Chapter Five

The Nature of Qualitative Research

Qualitative:
• Research whose findings are not subject to quantification or
quantitative analysis. Its research conclusions are not based on
precisely, measurable statistics but on more subjective observations
and analysis.

Quantitative:
• Research that uses mathematical analysis. Typically research
analysis is done using measurable and numeric standards.

Key Terms & Definitions

 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

Key Terms & Definitions

General Limitations of Qualitative Research
1. Attitudinal, perceptual, and belief differences revealed during
qualitative research might not be easily measured. Quantitative
research will more precisely measure these differences.

2. Qualitative research is often not statistically representative of

the general population. Although qualitative results might give
you a good idea about the population, they do not allow you to
precisely gauge the populations’ responses based on the limited
sample typical of quanitative research.

3. Anyone can purport to be an expert.

Key Terms & Definitions

 Focus Groups
Focus Group Defined:
• A group of eight to 12 participants
who are led by a moderator in an in-
depth discussion on one particular
topic or concept.

Key Terms & Definitions

 Focus Groups
Continued

Some
Key
Characteristics:
• Good for idea generation, brainstorming, and understanding customer
vocabulary

• Can be helpful in gaining insight to motives, attitudes, perceptions

• Can reveal needs / likes & dislikes / prejudices driven by emotions

• Group Dynamics. The moderator must manage this factor deftly

Key Terms & Definitions

 Focus Groups Steps

5-7
Key Terms & Definitions
 Conducting a Focus Group
Step 1:
Decide on the key focus group objectives
Use secondary research to hone questions
Select focus group facility and participants
Begin recruiting after deciding on participant incentives

Step 2:
Select a moderator
Develop a moderator guide to chart flow of focus group

Step 3:
Conduct the focus group - generally about two hours

Step 4:
Review the video tape and analyze the results
Prepare a written report

Key Terms & Definitions

 Conducting a Focus Group
Continued

The Participants:
• Selection process:
• Potential opinion leaders are best
• Participants must be screened for relevance to the topic

The Facility:
• A focus group facility - A research facility consisting of a conference room
or living room setting and a separate observation room with a one-way
mirror or live audiovisual feed.

The Moderator:
• A person hired by the client to lead the focus group; this person should
have a background in psychology or sociology or, at least, marketing.
• Create moderator's guide to include:
• Timetable for each topic, clear goals/questions to be answered
• Strategy for keeping group on task / focused
• Managing the group dynamics is critical

Key Terms & Definitions

 The Moderator Builds Rapport
Tools, Tips and Techniques
• Smile – make a connection with individuals

• Get physical – recognizable acknowledgement such as a handshake or dialog

• Turn on the charm – make an extra effort to respond warmly

• Offer empathy – if there are problems or concerns, address these issues

• Be real – make actions sincere without phoniness or lies

• Mind the details – include logistics such as mentioning where food, drink, and
bathrooms; make sure everyone is comfortable

• Come to complete closure – make comments final and say firm goodbyes

Key Terms & Definitions

 What Makes a Good Moderator
Key Factors

• Shows respect for respondents

• Clear demonstration of “invisible” leadership

• Speaks clearly and loudly

• Moves from general to specific questions within a topic

• Asks short questions and actively listens

• Moves things along without rushing; curtails tangents

• Avoids “serial interviewing”

• Shows creativity and adaptability in the moment

Key Terms & Definitions

Advantages of Focus Groups

1. Interactions among respondents can stimulate new ideas and

thoughts.

2. Opportunities to observe customers or prospects through

one-way mirrors.

3. They can be executed more quickly than many other research

techniques.
 Disadvantages of Focus
Groups

1.Managers can be misled instead of informed.

2.Recruiting for focus group participants can be a

problem.
 Other Qualitative Methods

Key Terms & Definitions

 Advantages of IDIs

• Group pressure is eliminated

• Respondent feels important and truly wanted
• Respondent attains a heightened state of awareness
• Encourages the revelation of new information
• Respondents can be questioned at length to reveal feelings and
motivations
• Individual interviews allow greater flexibility to the direction of
questioning
• The interviewer becomes more sensitive to nonverbal feedback
• A singular viewpoint can be obtained without influence from
others
• Interviews can be conducted anywhere
Key Terms & Definitions
 Disadvantages of IDIs

• Costs in terms of time and money

• Less client involvement
• Do not cover much material in one day
• Do not allow for a group discussion and resolution
• Some respondent reactions cannot be generated from a one-
on-one session

Key Terms & Definitions

FGs vs. IDIs
 Other Qualitative Methods

Techniques that tap into respondents’ deepest

Projective
feelings by having them project those feelings into
Tests: an unstructured situation.

Examples:
•Word Association Test • Cartoon Tests and Photo Sorts
• Analogy • Customer Drawings
• Personification • Storytelling
• Sentence and Story Completion Test • Third Person Technique
Key Terms & Definitions
 How to analyse qualitative data

• Qualitative data consists words, whereas quantitative

data consists numbers.
• All qualitative data can be coded quantitatively.
• Content analysis is one of the most common analysis
of qualitative data
• Content analysis is a summarizing, quantitative
analysis of messages that relies on a scientific
method.

Key Terms & Definitions