Quantitative
Research
 Quantitative research aims at (causal) explanation. It
answers primarily to why? –questions
 Based on the idea that social phenomena can be
quantified, measured and expressed numerically.
 The information about a social phenomenon is
expressed in numeric terms that can be analyzed by
statistical methods.
Purpose Of Quantitative
The purpose of quantitative
research is to measure concepts
or
variables
that
are
predetermined objectively and
to examine the relationship
between them numerically and
statistically.
Strengths Of Quantitative
Research
 Enables the research and description of social structures
and processes that are not directly observable.
 Well-suited for quantitative description, comparisons
between groups, areas etc.
 Description of change.
 Analysis and explanation of (causal) dependencies
between social phenomena.
Weaknesses Of Quantitative
Research
 Simplifies and ”compresses” the complex reality: abstract
and constrained perspective.
 Only applicable for measurable (quantifiable) phenomena
 Presumes relatively extensive knowledge on the subject
matter in order to be able to ask ”correct” questions.
 Difficult to study processes or ”dynamic” phenomena:
produces static view of the reality
 Description of actors’
meanings difficult.
perspectives,
intentions
and
Limitations of Quantitative
Approach
 It is difficult to understand human phenomena e.g. when
studying human behavior, it is possible only to study what is
observable. So the phenomena is revealed partially.
 Some researches claim that many influences affect people’s
response to questions i.e. it is not purely objective.
 Some standardized scales may be interpreted differently by
participants.
Quantitative Research
Techniques
Survey Research
 It is a method of descriptive research used for collecting
primary data based on verbal or written communication
with a representative sample of individuals or
respondents from the target population.
 It requires asking the respondents for information
either face-to-face or using the telephone interview, or
through mail, fax or internet.
Survey Research
 Objectives:
 Most survey research studies attempt to identify and
explain a particular marketing activity. Marketing surveys
typically have multiple objectives.
 Although surveys are generally conducted to quantify certain
factual information, certain aspects of surveys may also be
qualitative.
 For example, testing and refining new product concepts is
often a qualitative objective in a new product
development.
 Has non-business application as well. [e.g. donor research].
Example
 What survey research objectives might Daewoo
[motor car] develop to learn about car buyers?
 Consumer preference in design and features and
how best to satisfy these preferences;
shopping mall “intercepts”; mail interview etc.
 Demographic details, customer satisfaction;
 Testing certain aspects of advertising;
 Study product image.
Person Administered Surveys
 Direct, face-to-face Interview
 Indirect, non- face-to-face Interview
Direct, Face-to-face Interview
 Interviewer and interviewee see and talk to each other faceto-face. Includes
 In-home/In-office Interview
Appointment first,
Face to face Interview
Needs Skill
 Mall Intercept Interview
Interview outside home, in supermarkets, departmental
stores, other public places
Face To Face Interview
Disadvantages
Advantages
 High cost
 Direct interaction
 Clarity and
exhibits
display
of
 Longer time
 Interviewer bias
 Better quality and quantity
of data
 Anonymity not maintained
 Higher response rate
 Time bias exists
 No sequence bias
 Field control needed
 Identifying respondents
 Unstructured
 Interviewer cheating
Indirect, Non- face-to-face
Interview
The interviewer and the interviewee do not see but talk
direct to each other.
Telephone Interview
Telephone Interview
Advantages
Disadvantages
 Faster Results
 No exhibits
 Inexpensive
 Long interview not
possible
 Better geographical
coverage
 Irresistibility
 Inability to make
judgment
 Reaching hard-to-reach
people
 Answering machines and
caller identification device
 Timing: early or late OK
 Sampling problem
 Privacy and better control
 Coincidental data:
immediate feedback.
Obsolete directory:
poor sampling frame
Self-administered surveys








Advantages
Wide geographical
coverage
Providing thoughtful
answers
Ability to ask sensitive
questions
No interviewer bias
Inexpensive
Better control
Anonymity
Clarity








Disadvantages
Mailing list problem
Unidentifiable respondent
Questionnaire exposure
Data limitation
No interviewer assistance
 no exhibits
Assumed literacy
Poor response rate
Longer time
A Questionnaire
[Also Called Research Instrument]
 Data collection
instrument used for
gathering data;
 A formalized
schedule of an
assembly of a
carefully formulated
questions;
 Six important functions
 Converts research objectives
into specific questions
 Standardizes the questions
 Keeps respondents motivated
to complete the research
 Serve as a permanent record
 Speed-up the process of data
analysis
 Reliability and validity
purposes
Advantages of
Open-ended Questions
 Since they do not restrict the respondent’s response,
the widest scope of response can be attained.
 Most appropriate where the range of possible responses
is broad, or cannot be predetermined.
 Less subject to interviewer bias.
