1. Chapter Five Exploratory Research Design: Qualitative Research
Like secondary data analysis, qualitative research is a major methodology used in exploratory research. Researcher use qualitative research to define the problem or develop an approach, developing hypotheses and identifying variables.

2. Chapter Outline
Research data: Secondary and primary
Primary Data: Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research
A Classification of Qualitative Research procedures
Focus groups
Depth interviews
Projective techniques
Summary
Questions for revisions

3. A Classification of Marketing Research Data
Survey Data
Observational and Other Data
Experimental Data
Qualitative Data
Quantitative Data
Descriptive
Causal
Marketing Research Data
Secondary Data
Primary Data
Other data: such as panels

4. Primary Data: Qualitative and Quantitative
Qualitative research: an unstructured, exploratory research methodology based on small samples intended to provide understanding of research problem.
Quantitative research: seeks to quantify the data, and applies some form of statistical analysis.
When doing a new marketing research, quantitative research must be preceded by appropriate qualitative research. (qualitative before quantitative)
Sometimes qualitative research is undertaken to explain the findings obtained form quantitative research. (qualitative after quantitative)
Unstructured data (or unstructured information) refers to information that either does not have a pre-defined data model or is not organized in a pre-defined manner. Unstructured information is typically text-heavy, but may contain data such as dates, numbers, and facts as well. This results in irregularities and ambiguities that make it difficult to understand using traditional programs as compared to data stored in fielded form in databases orannotated (semantically tagged) in documents.
The fundamental difference between structured data and unstructured data, as you might expect, is that structured data is organized in a highly mechanized and manageable way.  Structured data is ready for seamless integration into a database or well structured file format such as XML.  Unstructured data, by contrast, is raw and unorganized.  Digging through unstructured data can be cumbersome and costly.   is a good example of unstructured data. It's indexed by date, time, sender, recipient, and subject, but the body of an remains unstructured.  Other examples of unstructured data include books, documents, medical records, and social media posts.

5. Qualitative Vs. Quantitative Research
Qualitative Research
To gain a qualitative understanding of the underlying reasons and motivations
Small number of non-representative cases
Unstructured
Non-statistical
Develop an initial understanding
Objective
Sample
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Outcome
Quantitative Research
To quantify the data and generalize the results from the sample to the population of interest
Large number of representative cases
Structured
Statistical
Recommend a final course of action

6. A Classification of Qualitative Research Procedures
Association Techniques
Completion Techniques
Construction Techniques
Expressive Techniques
Direct
(Non- disguised)
Indirect (Disguised)
Focus Groups
Depth Interviews
Projective Techniques
Qualitative Research
Procedures
Picture
response
Cartoon
tests
Role
playing
Third person
Like secondary data analysis, qualitative research is a major methodology used in exploratory research. Researcher use qualitative research to define the problem or develop an approach, developing hypotheses and identifying variables.

7. Focus Groups
Focus Group: an interview conducted by a trained moderator among a small group of respondents in a non-structured and natural manner.
In focus group, a moderator leads the discussion.
The main purpose of focus groups is to gain insights by listening to a group of people from the appropriate target market talk about issues related to the research problem.
The methodological applications include:
defining the problem more precisely
Developing an approach to the problem
Obtaining information help in structuring consumer questionnaires
Generating hypotheses that can be tested quantitatively
Interpreting previously obtained quantitative results.
Focus groups could be done online

8. Characteristics of Focus Groups
Group Size
Group Composition Homogeneous, respondents prescreened
Physical Setting Relaxed, informal atmosphere
Time Duration hours
Recording Audio/video recording
Moderator Observational, interpersonal, and communication skills of the moderator
Homogeneous: in terms of demographics and socioeconomic charachteristics

9. Viewing room looking into the focus group room through one-way mirror
Moderator
respondents
Viewing room looking into the focus group room through one-way mirror

10. Viewing room looking into the focus group room
through one-way mirror
Source:

11. Procedure for Planning and Conducting Focus Groups
Determine the Objectives and Define the Problem
Specify the Objectives of Qualitative Research
Develop a Moderator’s Outline
Conduct the Focus Group Interviews
Review recordings and Analyze the Data
Summarize the Findings and Plan Follow-Up Research or Action
State the Objectives/Questions to be Answered by Focus Groups
Write a Screening Questionnaire

12. Depth Interviews Depth Interview
an unstructured, direct, personal interview in which a single respondent (one-on-one basis) is probed by a high skilled interviewer to uncover underlying motivations, beliefs, attitudes, and feeling on a topic.
It is another method of obtaining qualitative data.
It takes from 30 minutes to more than one hour.
The interviewer probes the respondent to uncover underlying or hidden information using techniques such as laddering.
Focus groups could be done online

