Page 26 - DMGT506_CONSUMER_BEHAVIOUR

Unit 2: Consumer Research

2. Experimentation: In experimental studies, the researcher can test the relative sales appeals Notes
for package designs, prices, promotional offers and copy themes etc. by designing suitable
experiments to identify cause and effect. In such studies, called causal research, only one
independent variable is manipulated at a time and others remain constant. This ensures
that any difference in dependent variable (results) is because of changes of independent
variables such as consumers’ attitudes or purchase behaviour and not due to the influence
of any extraneous factors.

Example: To determine whether the size of a magazine ad affects readers’
attention, the size of the ad might be changed, keeping other variables such as message or
appeal and the colour of the ads constant so that they would not influence the results.
3. Survey: In a survey for data collection, consumers are aware of the fact that they are being
studied and participate actively. A survey can be conducted by personal interview, by
mail, or by telephone. Various kinds of surveys are:
(a) Personal interview survey: This is a direct face-to-face interaction between interviewer
and the respondent in home or in a retail shopping area (called mall intercept). A
large amount of relatively accurate information can be obtained by this approach. A
major advantage of this approach is the flexibility. The interviewer can modify the
questions as per the situation and can also provide any clarifications to the respondent
if necessary. The drawback is its high cost.
(b) Mail surveys: These are conducted by sending questionnaires directly to individuals
who complete it at their leisure and return it, usually in a postage paid envelope.
Mail surveys can largely reduce respondents’ reluctance to reveal sensitive
information because they are seldom asked to identify themselves. The cost per
respondent of mail survey is low and widely dispersed consumers can be covered,
generating large amount of data. On the negative side, mail surveys can result in
small number of responses because many consumers do not return the completed
questionnaires.
(c) Telephone surveys: These also provide interviewer-respondent interaction, though
not face-to-face and can be a useful alternative to personal interview. The method is
quicker and far less expensive than personal interviews. Telephone surveys work
well when the objective is to learn about certain behaviour at the time of the
interview, such as before or after viewing a TV programme. Telephone surveys
generally generate higher response rate than mail or personal interview. The
information collected during each interview is limited because of the difficulty of
keeping respondents interested and on phone for extended period. Also, it is not
possible to determine the intensity of respondents’ feelings on telephone.

Notes Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Qualitative research Quantitative research
Main techniques used for Focus groups and in-depth Surveys and scientific
data collection interviews. sampling.
Kinds of questions asked Why? Through what How much? How many?
thought process? In what
way? What other behaviour
or thoughts?
Contd....
Interviewer’s role Interviewer must think Critical role important, but
critically and quickly frame interviewers need only be
questions and probes in able to read scripts. They
response to whatever should not improvise or
respondents say. deviate. Little 21
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Questions asked Position of questions may No variation. Must be the
vary in sequence and same question for each
phrasing from group to interview. Sequence and
group and in different phrasing of questions must
interviews. New questions be carefully controlled.
are included and old ones
dropped.
Number of interviews Fewer interviews but the Many interviews to
duration of each interview ascertain a scientific sample
is more that is worth projecting.
Nature of findings Develop a hypothesis, gain Test hypothesis, arrange
insight, explore language factors according to priority,
options, refine concepts, furnish data for
add numerical data, provide mathematical modeling and
diagnostics for advertising projections.
copy.