Most often, marketing research is understood as the collection of primary information. Primary data collection methods, in turn, are divided into qualitative data collection methods, quantitative data collection methods and the so-called mix-methods.
Qualitative research answers the "how" and "why" questions.
They involve collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Observations and conclusions are of a qualitative nature and are carried out in a non-standardized form. Qualitative data can be quantified, but this is preceded by special procedures. For example, the opinion of several respondents about alcohol advertising may be verbally expressed in different ways, and only as a result additional analysis all opinions are divided into three categories: negative, positive and neutral, after which it is possible to determine how many opinions belong to each of the three categories. Such an intermediate procedure is superfluous if you use the closed question form at once during the survey.
The group of qualitative research includes: observation, focus group, in-depth interviews, protocol analysis, projection and physiological measurements.
Observation is a method of collecting primary marketing information about the object under study by observing selected groups of people, actions and situations.
A focus group is a group interview conducted by a moderator in the form of a group discussion according to a previously developed scenario with a small group of “typical” representatives of the studied part of the population, similar in basic social characteristics.
An in-depth interview is a semi-structured personal conversation between the interviewer and the respondent in a form that encourages the latter to give detailed answers to the questions asked.
Analysis of the protocol consists in placing the respondent in the situation of making a purchase decision, during which he must describe in detail all the factors that guided him in making this decision.
Projection methods. When using these methods, respondents are placed in certain simulated situations in the hope that they will express such information about themselves that cannot be obtained through direct interviews, for example, regarding drug use, alcohol, tipping, etc.
Physiological measurements are based on the study of respondents' involuntary responses to marketing incentives. When carrying out such measurements, special equipment is used - for example, the expansion and movement of the pupils is recorded when studying certain goods, pictures, etc. However, this technique is unusual in nature, so it can make respondents nervous, and its use does not provide an opportunity to separate positive from negative reactions. Therefore, physiological measurements are rarely used in marketing research.
Quantitative research answers the "who" and "how much" questions.
They are usually identified with conducting various surveys based on the use of structured closed-type questions, which are answered by a large number of respondents. Salient features such studies are: clearly defined format of collected data and sources of their receipt; the processing of the collected data is carried out using orderly procedures, mainly quantitative in nature.
This type of research, in contrast to qualitative research, allows one to obtain quantitatively expressed information on a limited range of problems, but from a large number people, which allows you to process it using statistical methods and distribute the results to all consumers. Quantitative research helps to assess the level of awareness of a company or brand, to identify the main consumer groups, market size, etc.
The main methods of quantitative research are different kinds surveys and retail audit.
The survey involves finding out the opinion of the respondent on a certain range of questions included in the questionnaire through personal or indirect contact between the interviewer and the respondent.
Retail audit includes analysis of assortment, prices, distribution, advertising materials in retail outlets for the studied commodity group.
Qualitative methods(ethnographic, historical research as methods of qualitative analysis of local microsociums, case study method, biographical method, narrative method (storytelling)) - semantic interpretation of data. When using qualitative methods, between the stage of obtaining primary data and the stage of meaningful analysis, there is no link of formalized mathematical operations... These are widely known and used methods of statistical data processing.
but qualitative methods include certain quantitative methods of collecting and processing information: content analysis; observation; interviewing, etc.
When making important decisions to choose the best course of action from the available options, the so-called "decision tree" or "goal tree" is used, which is a schematic description of the decision-making problem. Structural diagrams of goals can be represented in tabular and graphical ways. The graph method has a number of advantages over the tabular method: firstly, it allows you to write and process information most economically, secondly, to quickly compose a development algorithm, and thirdly, the graph method is very visual. The "goal tree" serves as a basis for choosing the most preferred alternatives, as well as for assessing the state of the systems being developed and their interconnections.
Other methods of qualitative analysis, including analogs of quantitative methods of factor analysis, are constructed in a similar way.
