Quantitative methods preview conducting of various surveys among large sample - big number of respondents. Main goal behind quantitative research is to get numerical evaluation of the market and/or respondents reactions.
Quantitative methods
- Understanding WHAT, WHEN
- Large, randomized sample
- Highly structured questioning
- Emphasis on measuring concrete tangibles
- Validating hypotheses
- Creates concrete learning: scales, models, matrices
- The measure and explanation - The strength and security of number.
- The hypothetical-deductive method.
- The extension, the quantity.
- Description.
- To denote (indicative).
- Static, Standardized - “Hard” approach.
- Quality indicators:
- Validity (internal, external).
- Generalizability.
- Reliability
- Objectivity
Research focus
- The social facts.
- The society, the market.
- The structures.
- Conscious and pre-conscious levels of mind
In-home interviews
Questioning, conducted in very comfortable for respondent conditions. This type of interview is used mainly in those situations, when we study consumption (cooking, storage) of brands/products in a natural environments.
Out-of-home interviews
This type of questioning suits for express measurements of quantitative indices in the frameworks of a certain sector
An interview at POS
This method is used to study purchase behaviour, mechanisms of decision making as regards purchase. An interview is conducted right in POS, near the shelf with researched category of products.
Hall-tests
Method used to study perception of product characteristics and attributes (brand name, package etc). At first, tested materials are demonstrated to respondents, then the respondents are interviewed by a special, standard questionnaire.
CAPI
Questionnaires have complex logics (structure): i.e price research, multi-level tests. This method can significantly save time of the research.
CATI
The most money saving method of data collection. A respondent is interviewed by telephone. Duration of an interview is limited to 10 minutes
Consumer dairies
Method of quantitative data collection, when respondents fix information in a specially developed diary, which is then coded and analyzed.
Qualitative Researches methods are focused not on statistic measurements, but on understanding, explanation of empiric data, which are the source of hypothesis and ideas creation. The task of these methods – obtaining of data exploration, but not a quantitative opinions allocation. By other words, it answers questions «what», «why» and “how », but not “how many”.
Qualitative methods
- Understanding WHY, HOW
- Small, focused sample
- Unstructured questioning
- Emphasis on probing intangibles
- Forming hypotheses
- Exposes deep insights, motivations, psychology
Specialty
- Connotation, the comprehension.
- Inductive method, intuition.
- Deepness, intensity, density, reflection.
- Flexible, open to all distinguish - “soft” approach.
- Quality indicators:
- Trustworthiness.
- Credibility.
- Transferability.
- Confirm ability.
Research focus
- The individual, the consumer.
- Unconscious level of mind
- The processes.
- The social phenomena.
Ethnographic research
Life-style consumer researches, in everyday life circumstances. Researcher deeply involved in target audience investigation (individuality, family or organization), take part in their everyday tasks.
- Observations (shop-a-longs (accompanied shopping), working places visits, observations over product usage…) – researchers accompany a buyer during certain period of time in order to study his/her lifestyle, process of choice of brands, products, purchase and consumer behaviour
Creative groups
Discussion sessions, where creative respondents are searching new ideas, product solutions etc.
Conflict groups
Group discussions, focused on consumer’s stereotypes destroying, insight and new ideas searching by special conversation tactics.
Peer groups
Groups, hold at respondents home, in natural environment with purpose to investigate product storage and using, and to find consumers insights (cooking observation etc).
In-depth interviews
Free style interview with deep studding of some topic. Free style discussion gives possibility to obtain the most full information about person behavior, his deep consumers motivation.
Focus-groups
Groups discussions focused on some topic, hold by leader (moderator). Discussion means searching of deep aspects of behavior, investigation of needs, hypothesis generation.
Dairies analyzing
Analysis of diaries and consumers’ essay – in-depth study of lifestyle and motivations, creation of psychographic profiles of TA