Chapter - 7

Types of Data

Where do research data come from?

If were starting from scratch, how do we collect / find data?

Secondary data

Primary data

Secondary Data

Data someone else has collected Are pieces of information that have already been collected for a different purpose, but may be relevant to the research problems at hand.

This is what you look for in your assignment.

Importance / Usefulness

Secondary data are useful for addressing a number of research questions, for example:

Estimating market potential Analyzing competitors Sales forecasting Assessing industry trends Alerting the manager to potential problems Providing preliminary information to guide subsequent primary data collection

Sources of Secondary Data

There are two key sources of secondary data:

The Company Itself (Internal Databases)

Other Organizations or Persons (External Databases)

External Sources of Secondary Data

Government publications Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, etc.

Trade Associations - Newsletters, special reports, annual state of the industry reports, etc.
Publication by research organisations Other publications - periodicals, annual reports Computer retrievable databases And your most Favorite your Godfor Everything None another than..

Internet

Secondary Data - Advantages

No need to reinvent the wheel. If someone has already found the data, take advantage of it.

It will save you money. Even if you have to pay for access, often it is cheaper in terms of money than collecting your own data.
It will save you time. Primary data collection is very time consuming It may be very accurate. When especially a government agency has collected the data, incredible amounts of time and money went into it. Its probably highly accurate. It has great exploratory value. Exploring research questions and formulating hypothesis to test.

Secondary Data - Limitations

When was it collected? For how long?

May be out of date for what you want to analyze. May not have been collected long enough for detecting trends. Is the data set complete?

There may be missing information on some observations unless

such missing information is caught and corrected for, analysis will be biased.

Sample selection bias?

Source choice bias?

Secondary Data - Limitations

Are the data consistent/reliable? Was the collecting agency biased ? Was the sample representative ? Were the enumerators capable and properly trained ? Was there an proper check on accuracy of field work ? Was the editing, tabulating and analysis carefully and conscientiously done ? What degree of accuracy was desired by the compiler ? Is the information exactly what you need? Whether the data are suitable for the purpose of inquiry ? Whether the nature and scope of investigation is covered ?

Summary of Key Points for secondary data

Secondary data are information previously gathered for a different purpose that may be relevant to the problem at hand.

Secondary data can come from sources internal to the organization or external.
The internet has, in many ways, enabled the gathering of secondary data. Secondary data are generally useful, low-cost, rapidly available sources of information. Always look for secondary data first

Primary Data

Which are collected afresh for the first time

Happens to be original in character

Types of Primary Data

Demographic/Socioeconomic

Age, Sex, Income, Marital Status, Occupation

Psychological/Lifestyle

Activities, Interests, Personality Traits

Attitudes/Opinions

Preferences, Views, Feelings, Inclinations

Awareness/Knowledge

Facts about product, features, price, uses

Intentions

Planned or Anticipated Behavior

Motivations

Why People Buy (Needs, Wants, Wishes, Ideal-Self)

Behavior

Purchase, Use, Timing, Traffic Flow

Primary Data - Examples

Focus groups

Questionnaires
Personal interviews Telephonic interviews Mail survey internet survey Experiments and observational study

Primary Data - Limitations

Do you have the time and money for:

Designing your collection instrument? Selecting your population or sample? Pre testing / piloting the instrument to work out sources of bias? Administration of the instrument? Entry/collation of data? Uniqueness May not be able to compare to other populations Researcher error Sample bias Other confounding factors

Primary Data Can Be Gathered By:

Communication Methods

Interacting with respondents Asking for their opinions, attitudes, motivations, characteristics

Observation Methods

No interaction with respondents Letting them behave naturally and drawing conclusions from their actions

Communication Methods of Primary Data Collection

Methods include:

Interviews Surveys Focus Groups Panels

Highly versatile in terms of types of data

Generally more speedy

Typically more cost effective

Electronic media have made observation cheaper Activities, Interests, Personality Traits

Communication Methods : Interviews

Type of Interviews

Personnel Interviews (at-home or intercept at malls) Telephone Interviews

Personal Interviews as a Data Collection Method (in-home and mall intercept)

