Descriptive Research

Descriptive Research
To describe
Characteristics of consumers, markets, etc.
A profiling of the urban social networker

The estimation of % of units exhibiting a certain behavior

30% of youngsters log onto social networks through their cellular phones.

To determine characteristics

the

perceptions

of

product

Are high-end cell phones poor on battery life?

To determine the degree to which marketing variables are associated

Is shopping online related to age?

To make predictions
What will be the retail sales of Aircel Pocket Internet?

Descriptive Research
Characteristics
Clearly defined problem Specific hypotheses Detailed information needs

Descriptive Research
Examples of descriptive studies
Market studies Market share studies Sales analysis studies Image studies Product usage studies Distribution studies Pricing studies Advertising studies

Descriptive Research
Survey Methods
Structured questionnaire For getting specific responses/ information Questions can be verbal, written, computerdelivered. Structured data collection

Traditional Telephone Computer assisted

In-home
Personal Survey Methods Mall intercept Computer assisted Mail Mail Mail Panel E-mail Electronic Internet

Descriptive Research
Survey Methods
Telephone Interviewing
Traditional
Phone a sample of respondents Paper questionnaire

CATI
Questions on the computer read out by the caller Computer dials the number One question at a time on the screen Reduces interviewing time Reduces data entry and editing time

Descriptive Research
Survey Methods
Personal Interviewing
In-home interviews
Contact, ask and record High cost

Mall Intercept personal interviews

Meet the respondent in the shopping area Enable the consumer to see, handle or consume the product before interviewing

CAPI [computer assisted personal interviewing]

Respondent sits in front of the computer

Descriptive Research
Survey Methods
Mail Interviewing
Mail Interviews
Questionnaires mailed to preselected respondents No interaction with the respondent Needs a valid mailing list potential

Mail Panels
A large, nationwide, representative sample of households that have agreed to participate in periodic mail questionnaires and product tests.

Descriptive Research
Survey Methods
Electronic Interviewing
E-mail interviews
Interviews mailed to respondents [needs a mailing list]

Internet interviews
Use of html, posted on a web site [global test markets.com]

Criteria

Phone/ CATI Moderate high Low

In-home

Mall

CAPI

Mail

Mail panels Low

E-mail

Internet

Flexibility of data collection Diversity of Qs. Sample control Quantity of data Response rate Sensitive info Speed

High

High

Moderate high High

Low

Low

Moderate high Moderate high Low Moderate High

High

High

Moderate

Moderate

Moderate

Moderate high Low

High

Moderate

Moderate

Low

Moderate high High

Low

High

Moderate

Moderate

High

High

Moderate

High

High

High

Low

Moderate

Low

Very Low

High

Low

Low

Low moderate Moderate high Moderate high

High

Moderate high Low moderate Low moderate

Moderate

high

High

Moderate

Moderate high Moderate high

Low

High

Very High

Cost

Moderate

High

Low

Low

Low

Descriptive Research: Observation

Observation

Personal

Mechanical

Audit

Content analysis

Trace Analysis

Descriptive Research
Observation Methods
Personal Observation
Observe actual behavior No attempt to control or manipulate the phenomenon Merely record occurrences Helpful for store designs, layouts, shelf space allocations, etc.

Descriptive Research
Observation Methods
Mechanical Observation
Audimeters, people meters On-site cameras
With respondent participation
Eye-tracking monitors Pupilometers Psycho galvanometers Voice pitch analyzers

Descriptive Research
Observation Methods
Audit
Consumer audit..taking inventory of (for e.g.) kitchen Need to obtain permission Can not be considered conclusive

Descriptive Research
Observation Methods
Content Analysis
Used to observe communication, rather than objects or actions Objective, systematic and quantitative description of the content of a communication Unit of analysis
Words (good, excellent, poor,developing, dirty.....) Characters (SMC, narendra modi, sachin, rakhi sawant) Topics (India shining, women in workforce, youth in politics)

Descriptive Research
Observation Methods
Trace Analysis
Physical traces or evidence of past behavior Radio dials in cars Magazines at the kabadiwala Cookies on the net

TO Do!
You are to understand the purchase decision of students while they purchase books; using observation. What will you observe? Contemplate a MR problem in which both survey and observation methods can be employed?