1. Research Methods 29/10/2012
Boe Dube
29/10/1980

2. Complete last weeks task interviews

3. Secondary and Primary Data Collection
Published information available from other sources that has already been gathered. This information is relevant to the problem at hand. Either internal or external to an organisation
Primary:
Data collected for the first time, by a method other than secondary research, to answer specific questions. Primary data comes from the researcher for the purpose of the specific purpose it hand.

4. Group Task 1
In groups identify the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary and primary research.
Be prepared to report you findings to the group.

5. Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Research
Inexpensive
Easily accessible
Immediately available
Will provide essential background and help to clarify or refine research problem – essential for literature review
Secondary data sources will provide research method alternatives.
Will also alert the researcher to any potential difficulties.

6. Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Research
Frequently outdated – e.g. census data
Potentially unreliable – not always sure where information has come from
May not be applicable – may not totally answer your research questions
Lack of availability – i.e. no data available or very difficult to obtain

7. Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Research
Applicable and usable – if done right
Accurate and reliable – can answer your direct research questions
Up-to-date – as you have collected the data

8. Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Research
Expensive
Not immediately available – takes time to define problem, sampling frame, method and analysis.
Not as readily accessible

9. Primary Research Methods & Techniques
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data
Surveys
Personal interview (intercepts)
Mail
In-house, self-administered
Telephone, fax, , Web
Experiments
Focus groups
Individual depth
interviews
Mechanical
observation
Human
observation
Simulation
Case studies

10. Primary Research Methods
Experimental (e.g. test marketing)
Observational (human and mechanical)
Survey (mail, telephone, personal interview, in- house self-administered, online)
Focus groups (groups of 8 to 12 people with moderator trying to reach a consensus of opinions)

11. Group Task 2
Make a list of the advantages & disadvantages of the following research methods as applied to the leisure/travel and tourism sectors:
Personal Interviews
Mail Surveys
Telephone Surveys
In-House, Self-Administered Surveys
Online Surveys
Focus groups

12. Personal Interviews (including focus groups)
Advantages
High response rate
Great flexibility (ability to adapt/explain questions)
Can show or demonstrate items
Fuller explanations can be given
Very timely data
Body language can emphasize responses

13. Personal Interviews Disadvantages Relatively expensive
Possibility of interviewer and interviewee bias
Personal nature of questions (e.g., age or income)
Respondents not relaxed (put on the spot)
Time may not be convenient for respondents

14. Mail Surveys Advantages Relatively inexpensive No interviewer bias
Consistent questions (for all respondents)
Large number of respondents can be included
Anonymity
Respondents can choose the most convenient time to answer

15. Mail Surveys Disadvantages
Low response rates (relative to other survey types)
Junk mail syndrome
Impersonal nature

16. Telephone Surveys Advantages More flexibility compared to mail surveys
Quicker but will cost you some money (telephone bill)
High response rates
Disadvantages
Interviews tend to be a lot shorter
More obtrusive than mail
Greater difficulties in rapport building - Researchers cannot study behaviour or body language
Long-distance calls are expensive

17. In-House, Self-Administered Surveys
Advantages
Completed on-sight by customers within the premises of a leisure and travel organisation
Convenient
Disadvantages
Generate low response rates

18. Online Surveys Advantages Relative speed and flexibility
Large and growing audience
Relatively inexpensive
Uses graphics and visual aids
Disadvantages
Technical skills and time required to develop and analyse questionnaires
May deter visitors from your website.

19. Sources of Secondary Research Information for Leisure and Travel External
Library – books, journals, newspapers, CD-roms, directories.
Internet – on-line computer searches e.g. Data bases, periodicals (Emerald) and newsletters, demographic data (GIS). (URLs and Search engines)
Trade associations and societies (also available on internet).
Census – also government data on internet
Published company accounts

20. Sources of Secondary Research Information for Leisure and Travel Internal
Sales invoices – e.g. memberships or flights sold
Usage figures – e.g. leisure centre
Personnel records – e.g. staff turnover
Sales people – e.g. expense accounts, call reports

21. Task 3 – Collecting Secondary Data/Information
In groups investigate the steps you would need to follow when designing a research proposal

22. Preparing a Research Proposal
The Research Problem
Purpose of the research project
Data sources and methodology
Time, personnel and costs
Page 77 Churchill

23. The Research Problem It is crucial to give a clear definition
It is useful to identify its specific components
How to define the problem
Discussion with the decision maker (final user)
Interview with experts in the topic
Secondary analysis
Qualitative research (e.g. Focus Groups)

24. Objectives : the research questions
They are detailed statements of the specific components of the problem
Research questions depend on:
Problem definition
Theoretical framework
Analytical model adopted
For conclusive research, it is very helpful to reach a further detail and formulate hypotheses, i.e. unproven statements about a factor or a phenomenon of interest

25. Data sources Explore available secondary data sources
Primary data collection
Exploratory research
Qualitative research
Survey plan
Identification of the reference population
Definition of the research questions
Choice of sampling criteria
Definition of the estimation methodology for making inference on the surveyed parameters
Choice of sample size
Choice of the data-collection method (method of administration)
Questionnaire design
Costs evaluation

26. Methodology of analysis
Data preparation & coding
Cleaning and consistency checks
Select a data analysis strategy
Statistical techniques
Univariate techniques
Multivariate techniques