may need to be
content experts
 Selective perception of observer may distort data.
 Sitting in the corner of an office to observe how a
merchant bank trader
Examples
 Observing in‐store shopping behavior of
consumers via a camera.
 Sitting in the corner of an office to observe how a
merchant bank trader
Survey
 Surveys are a very popular form of data
collection, especially when gathering information
from large groups, where standardization is
important.
 A survey is a research method for collecting
information from a selected group of people using
standardized questionnaires.
Questionnaires
 A questionnaire is a pre formulated written set of questions
to which respondents record their answers, usually within
rather closely defined alternatives. Questionnaires are an
efficient data collection mechanism when the researcher
knows exactly what is required and how to measure the
variables of interest.
 Personally Administered Questionnaires: When the survey is
confined to a local area, and the organization is willing and able to
assemble groups of employees to respond to the questionnaires at the
workplace.
 Mail Questionnaires : The main advantage of mail questionnaires is
that a wide geographical area can be covered in the survey. They are
mailed to the respondents, who can complete them at their
convenience, in their homes, and at their own pace.
 Online Questionnaires: Online questionnaire surveys are easily
designed and administered when micro- computers are hooked up to
computer networks
Guidelines for Questionnaire
Design
Sound questionnaire design principles
should focus on three areas.
 The first relates to the wording of the questions.
 The second refers to planning of issues of how
the variables will be categorized and scaled
 The third pertains to the general appearance of
the questionnaire
Principles of Wording
 The appropriateness of the content of the questions:
The nature of the variable tapped—subjective feelings or
objective facts—will determine what kinds of questions will
be asked. If the variables tapped are of a subjective nature
(e.g., satisfaction, involvement), where respondents‘
beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes are to be measured, the
questions should tap the dimensions and elements of the
concept.
 Where objective variables such as age and educational
levels of respondents are tapped, a single direct question—
preferably one that has an ordinal scaled set of categories
—would be appropriate.
Principles of Wording
 The appropriateness of the content of the
questions
 How questions are worded and the level of
sophistication of the language used
 The type and form of questions asked
 Length of Questions
 The sequencing of the questions
 How the variables will be categorized and scaled
General appearance or “getup” of the
questionnaire
 A Good Introduction
 Giving Instructions and Guidance
 Information on Income and Other
Sensitive Personal Data
Cover Page
Department of Management
University of Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois 62901
Date
Dear Participant,
This questionnaire is designed to study aspects of life at work. The information you
provide will help us better understand the quality of our work life. Because you are
the one who can give us a correct picture of how you experience your work life, I
request you to respond to the questions frankly and honestly.
Your response will be kept strictly confidential. Only members of the research team
will have access to the information you give. In order to ensure the utmost privacy,
we have provided an identification number for each participant. This number will be
used by us only for follow-up procedures. The numbers, names, or the completed
questionnaires will not be made available to anyone other than the research team. A
summary of the results will be mailed to you after the data are analyzed.
Thank you very much for your time and cooperation. I greatly appreciate your
organization‘s and your help in furthering this research endeavor.

Cordially,
Scale for Job Involvement
Steps for Questionnaire Design
 Step 1 – Decide what information is required
 Step 2 – Make a rough listing of the questions
 Step 3 – Refine the question phrasing
 Step 4 – Develop the response format
 Step 5 – Put the questions into an appropriate
sequence
 Step 6 – Finalise the layout of the questionnaire
 Step 7 – Pretest and revise