Page 32 - DMGT209_QUANTITATIVE_TECHNIQUES_II

Unit 2: Introduction to Research

Notes
Example: A simple example will highlight how a scientific method works.
Let us assume that a researcher is conducting a market research for a client manufacturing
men's apparel.
1. Observation: The researcher observes that some of the competitors are doing brisk
business. The increase on sales of apparel is mainly due to round or turtleneck shirt
and narrow bottom pants.
2. Formulation of Hypothesis: The researcher now presumes that the products of his clients
are somewhat similar and the variation in shirt and pant variety as above is the
main cause for an increase in the sales of his competitors.

3. Future Prediction: It is predicted that if his client introduces similar products, the
sales will increase.
4. Hypothesis Testing: The client now produces round-neck shirts and narrow bottom
pants for test marketing.

2.7.1 Characteristics of Scientific Method

(a) Validity
(b) Reliability.
Validity is the ability of a measuring instrument to measure what it is supposed to.
A questionnaire is administered to determine the attitudes of the respondent towards a movie.
As long as the questionnaire serves this purpose, we say that the instrument is valid.
In physical sciences, the instruments used such as barometer, thermometer or foot ruler which
measures what they are meant to do. Also, the measurement can be repeated any number of
times by different individuals, but the result will be the same.

2.7.2 Why MR cannot be considered Scientific

In Marketing Research, the instrument used is a questionnaire. There are five main problems
faced by researcher regarding validity and reliability:

1. Different respondents interpret the same question in different manner. So the reply of the
respondents will be different.
2. It is difficult to ascertain whether the sample is a representative of the population or not.

3. The same questionnaire administered by different interviewers will yield different results.
4. The measuring instrument, namely the questionnaire may not state clearly what is being
measured.

5. Lab experiments are held under controlled conditions, such as temperature, humidity etc.
In marketing research, it is not possible to control external factors surrounding the study.

Example: The respondent is interviewed on a specific subject. After 60 days, the
respondent is interviewed again reply could be very different from what he said earlier. This
may happen because he gathered additional information, or had discussed the subject with
others during this period.

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