BASIC MARKETING RESEARCH: A DECISION MAKING APPROACH (3rd ed.)
LECTURE NOTES
Presented by: Teoman Duman
Chapter 10. Measurement and Scaling: Noncomparative Scaling Techniques
 Movie Industry Example – Movie producers measure audience responses about new releases. Based on the research results some parts of the movies can be reproduced to fit markets’ tastes. In these researc studies, researhers use noncomparative scaling techniques to measures to view audience views on the movies.
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This chapter reviews noncomparative scaling techniques. Overview of the chapter is given in Figure 10.2
 A noncomparative (or a monadic) scale is used to measure responses on specific objects where these objects are not compared with some specified ideal (e.g. a perfect brand). Non-comparative scale types and their characteristics are given in Table 10.1.
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Continues rating scale – allows the respondent to place a mark at any point along a line running between two extreme points rather than selecting from among a set of predetermined response categories.
 Exp.
Rate X brand compared to others in the market.
 Probably the worst……x……………..Probably the best
 Itemized rating scale – has a number of brief descriptions associated with each response category.
These categories are arranged in a logical order. Three types are common in marketing research.
 Likert scale – Name comes from its developer Rensis Likert. It is used to measure respondents’ agreement with statements.
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Exp. Rate your agreement with the following statement: o Macy’s sells high quality merchandise
 Strongly disagree – Disagree – Neither agree nor disagree – Agree –
Strongly agree
 Semantic differential scale – is a seven point rating scale on which the end points are adjectives representing opposites.
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Exp. Rate your experience on the following scale: o Pleasant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Unpleasant
 Stapel scale – is usually represented vertically with one adjective appearing at the midpoint.
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Exp. Rate your view on the quality of merhandise you purchased: o +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 High Quality -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
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Noncomparative itemized rating scale decisions are summarized in Table 10.2.
 Number of scale categories – more categories increase the scale sensitivity. Optimum is between 5-9.
 Balanced vs. unbalanced scale – if balanced then equal number of favorable and unfavorable categories are given.
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Odd or even number of categories – Odd numbered scales include neutral category while the other doesn’t.
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
Exp. Rate your experience on the following scale (odd): o Pleasant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Unpleasant o Pleasant 1 2 3 4 5 6 Unpleasant
 Forced or non-forced choice – In a forced choice scale no opinion option is not provided.
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Nature and degree of verbal description – Scale categories can have verbal, numerical or even pictorial descriptions.
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Physical form or configuration – Scales’ physical forms vary in such ways that they attract participant attention. <Surveymonkey.com> website has many examples on different styles.
 Multi-item scale – when an abstract reality (e.g. loyalty, satisfaction) is measured with multiple items, it is called an abstract. Construct measurement requires theoretical and statistical analysis.
 Scale evaluation – Two main concepts should be known about scale development and measurement:
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Reliability
– refers to the extent to which a scale produces consistent results if repeated measurements are made. Therefore, reliability can be defined as the extent to which measures are free from random error.
 Total measurement error = Systematic error + random error
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Systematic errror effects the measurement in a constant way while random error arises from random changes and has a different effect each time the measurement is made.
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Validity – is the extent to which differences in observed scale scores reflect true differences in what is being measured rather than systematic or random error. A scale with perfect validity would contain no measurement error, that is no systematic error or no random error.
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