As D.S. rightly notes Klement'ev (21), the effect of qualitative methods of sociological research is possible only with the dominance of ethical norms in the reflection of social factors. A sociologist, selecting information from the mass of all kinds of information, should not be limited only by his own preferences. In addition, trying to answer the question about the actual state of affairs in the management environment, collecting specific information - empirical data, referring to the properties of the phenomenon under study, a sociologist should not operate with generally accepted provisions of "common sense", "everyday logic" or an appeal to the works of religious and political authorities. In writing tests, the sociologist must avoid distortions that reflect manipulation rather than management. And another fundamental norm for a sociologist is honesty. This means that a person, presenting the results of a study, even if they do not satisfy him, should neither hide nor embellish anything. The requirement of integrity also includes the provision of complete documentation pertaining to the case. It is necessary to be held accountable for all information used by other people to critically evaluate the method and results of research. This is especially important to keep in mind in order to avoid the temptation to distort information, which would undermine the credibility of the findings.
Quantitative methods The study of the quantitative determination of social phenomena and processes is carried out using specific means and methods. These are observation (not included and included), survey (conversation, questioning and interviewing), document analysis (quantitative), experiment (controlled and uncontrolled).
Observation as a classic method natural sciences is a specially organized perception of the object under study. The organization of observation includes the definition of the characteristics of the object, the goals and objectives of the observation, the choice of the type of observation, the development of the program and the observation procedure, the establishment of observation parameters, the development of the technique for the implementation of the results, the analysis of the results and conclusions. When monitoring is not enabled, the interaction between the observer and the object of study (for example, the control system) is minimized. When enabled, the observer enters the observed process as a participant, i.e. achieves maximum interaction with the object of observation, without revealing, as a rule, his research intentions in practice. In practice, observation is most often used in combination with other research methods.
Polls are solid and selective. If a survey is conducted with the coverage of the entire population of respondents (all members of a social organization, for example), it is called continuous. The basis of the sample survey is the sample population as a reduced copy of the general population. The general population is considered to be the entire population or that part of it that the sociologist intends to study. Selective - the set of people interviewed by the sociologist (22).
The survey can be conducted using a questionnaire or interviewing. Interview- is a formalized type of conversation. Interviews, in turn, are standardized, non-standardized. Sometimes they resort to telephone interviews. The person who conducts the interview is called the interviewer.
Questionnaire- written form of the survey. Like an interview, a questionnaire survey involves a set of clearly formulated questions that are presented to the respondent in writing... Questions can involve answers in free form ("open questionnaire") or in a given form ("closed questionnaire"), when the respondent chooses one of the proposed answer options (23).
By virtue of its peculiarities, questionnaires have a number of advantages over other survey methods: the time for registering respondents' answers is reduced due to self-counting; formalization of responses creates the possibility of using mechanized and automated processing of questionnaires; thanks to anonymity, it is possible to achieve sincerity in the answers.
In order to further development questionnaires are often used scale method applies. The method is aimed at obtaining quantitative information by measuring the attitude of specialists to the subject of examination on a particular scale - nominal, rank, metric. Building a scale of assessments that adequately measures the phenomena under study is a very difficult task, but processing the results of such an examination, carried out by means of mathematical methods using the apparatus of mathematical statistics, can provide valuable analytical information in quantitative terms.
Analysis method documents allows you to quickly receive factual data about the object under study.
Formalized analysis documentary sources (content analysis), designed to extract sociological information from large arrays of documentary sources inaccessible to traditional intuitive analysis, is based on identifying some quantitative characteristics of texts (or messages). It is assumed that the quantitative characteristics of the content of documents reflect the essential features of the studied phenomena and processes.
Having established the quantitative influence of the factors under study on the process under study, it is possible to build a probabilistic model of the relationship between these factors. In these models, the investigated facts will act as a function, and the factors that determine it, as arguments. By attaching a certain value to these factors-arguments, a certain value of the functions is obtained. Moreover, these values will be correct only with a certain degree of probability. To obtain a specific numerical value of the parameters in this model, it is necessary to properly process the data of the questionnaire survey and build on its basis a multivariate correlation model.
Experiment as well as the method of questioning, it is a test, but unlike the first, it has the goal of proving one or another assumption, hypothesis. An experiment, therefore, is a one-time test for a given pattern of behavior (thinking, phenomenon).
Experiments can be carried out in different forms... Distinguish between mental and "natural" experiments, dividing the latter into laboratory and field. A thought experiment is a special technology for interpreting the information received about the object under study, which excludes the intervention of the researcher in the processes taking place in the object. Methodologically, the sociological experiment is based on the concept of social determinism. In the system of variables, the experimental factor is isolated, otherwise denoted by the independent variable.