Advantages

Disadvantages

Probably highest response rate Allows any type of questions/questionnaires Easy to ensure representative sample Know who is completing questionnaire Mall intercept can be relatively quick

Generally narrow distribution Typically most expensive method Often tough to gain identity of respondent Can be time consuming in the case of in-home Tough to supervise

Pros and Cons of Telephone as a Data Collection Method

Relatively fast Relatively strong response rates, but getting worse Sequence of questions can be easily changed Data entry at time of completion is possible Ability of supervisor to oversee interviewers Can be recorded without embarrassing the respondent

Does not handle long interviews well Cannot use visuals Difficult to contact business respondents Unlisted numbers make sample frame questionable restricted to those who have phone facility

Primary data collection by Questionnaires method

Popular in case of big enquiries questionnaire consists of no. of questions in definite order mailed to respondents respondents have to answer the questions on their own and return the form to the researcher

Merits of questionnaire method

Low cost even though the universe is large and geographically spread Free from bias of interviewer as answers are in respondents own words Respondents have adequate time to give well thought answers Respondents hard to approached can be reached conveniently Because of large sample possible, the data is more dependable & reliable

Demerits of Questionnaire
Low rate of return of duly filled in questionnaire Can be used only when respondents are educated and cooperative Control over questionnaire will be lost once it is sent Inflexible, cant be amended after dispatching Possible of ambiguous replies or omissions This method is the slowest Difficult to know whether the willing respondents are truly representative

Pros and Cons of Mail as a Data Collection Method

Easy to generate stratified sample frame No interviewer bias Assures anonymity of respondent Wide distribution Best for sensitive or personal questions Generally least expensive

Little control over exactly who completes survey Low response rate Long response time No ability to probe on open-ended questions Cannot change sequence of questions

Electronic Media as a Data Collection Method (email, online, fax)

Typically low cost, especially marginal cost of additional responses Wide distribution possible Very quick (15 minutes-2 days) Fairly decent response rates Easy point-of-purchase feedback Automatic data entry

Limited sample frame representative ability to locate Expense of infrastructure and expertise SPAM backlash Legal problems

Increasing Response Rates for Communication Methods

Pre notification letters Cover letters/purpose statements Incentives

Money Donations to charity Gifts

Postage-paid returns Follow-ups Call sheets/call backs

Observation Methods: What Can Be Observed?

Physical Actions Shopping behavior, response latency, service quality, television viewing habits Verbal Behaviors Sales conversations, opinion leadership, tone of voice Expressive behaviors Facial expressions, body posture Special Relations and Locations Traffic patterns, store layout, efficiency

Temporal Patterns Amount of time spent shopping, service time

Physical Evidence Amount and type of food consumed, media read

Observation Methods of Primary Data Collection

Methods include: Direct observation Contrived observation (laboratory) Content Analysis Physiological measurement Electronic methods

Greater objectivity less researcher bias

More accurate less response tendency or demand effects Limitations are

Limited in terms of what can be observed Expensive method unforeseen factors can interfere with observational task

Observation Methods : Type of observations

Structured Observation

What should be observed ? How the observations should be recorded ? How accuracy can be ensured ? The style of recording the observations standardized conditions of observation selection of pertinent data of observation

Appropriate for descriptive studies

Unstructured Observation

Observations to take place without any particular characteristics thought of in advanced

Appropriate for Exploratory Studies

Observation Methods : Type of observations

Uncontrolled Observations

takes place in natural settings main aim is to get spontaneous picture of the situation tendency to supply naturalness and completeness of behaviour more time is to be devoted pitfall is subjective interpretations

Controlled Observations

take place as per definite pre-arranged plan & involves experimental procedure use of mechanical instruments as aids to accuracy and standardization supplies formalized data upon which generalizations can be built with some degree of assurance Generally undertaken in laboratories or under controlled conditions

Observation Methods : Type of observations

Participant Observation

Observer makes himself a member of the group can experience what the group experiences natural behaviour is able to be recorded more information can be gathered can lose objectivity as attached emotionally to the group

Non-participant observation

when observations are observed in a detached way

Thank You