Researcher

Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research helps uncover information too complex or cost-prohibitive to quantify, such as subjective opinions and value judgments, which are typically unearthed during interviews or discussion groups.

•  In-depth interviews
  Interviews are most often lengthy, one-on-one structured conversations, examining in detail a consumer’s views about an issue, product or service.
• Dyads and Triads
  A procedure in which 2-3 research participants are interviewed simultaneously.
• Mini-groups
  A procedure in which 4-5 research participants take part in a group discussion.
• Focus groups
  A procedure in which 8-10 research participants take part in a group discussion. A typical example might consist of a group of sample customers who are brought together into a discussion to measure their responses to a marketing stimulus pertaining to a new brand or product.
• Mystery shopping
  Helps provide businesses with an unbiased opinion of how they are perceived by their customers. Objective is to improve the customer shopping experience, thereby increasing sales and customer loyalty.
• Online focus groups
  Similar to traditional focus groups, with the discussion taking place virtually through moderated online “chat rooms.”
• Online bulletin boards
  Participants are recruited online and asked to respond to a series of questions during a fixed time span. A moderator may or may not be periodically present in order to answer or respond to questions raised by the participants.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative data collection efforts are standardized in order to eliminate inconsistencies or errors in interpretation. Because it is possible to collect responses from large groups of participants and statistically analyze amassed responses, these types of studies can aid in forecasting. Commonly employed techniques include:

• Attitudes and awareness
  Advertising or other promotional activity (e.g. public relations) whose primary purpose is to increases general knowledge of the company, and to make people feel more positive towards it.
• Brand positioning
  Positioning is how a product appears in relation to other products in the market.
• Price elasticity
  Price elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of a change in demand for a product following a change in its own price.
• Perceptual mapping and positioning
  A graphics representation of the perceived relationships among elements in a set, where the elements could be brands, services, or product categories.
• Intercepts
  A survey conducted in a retail area that involves approaching shoppers and asking them to participate.