13. Depth Interview Techniques: Laddering
In laddering, the line of questioning proceeds from product characteristics to user characteristics. This technique allows the researcher to tap into the consumer's network of meanings. It provides a way to probe into consumers’ deep underlying psychological and emotional reasons that affect their purchasing decisions.
Wide body aircrafts (product characteristic)
I can get more work done
I accomplish more
I feel good about myself (user characteristic)
Advertising theme: You will feel good about yourself when flying our airline.
Q. What kind of aircrafts you prefer? (What is the product?)
A. Wide body aircraft.
Q. Why? (Reason for preferring the product)
Because I can get more work done. (consumer)
Q. What does this mean to you? (consumer)
I feel good about my self (consumer)

14. Focus Groups Versus Depth Interviews
Characteristic
Focus Groups
Depth Interviews
Group synergy and dynamics + -
Peer pressure/group influence - +
Generation of innovative ideas + -
In-depth probing of individuals - +
Uncovering hidden motives - +
Discussion of sensitive topics - +
Amount of information
Bias in moderation and interpretation+ -
Cost per respondent
Time (interviewing & analysis)
Note: + indicates a relative advantage over the other procedure, and - indicates a relative disadvantage.

15. Definition of Projective Techniques
Projective technique is An unstructured, indirect form of questioning that encourages respondents to project their underlying motivations, beliefs, attitudes or feelings regarding the issues of concern.
In projective techniques, respondents are asked to interpret the behavior of others.
In interpreting the behavior of others, respondents indirectly project their own motivations, beliefs, attitudes, or feelings into the situation.

16. Word Association
In word association respondents are presented with a list of words, one at a time, and asked to respond to each with the first word that comes to mind.
The words of interest, called test words, are interspersed (distributed) throughout the list which also contains some neutral, or filler words to disguise the purpose of the study.
Responses are analyzed by calculating:
(1)  the frequency with which any word is given as a response;
(2)  the amount of time that elapses before a response is given; and
(3) the number of respondents who do not respond at all to a test word within a reasonable period of time.

17. Completion Techniques
- In sentence completion, respondents are given incomplete sentences and asked to complete them. Generally, they are asked to use the first word or phrase that comes to mind. A person who shops at Sears is ______________________ A person who receives a gift certificate good for Sak's Fifth Avenue would be __________________________________ J. C. Penney is most liked by _________________________ When I think of shopping in a department store, I ________ A variation of sentence completion is paragraph completion, in which the respondent completes a paragraph beginning with the stimulus phrase. - In story completion, respondents are given part of a story – enough to direct attention to a particular topic but not to hint at the ending. They are required to give the conclusion in their own words.

18. Construction Techniques
- With a picture response, the respondents are asked to describe a series of pictures of ordinary as well as unusual events. The respondent's interpretation of the pictures gives indications of that individual's personality. For example an individual may be characterized as impulsive, creative, unimaginative … etc. in this technique. - In cartoon tests, cartoon characters are shown in a specific situation related to the problem. The respondents are asked to indicate what one cartoon character might say in response to the comments of another character. Cartoon tests are simpler to administer and analyze than picture response techniques.

19. Let’s see if we can pick up some house wares at Sears.
A Cartoon Test
Let’s see if we can pick up some house wares at Sears.
Sears

20. Expressive Techniques
In expressive techniques, respondents are presented with a verbal or visual situation and asked to relate the feelings and attitudes of other people to the situation. It is assumed that the respondents will project their own feelings into the situation. The two main expressive technique are: - Role playing. Respondents are asked to play the role or assume the behavior of someone else. - Third-person technique. The respondent is presented with a verbal or visual situation and the respondent is asked to relate the beliefs and attitudes of a third person rather than directly expressing personal beliefs and attitudes. This third person may be a friend, neighbor, colleague, or a “typical” person.

21. Advantages of Projective Techniques
They may elicit (provoke) responses that subjects would be unwilling or unable to give if they knew the purpose of the study.
Helpful when the issues to be addressed are personal, sensitive, or subject to strong social norms.
Helpful when underlying motivations, beliefs, and attitudes are operating at a subconscious level.

22. Disadvantages of Projective Techniques
Suffer from many of the disadvantages of unstructured direct techniques, but to a greater extent.
Require highly-trained interviewers.
Skilled interpreters are required to analyze the responses.
There is a serious risk of interpretation bias.
They tend to be expensive.
May require respondents to engage in unusual behavior.

23. Analysis of Qualitative Data
Data reduction – Select which aspects of the data are to be emphasized, minimized, or set aside for the project at hand.
Data display – Develop a visual interpretation of the data.
Conclusion drawing and verification – Consider the meaning of analyzed data and assess its implications for the research question at hand.

25. Questions for Revision
1. Mention 3 differences between qualitative research and quantitative research. (slide 5) 2. List four types of the projective techniques. (slide 6) 3. In marketing research depth interviews, what is meant by laddering technique? Giving an example. (slide 12) 4. In depth Interviews, what does the laddering technique mean? Give an example of it. (slide 12) 5. What is meant by carton test? Give an example of its uses in marketing research. (slides 17-18) 6. what is the advantage of using projective techniques in marketing research. (slide 20)