What is Quantitative Research?

 Quantitative research is the systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via

statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. The objective of quantitative
research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and hypotheses
pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research
because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and
mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Quantitative data is any data that is
in numerical form such as statistics, percentages, etc. The researcher analyzes the data with
the help of statistics. The researcher is hoping the numbers will yield an unbiased result that
can be generalized to some larger population.

What is the use of Quantitative Research?

 In social sciences, quantitative research is widely used in psychology, economics,

demography, sociology, marketing, community health, health & human development,
gender and political science, and less frequently in anthropology and history. Research in
mathematical sciences such as physics is also 'quantitative' by definition, though this use of
the term differs in context. In the social sciences, the term relates to empirical methods,
originating in both philosophical positivism and the history of statistics, which contrast with
qualitative research methods.

Qualitative research produces information only on the particular cases studied, and any more
general conclusions are only hypotheses. Quantitative methods can be used to verify which of
such hypotheses are true.

What can we use Quantitative Research for?

Quantitative research is generally made using scientific methods, which can include:

1. The generation of models, theories and hypotheses

2. The development of instruments and methods for measurement
3. Experimental control and manipulation of variables
4. Collection of empirical data
5. Modeling and analysis of data

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Quantitative Research?

Advantage: Quantitative research allows the researcher to measure and analyze data. The relationship
between an independent and dependent variable is studied in detail. This is advantageous because the
researcher is more objective about the findings of the research. Quantitative research can be used to
test hypotheses in experiments because of its ability to measure data using statistics.
 Disadvantage: The main disadvantage of quantitative research is the context of the study or
experiment is ignored. Quantitative research does not study things in a natural setting or discuss the
meaning things have for different people as qualitative research does. Another disadvantage is that a
large sample of the population must be studied; the larger the sample of people researched, the more
statistically accurate the results will be.

When should we use Quantitative Research?

 When we seek to confirm a hypothesis about a phenomenon – How many?

 Data is in the form of numbers and statistical results.
 Highly structured methods – Data gathered through the use of tools, equipment,
questionnaires, etc.
 Asks close ended questions that give quantifiable answers.
 Research design is highly structured and laid out in advance of the study.
 Results are documented using objective language.

How should we use Quantitative Research?

 Assess the proportion of your target audience within a community

 Assess the proportion of a target audience that practices a behavior
 Assess the proportion of a target audience that recalls a message.

Tools, Templates and Examples.

Examples:

* Research that consists of the percentage amounts of all the elements that make up Earth's
atmosphere.
* Survey that concludes that the average patient has to wait two hours in the waiting room of a
certain doctor before being selected.
* An experiment in which group x was given two tablets of aspirin a day and group y was given two
tablets of a placebo a day where each participant is randomly assigned to one or other of the groups. *
* The numerical factors such as two tablets, percent of elements and the time of waiting make the
situations and results quantitative.
* In finance, quantitative research into the stock markets is used to develop models to price complex
trades, and develop algorithms to exploit investment hypotheses, as seen in quantitative hedge funds
and Trading Strategy Indices.

Tools:

Learn more about Isurus’ quantitative research tools:

 Telephone Surveys
Online Surveys
In-person Surveys
Mobile Surveys
Analytical techniques

Telephone surveys

Telephone surveys are administered by trained market research interviewers working under strict
quality control guidelines. Telephone data collection remains the most effective means of researching
most B2B audiences in the US and other developed markets; list sources and response rates for online
surveys are typically not sufficient to support a study with a narrowly defined B2B target audience
(e.g., Finance Directors/VPs in large enterprises). Telephone surveys are often augmented with a
website to enable the interviewer to show the respondents visual stimuli (e.g., ad concepts, product
concepts, etc.) during the course of the survey.
Online surveys

Online surveys are used effectively with audiences like small businesses, customers or consumers. With
online surveys, respondents are emailed a link to take a self-administered survey. The online platform
offers a range of possibilities for showing respondents product or advertising concepts, value
propositions, and other visual stimuli. Respondents to online surveys are sourced from online market
research panels, publication subscriber lists, and client’s internal databases.
In-person surveys

Although not commonly used in North America and Europe, in-person surveys are often the only viable
option for conducting surveys with B2B audiences in the Middle East, Latin America and some parts of
Asia. The in-person survey shows respect for the respondent, and is often a more effective way to
engage their attention than a telephone or online survey.
Mobile surveys

Mobile market research is an emerging methodology that is currently used in a very small percentage of
all market research studies. As of today, mobile surveys are simply a short survey administered
through a mobile device interface; respondents are still recruited by email or phone and simply access
the survey on their mobile device. Mobile surveys are used to provide a more convenient option for
the respondent to participate or to engage respondents at the point of experience.
Analytical techniques

When appropriate Isurus uses specialized techniques to analyze and interpret quantitative data.
Examples include conjoint and discrete choice analysis, cluster analysis, factor analysis, regression, and
the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter. We apply our statistical knowledge judiciously by focusing
on results that are not only statistically meaningful, but also important from a management and
marketing perspective.