The experimental study of social forms is carried out in the course of their functioning; therefore, it becomes possible to solve problems that are inaccessible for other methods. In particular, the experiment allows us to investigate how the connections of a social phenomenon with management can be combined. It allows you to study not only individual aspects of social phenomena, but the totality of social connections and relationships. Finally, the experiment allows you to study the entire set of reactions social subject to a change in the conditions of activity (a reaction expressed in a change in the results of an activity, its nature, relationships between people, in a change in their assessments, behavior, etc.). Those changes that are made in the course of the experiment can represent either the creation of fundamentally new social forms, or more or less significant modification of existing ones. In all cases, the experiment is a practical transformation of a certain area of control.
In general, the algorithmic nature of the quantitative method in a number of cases allows one to come to a high degree of "accurate" and well-grounded decisions, or at least, to simplify the problem by reducing it to the step-by-step finding of solutions to a certain set of simpler problems.
The end result of any sociological research is the definition and explanation of patterns and the construction on this basis of a scientific theory that allows predicting future phenomena and developing practical recommendations.
Issues for discussion
1. What is the method of sociology of management?
2. What is the specificity of the methods of sociology of management?
3. List the classifications of methods of sociology of management known to you?
4. What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative sociological research methods?
5. Define the essence of interviews, questionnaires, method of scaled evaluations, etc.
21 Klementyev D.S. Sociology of Management: Textbook. allowance. - 3rd ed., Rev. and add. - M .: Publishing house of Moscow State University, 2010. - P.124
22 Yadov V.A. Sociological research: Methodology, program, methods. - M., 1987 .-- S. 22-28.
23 Ilyin G.L. Sociology and Psychology of Management: tutorial for stud. higher. study. institutions / G.L. Ilyin. - 3rd ed., Erased. - M: Publishing Center "Academy", 2010. - P. 19.
Quantitative research is the main tool for obtaining the necessary information for planning and decision-making in the case when the necessary hypotheses about consumer behavior have already been formed. Methods of quantitative research are always based on clear mathematical and statistical models, which makes it possible, as a result, not to have opinions and assumptions, but to have exact quantitative (numerical) values of the studied indicators. Based on the results of quantitative research, you can calculate the required production volumes, profitability, form the price, product parameters, find unoccupied market niches and much more. The main merit of quantitative research is that it reduces the risk of making wrong decisions and choosing inaccurate planning parameters. The belief that everything is known about the market even without research often turns into insufficiently thought out and insufficiently effective actions on the market and resembles a trial and error method. Quantitative research is the most appropriate way to quantify:
Market capacity and structure of supply and demand;
Sales volumes of market operators;
Product development prospects;
The effectiveness of various activities of companies to support and promote the product;
The efficiency of the distribution network;
Consumer reactions to possible marketing actions of the manufacturer.
Quantitative research is so called because its purpose is to obtain quantitative, statistical information. Quantitative research includes: face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, home tests, hall tests.
A very commonly used method is - consumer survey ... The customer of such a study usually wants to get a snapshot of the preferences of regular customers, attitude towards a product, brand, store, etc. It is used to survey a large general population when it is necessary to obtain "objective" quantitative indicators and indices. The technique for collecting primary quantitative information is based on the respondent filling out a questionnaire, which contains a list of questions that reveal the essence of the problem under study. The most important thing here is competent drafting questionnaire. There are a lot of secrets - to hide the essence of the problem under study in the middle of the questionnaire, to formulate questions to which unambiguous answers should be given, etc.
Polls relate to quantitative methods of collecting primary information and provide information that is inaccessible to observation and does not find sufficient reflection in various secondary sources. For example, information about the motives, interests, tastes of people, the structure of their preferences, etc. Questions during surveys are regulated by a certain program. The degree of certainty of the survey program may vary. If the questions in each specific case are not asked in the same formulations and the survey takes the form of a free conversation, then such a survey is called an interview (survey-interview). If the questions are posed in a rigidly fixed form, the survey is called a survey (survey-survey). For the questionnaire, a special questionnaire form is developed, which contains questions and records the answers.
