Page 177 - DMGT209_QUANTITATIVE_TECHNIQUES_II

Quantitative Techniques-II

Notes Q Sort Scaling

When there are very large number of characteristics to be rated, it becomes very difficult for the
respondent to rank order. To deal with this, Q-Sort scaling procedure is used. In this technique,
respondents are used to sort out the various characteristics into convenient groups. Therefore,
large number of groups is used in this method. This will increase the reliability of the results.
Suppose respondents are given say 100 statements. They are asked to place them in eleven piles,
ranging from “most highly agree” to “least highly agree”.

!

Caution The ideal number of this type of scaling should be between sixty and ninety.
The number of statements/objects placed in each pile is pre specified so that roughly normal
distribution of object is obtained.

Non-comparative Scales

Likert Scale

It is known as summated rating scale. This consists of a series of statements concerning an
attitude object. Each statement has ‘5 points’, Agree and Disagree on the scale. They are also
called summated scales, because scores of individual items are summated to produce a total
score for the respondent. The Likert Scale consists of two parts – item part and evaluation part.
Item part is usually a statement about a certain product, event or attitude. Evaluation part is a list
of responses like “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. The five point-scale is used here. The
numbers like +2, +1, 0, –1, –2 are used. The Likert Scale must contain an equal number of
favourable and unfavourable statements, Now, let us see with an example how the attitude of a
customer is measured with respect to a shopping mall.

Table 9.1 Evaluation of Globus—The Super Market by Respondent

Neither
Sl. Strongly Strongly
No. Likert scale items disagree Disagree agree nor Agree agree
disagree
1 Salesmen at the shopping - - - - -
mall are courteous
2 Shopping mall does not have - - - - -
enough parking space
3 Prices of items are - - - - -
reasonable.
4 Mall has wide range of - - - - -
products to choose
5 Mall operating hours are - - - - -
inconvenient
6 The arrangement of items in - - - - -
the mall is confusing

The respondents’ overall attitude is measured by summing up his (her) numerical rating on the
statement making up the scale. Since some statements are favourable and others unfavourable,
it is the one important task to be done before summing up the ratings. In other words, “strongly
agree” category attached to favourable statement and “strongly disagree” category attached to

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