 Responses may often be used as direct quotes to bring
realism and life to the written report.
Disadvantages Of
Open-ended Questions
 Inappropriate for self-administered questionnaire since
people tend to write more briefly than they speak.
 The interviewer may only record a summary of the
responses given by an interview and fail to capture the the
interviewer’s own ideas.
 It is difficult to categorize and summarize the diverse
responses of different respondents.
 May annoy a respondent and prompt him/her to terminate
the interview, or ignore the mail questionnaire.
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Closed-ended Questions
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
 All respondents reply on a
standard response set. This
ensures
comparability
of
responses, facilitates coding,
tabulating and interpreting the
data.
 Preparing the list of responses
is time-consuming.
 Easier to administer and most
suited
for
self-administered
questionnaire.
 If used in interviews, less skilled
interviewer may be engaged to
do the job.
 If the list of responses is long,
the respondents may be
confused.
 If the list of responses is not
comprehensive, responses may
often fail to
represent the
respondent’s point of views.
Considerations in choosing a question
format
 Nature of the property being measured
 Subjective Vs objective
 Previous research studies
 Need for comparison with past studies
 Data Collection Mode
 Telephone/face-to-face-interview/mail
 Scale level desired
 Statistical analysis
 Ability of the respondents
Comparative Evaluation of Various survey Methods.
________________________________________________________________________
Face-to-face Interview
Criteria
In-home/
MallTelephone
Mail
In-office
intercept
Interview
Survey
Flexibility of data collection
Diversity of questions
Sample control
High
High
Potentially
high
Control of data collection
Moderate to
environment
high
Response rate
High
Show of exhibits
Yes
Quantity of data
High
Anonymity of the respondents Absent
Access to sensitive information Low
Speed
Moderate
Cost
High
Potential interviewer bias
High
High
High
Moderate
Low
Moderate
Low
High
Moderate
Low
Moderate to
high
Moderate
High
Yes
Moderate
Absent
Low
Fast
Moderate
Moderate to
Moderate
No
Low
Moderate
High
Fast
Moderate
Moderate
Low
No
High
High
High
Slow
Low
Low
Low
Causal Research/Experiments
 Experimental research is where participants are assigned to
groups based on some selected criterion often called treatment
variable.
 In causal research, the emphasis is on specific hypotheses
about the effects of changes of one variable on another
variable.
 Deals with cause-effect relationship.
 Involves experiment where an independent variable is changed
or manipulated to see how it affects a dependent variable by
controlling the effects of extraneous variables.
Characteristic Of Experimental
Research
 The primary characteristic of experimental research is
manipulation of at least one variables and control over the
other relevant variables so as to measure its effect on one or
more dependent variables.
 The variables (s) which is manipulated is also called an
independent variables, a treatment, an experimental variables
or the cause.
 Some of the examples of an independent variables could be:
temperature, pressure, chemical concentration, type of
material and conductivity
Continuing…….
 Experimental research will always have two or more groups for
comparison on the dependent variables.
 It is the only type of research which can establish truly the cause
and effect relations.
 Consider an Example: A researcher in technician education is
interested in studying the effects of two methods of instruction
structured lecture method and programmed instruction on the
achievement of students in a course of one semester in Applied
Mechanics.
 Sixty students in the class are divided randomly into two groups of
thirty each.
 The groups receive the specified treatment for an equal
amount of time during the semester.
 The participants are measured for their performance on the
achievement test before and after the programme so as to
measure the gain.
 In this experiment, the experimental or independent variables
is the method of instruction and the dependent variable, is
the achievement of students.
 The difference in the gain on achievement between the two
groups will show the effect of the methods of instruction.
Two Types of Experimental
Research
Quasi-experimental
True experimental
 Specific hypothesis
 Specific hypothesis
 Researcher manipulates
at least 1 variable
 Researcher manipulates
at least 1 variable
 Assigns treatment at
random to each group
 Assigns treatment at
random to each group
 Has a control group
 Has a control group
 Cannot randomly assign
subjects to groups
 Randomly
assigns
subjects to groups
Typically uses intact classes
Quasi-experimental
 Quasi-experimental research is where participants are Preassigned to groups based on some characteristic or quality
such as differences in sex, race, age, neighborhood, etc.
 These group assignments have already taken place before the
experiment begins, and the researcher has no control as to
what the people will belong to each group.
Experimental Research
Examples
 Is teaching method A better in
bringing
about
student
learning than method B?
 Does a teaching unit on “Race
Relationships”
improve
students’ racial tolerance?
Difference between Surveys and
Experimental Designs
 The fundamental difference concerns the manipulation of
independent variables.
 In surveys, an effect is observed and a search for a cause
follows.
 In experimental research, on the other hand, independent
variables are manipulated to establish a cause-effect
relationship.