Exists certain rules preparation of questionnaires and the wording of the questions included in them. Regardless of the goals and objectives of the study, all questionnaires consist of three parts:
Introductions;
Questions characterizing the purpose and subject of the survey;
Information about the interviewee.
In the introduction, the purpose of the survey is formulated, the name of the organization conducting the survey is given and an appeal to the interviewee is contained.
The second part of the questionnaire contains questions that reveal the subject and essence of the survey. Questions are located in logical sequence and the most difficult questions it is recommended to place it in the middle or near the end of the questionnaire.
Personal questions regarding age, education, etc. are given at the end of the questionnaire.
The form of the question may ultimately also influence the answer you receive. Marketers usually distinguish two types of questions: closed and open. Closed question includes everything possible options answers, and the respondent simply chooses one of them. The answers to these questions are easier to analyze and generalize. By the number of answer options, such questions can be alternative type or multivariate
Characteristics of the types of questions
|
Question type |
Explanation |
|
|
Alternative Multivariate |
Two options for an answer Three or more answers |
Do you add bleach when washing? Have you heard the names the following brands of washing powder? Ariel? Tide? Myth? Sorti? Gloss? Lotus? Omo? Lanza? Tix? |
|
Unstructured Association caused by a word Completion of a sentence |
Unlimited answer options The words of the question are pronounced clearly and separately. Respondent pronounces aloud the first association caused by this question The respondent is asked to complete a phrase |
Please explain why you are buying this washing powder: ___ ___________________________________ What brand do you think of first when you hear the following? Washing powders Russian-made _____________ imported washing powders _______ When choosing a powder, the main purchase criterion is ___________ |
|
Semi-closed |
A question with several options and the ability to call "Others" in addition to the proposed |
What brands of powders do you know? Ariel? Tide? Myth? Sorti? Gloss? Lotus? Omo? Tix? Other? (Please specify) __________________________________ |
When conducting a survey, a group of respondents can be subjected to a single or multiple surveys. In the first case, the selected group is subjected to a single study in many parameters for a fixed point in time. Since, as a rule, when conducting these studies, samples of certain sizes are used, these studies are usually called sample surveys.
In the second case, the same group of respondents, called a panel, is studied repeatedly over a period of time. different types panels are used in many marketing research. In this case, it is often said that the panel survey method is used. Panel - a sample set of surveyed units subjected to repeated research, and the subject of research remains constant. Panel members can be individual consumers, their families, trade and industry organizations, experts and other observation units, the composition of which remains constant long time... The panel survey method has advantages over conventional one-time surveys: it makes it possible to compare the results of subsequent surveys with the results of previous ones and to establish trends and patterns of development of the phenomena under study; provides a higher representativeness of the sample in relation to the general population.
Hall-test
Testing is carried out in a special room, the answers of the respondents are recorded in the questionnaire. Potential consumers are invited to the "hall" - a room equipped for samples of goods and viewing advertisements, where they are given the opportunity to explain the reason for their choice. After analyzing the answers, working group determines the selection criteria, frequency and volume of consumption of brands of the studied product group.
Evaluation (one product) and comparative (several similar products).
The minimum sample size is 125 respondents. Hall-test is used to assess the consumer properties of a new product: taste, design, name, etc. (for this testing, the use of a long time period is not assumed), as well as for fixing sensitivity to price and assessing the probability of buying. It is also used when testing advertising products (audio, video, advertising module): recognition of the advertising message, memorability, reliability, persuasiveness, understanding of the primary and secondary advertising idea, slogan, etc.
Home-test
It is used when it is necessary to test the product for a long time (over several days). Testing is done at home. Each participant in the home test is invited to test at home (for several days, depending on the type of product) an impersonal product or group of products. The test results characterizing the respondent's attitude to the tested product are recorded in the questionnaire.
There are the following types of testing:
- "blind" (no product brand) and open testing;
Evaluation (one product) and comparative (several similar products).
It is possible to combine the two types (one group of respondents tests a product with a label, the other without).
The home-test method is used to solve problems of positioning a new product belonging to a specific product group, it allows you to identify the disadvantages and advantages of a product in comparison with analogues from other manufacturers, to determine the optimal price of a product, name and other characteristics. The advantage of the home test is that the products are tested under the same conditions in which they are used in real life... Home tests allow the manufacturer to avoid mistakes even before the product is launched on the market, since modeling real consumption makes it possible to determine the market potential of a new product, to offer an effective sales and advertising program.
The minimum sample size is 125 respondents, the final sample size is determined by the task of the study, as well as the share of the studied category of the population in the HS (general population). The main criteria for the formation of the target sample are the frequency and volume of consumption of the commodity group to which the tested product belongs.
Personal interview (face-to-face)
Two types of personal interviews can be distinguished: the first type refers to quantitative research, carried out on the basis of a compiled questionnaire, the second type is an in-depth interview conducted according to a free plan that allows for operational correction. These methods differ not only in the nature of the information received (quantitative, qualitative), but also in the size of the sample (in an in-depth interview, the number of respondents can be 20 people, while for the quantitative method the minimum sample size is 100 people).
The advantages of the method:
Allows you to conduct surveys among a narrow or hard-to-reach target group;
Allows you to conduct consumer research directly at the points of sale of the investigated product;
The survey of the respondent takes place in a personal conversation, which presupposes a high degree of confidentiality; it allows the duration of the interview to be 20-30 minutes;
The investigated subject is revealed more fully.
The disadvantage of this method is that, with a large sample size, it requires significant time and (or) financial costs (in comparison with a telephone survey);
There is an influence of the interviewer on the respondents;
A large team of qualified interviewers is required;
It is quite difficult to ensure the proper level of control over the work of interviewers.
The conditions for selecting respondents (place of survey, socio-demographic parameters of the sample) are negotiated with the Customer. The relative high cost of using the method is compensated by the quality of the information received.
Telephone survey
Physical or legal entities is made on the basis of a compiled questionnaire. To select respondents, a database is used phone numbers individuals and legal entities subject to special computer processing depending on the size and nature of the sample.
The advantages of the method:
Allows you to conduct surveys for a large sample;
Efficiency;
Compared to other methods, it does not require significant financial costs.
Disadvantages of the method:
There is a time limit - the interview should not last more than 15 minutes;
The method does not make it possible to accompany the survey with visual information.
This method used when needed fast receipt information. In addition, it is often used in the case of a strong geographic fragmentation of research objects. It is an economical way of contacting people, reducing travel and time costs.
After determining the objectives of the study, the method of its conduct is determined, in accordance with which the methods of data collection are selected. They can be divided into two categories: quantitative research and qualitative research.
Quantitative research involve obtaining clear structured data that can be assigned some numerical characteristics (for example, the percentage of smokers who prefer light cigarettes). Usually quantitative research is carried out in the form of various surveys based on the use of structured closed-ended questions. The peculiarities of quantitative research include a clearly defined format of the collected data and the sources of their receipt.In the analysis of such data, mainly methods of mathematical statistics are used.
Qualitative research involves collecting, analyzing and interpreting data obtained by observing what people do and say. V in this case observation also means in-depth interviews or focus groups, methods that allow the researcher to better understand what a person is feeling and experiencing. Observations are of a qualitative nature and are carried out in a fairly free, non-standardized form. The results of qualitative research can be used as an introduction to the problem under study (for example, when conducting exploratory research), as a means and source of ideas for improving the product, for a better understanding of consumers' needs and their problems.
For example, in the course of a focus group, the shortcomings of the product under study and ways to eliminate them are identified. Further, a quantitative study can be carried out to identify the degree of consumer dissatisfaction, the importance of the qualities of the product, in which deficiencies were found. The results of a qualitative study can be translated into quantitative form, but only after additional analysis. So the opinions of respondents about the product can be expressed in the very different form, but they can be divided into three categories: negative, neutral, positive.
The methods used in conducting high-quality marketing research include the following: in-depth interviews, focus group method, observation, projection methods. Qualitative research accounts for approximately 10% of all European marketing research costs, of which 60% of the costs are for group discussions, 30%? for in-depth interviews and 10% for other quality methods.
In-depth interview is a survey conducted by a qualified interviewer among a relatively small number of respondents, which has an unstructured nature and consists of open-ended questions. The interviewer asks the respondent to express in their own words their attitude to the problem under discussion, while asking questions such as "Why do you think so?", "What prompted you to do this?" At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to the speech and emotional design of the respondents' answers. Difficulties in analyzing the results of in-depth interviews are usually expressed in problems related to general view the resulting picture. To do this, you can, for example, divide the respondents' answers into groups, identifying some common features in accordance with the object under study, in order to then highlight some types consumer behavior.
The purpose of an in-depth interview is, as a rule, to reveal the hidden characteristics of the object under study (features and causes of consumer behavior, attitude to the product), which are difficult or impossible to identify with the help of quantitative research, as well as to get more familiar with the subject of research. So the results of the in-depth interview conducted can then be used in the preparation of the quantitative research questionnaire. For example, in the course of in-depth interviews, some characteristics of the product were identified. Then, using quantitative methods, you can rank them in order to determine the most important characteristics goods.
Focus group method is a group interview to which various representatives are invited target audience... At the same time, the presenter (moderator) tries to give the meeting the form of a discussion taking place within the framework of a certain topic in order to fully reveal and understand the processes taking place in the respondent's head.
There are several main purposes of using this method:
- 1. Generation of ideas. For example, invite housewives to participate in a focus group to identify the main disadvantages of laundry detergent, and possible ways their elimination;
- 2. Studying the spoken vocabulary of consumers in order, for example, when conducting advertising campaign choose the style of messages that is closest to the target group;
- 3. Familiarization with the needs of consumers, their perception, motives and their attitude to the product under study, its brand, methods of its promotion, which is very important in determining the objectives of the study;
- 4. Better understanding of data from quantitative research.
Typically, focus group work is recorded using audio and video equipment.
The advantages of this method include the ability to better understand, "feel" the target audience, to reveal hidden patterns of behavior, which is practically impossible in a quantitative study. But disadvantages are closely related to the advantages. The information obtained during the focus group is highly subjective. The data obtained strongly depend on the characteristics of the respondents, which cannot be ignored due to the limited number of respondents, as in a quantitative study.
As a result, the importance of the professionalism of the moderator, his ability to manage the audience in the interests of research, to adapt to each respondent in order to help him to reveal himself to the fullest, grows. Work is influenced by both cultural and psychological characteristics each respondent. The focus group leader must be someone "active observer"... On the one hand, he should interfere as little as possible in the course of the respondents' reasoning, influence their opinion. On the other hand, the presenter must keep the topics of discussion within the framework of the issue under study, otherwise the reasoning that began with a discussion of the properties of the product risks ending with complaints about the state and life in general.
The optimal size for a focus group is between 8-12 people. With a smaller number of participants, the necessary dynamics for productive work is not created. And when the number of a group exceeds 12 people, it is difficult to manage it, to start productive discussions, the group can be divided into subgroups, in which conversations can be conducted on abstract topics that are not related to the subject of the meeting.
Another problem with focus groups is that, as a rule, the most active members of society take part in it, who may differ greatly in terms of the studied characteristics from the bulk of people.
Observations v marketing research are a method of collecting primary information about the object under study by observing selected groups of people, actions and situations. At the same time, the researcher directly perceives and registers all factors related to the studied object and significant from the point of view of the research objectives.
Observation can be classified as direct and indirect, overt and covert, structured and unstructured, human and mechanical.
Direct observation presupposes direct observation behavior of people, for example, observing shop assistants serving customers. Not direct observation is not the observation of the actions of people, but of the results of these actions. This can be the study of archival documents, other sources of secondary information.
Open observation assumes that the people being studied know that they are being watched. In this case, the presence of an observer can distort people's behavior, make it less natural. Covert surveillance - This is observation, when a person does not assume that he is being watched.
When conducting structured observation the researcher determines in advance what he will observe and register, and all other types of behavior are ignored. Structured observation is commonly used to test and refine the results of other studies and to test hypotheses. Doing such research presupposes a very good prior knowledge of the subject.
When conducting unstructured observation the observer records all observed behaviors. Such observations are often used in exploration studies.
Observations can be carried out both by people and by special devices. Thus, when examining the frequency of viewing television programs, televisions of respondents are supplied with special devices that record the time of viewing a particular program. Mechanical means of observation are more accurate and objective, but on the other hand, and more expensive.
Objectives of observation can be: obtaining information for the construction of hypotheses; verification of data obtained by other methods; obtaining additional information about the studied object. Observations are usually carried out in conjunction with other research methods. But sometimes observation is the only way to get information.
One of the methods of qualitative research is the projection method. It “… is based on identifying projections in experimental data with subsequent interpretation. The projection method is characterized by the creation of an experimental situation that allows for a plurality of possible interpretations when perceived by the subjects. Behind each such interpretation looms unique system personal meanings and features of the cognitive style of the subject ”(Psychological Dictionary, 1990). Unlike in-depth interviews, the use of projection methods makes it possible to reveal the motives of an individual's behavior that are not realized by him and hidden from his consciousness with the help of the so-called “ psychological protection". To the factors that induce the consumer to unknowingly hide their true attitude to the goods, the following can be attributed:
- 1. Cultural traditions;
- 2. Material inability to purchase a product is sometimes the reason for a negative attitude towards the product;
- 3. Attitude towards the country of origin of the goods;
- 4. The presence of unconscious motives of behavior.
Projection studies can be divided into several types:
- 1. To complete the assignment. Examples of such techniques can be unfinished sentences, drawings that the respondent are asked to complete, brand-mapping, when the respondent is asked to group brands of goods according to some characteristic or to arrange them in a coordinate system.
- 2. Construction methods. The respondents are asked to create (verbally or non-verbally) something. Among the techniques related to this type:
- 1. Modified Thematic Apperception Test(TAT), created by psychologist Murray. The respondents are shown pictures depicting a situation (for example, a purchase situation), and are asked to talk about what the characters of this picture think and feel, as well as what happened to them before the situation depicted in the picture, and after. The method allows you to study the deep motives of consumer behavior in a given situation.
- 2. Projective questions ... The question starts with a certain statement, supposedly made by other people. Next, the respondents are asked to explain the reasons that led the person to express such a point of view, and to express their point of view.
- 3. Expressive methods. The focus of this type of methodology is the emotional perception by consumers of the brand, product, product category, etc. The data obtained using these methods allows us to understand not only the attitude of consumers, but also the images that in the minds of consumers are associated with this brand, product or product category. These techniques are especially useful in the study of such products, the result of which is largely invented by consumers (for example, shampoo, perfumes, analgesics), since it is difficult for respondents to describe this result from a rational point of view.
- 4. Ranging.
- 5. Associative methods. The procedure consists in the fact that respondents are asked to give associations to a certain stimulus: a word, phrase, color, picture, object, musical passage, determined in accordance with the objectives of the study. The subject's associations can be both free and limited by instructions (for example, you can ask the subject to name only the names of firms known to him as associations; present the subject with a set from which he must choose associations - these can be cards with slogans, or products of firms competitors, or variants of developed advertising products - in this case, the fixed result may be a number previously assigned to an element of the set - a card, a product, etc.). After the study of a group of subjects (or groups, if comparative studies are needed), the results are processed to identify the most frequent associations in the group to a particular stimulus. In this case, the frequency of the connection between the stimulus and the association will be the result of testing.
It is advisable to use associative research when planning an advertising campaign, developing commercials, slogans, and selecting actors.
Now the competition in the world has reached such a level that the products produced by different companies for homogeneous market segments have similar characteristics. There are practically no differences in the technologies used for the production of goods. Therefore, competition is now being transferred from the objective area to the subjective one, to which all those preferences and associations associated with various brands and products can be attributed to the consumer. Of course, in Russia, the problem of the quality of goods is still for a long time will remain relevant, however, according to researchers, the Russian buyer is distinguished by a tendency to sacralize things, that is, to give them spiritual content, which makes necessary work with subjective images.
Survey. Quantitative research is carried out through a survey. A survey is a method of collecting primary information by asking a certain group of people a set of questions about their attitude to goods, brands, characteristics of their behavior, etc. The survey can be structured and unstructured.
In a structured survey, all respondents answer the same questions. And when conducting an unstructured survey, the interviewer asks questions depending on how the respondent answered the previous one.
Also, there is a transverse and longitudinal study. In the first case, a selected group of respondents is subjected to a single survey in order to identify the properties of the studied population of people at a specific point in time. Such surveys are called selective. In the second case, the same group is interviewed several times during a certain period of time. In this case, the so-called. panel survey method.
The survey methods are characterized by:
- 1. High level standardization. The answers to the questions asked are formulated in advance, which greatly facilitates the analysis of the collected data and allows the use of methods of mathematical statistics.
- 2. Surveys make it possible, when analyzing the results, to single out clusters (by demographic, geographic and other characteristics) and thereby segment the studied general population.
There are four ways to communicate with the audience when conducting a survey: mail, telephone, personal contact and the Internet.
Mailing out questionnaires by mail is usually used to collect relatively large volumes information at low cost per respondent. It is advisable to use mail if there are personal questions in the questionnaire, to which people are usually hesitant to answer in the presence of the interviewer. Also, with this method, there is no impact on the respondent. However, considering the disadvantages of postal surveys, it can be noted that postal questionnaires are not flexible enough: the questions must be extremely clear and understandable, it is impossible to use unstructured questionnaires. The level of reaction is also very low (the percentage of people who returned the completed questionnaire). Plus, postal polls are time consuming.
Telephone interviews are a more flexible survey method - unstructured questionnaires are possible. The telephone method of polling allows for better control over the sample. The time spent is significantly reduced compared to postal polling. However, the cost of the survey increases, and the influence of the interviewer on the respondent is inevitable.
Individual interview is the most common survey method. It can be carried out at points of sale, at the respondent's home, on the street, in the office. This method has considerable flexibility - the interviewer can explain incomprehensible questions to the interviewee using an unstructured form of the questionnaire. Also, the interviewer can offer copies of goods, packaging, promotional materials... Disadvantages of face-to-face interview: high cost, high degree subjectivity of interpretation of answers is a strong influence exerted by the interviewer on the respondent.
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research? In simple terms, quantitative research generates numeric data that can be converted to numbers. Qualitative research produces non-numerical data.
Quantitative research collects and analyzes only measurable data.
Qualitative research focuses on collecting mostly verbal data rather than measurements. The information gathered is analyzed in an interpretive, subjective, impressionistic, or even diagnostic manner.
1. Purpose of the study
The primary goal of qualitative research is to provide complete, detailed description research topics. It is usually more sophisticated in nature.
Quantitative research, on the other hand, focuses more on counting and classifying features, and building statistical models and numbers to explain what is observed.
2. Usage
Qualitative research is ideal for the earlier phases of research work, and quantitative research is recommended for the latter part of the research. The latter, in comparison with the qualitative one, gives the researcher a clearer picture of what to expect in the course of the study.
3. Tools for collecting data
In quantitative research, the researcher acts as a primary data collection tool. Here, the researcher uses different strategies for collecting data, depending on the thrust or research approach. Examples of data collection strategies used in qualitative research are in-person in-depth interviews, structured and unstructured interviews, focus groups, story, content or document analysis, participatory observation, and archival research.
On the other hand, quantitative research uses tools such as questionnaires, surveys, measurements, and other techniques to accumulate numerical or measurable data.
4. Data type
The presentation of data in qualitative research is in the form of words (interviews) and images (videos) or objects (artifacts). In qualitative research, numbers are more likely to appear as graphs. But in quantitative research, data are often presented in tables containing cisla and statistics.
5. Approach
Qualitative research is primarily subjective in its approach as it seeks to understand human behavior and the reasons that underlie this behavior. Scientists tend to subjectively immerse themselves in content in this type of research.
In quantitative research, scientists tend to distance themselves objectively from the topic. That is why quantitative research is objective in its approach in the sense that it only seeks precise measurements and analysis of target concepts to answer the question.
Determining the method to be used
The controversy continues to this day as to why one method is better than the other. The reason why there is still no exact answer is that any method has pros and cons that vary depending on the topic of discussion.
If research seeks to answer a question through numerical evidence, then quantitative research should be used.
However, if it is necessary to clarify why exactly this happened, or why a specific phenomenon occurs, it is necessary to use qualitative research.
Some studies combine both types, allowing them to complement each other. For example, if you need to find out what behavior of a person dominates in connection with a certain object or event, and at the same time the goal is to find out why this is the case, then it would be ideal to use both methods.
