Chapter 10
Measurement in Marketing
Research
Basic Question-Response Formats
• Open-ended
• Close-ended
• Scaled-response
Basic Question-Response Formats
Open-Ended
Unprobed
• Open-ended question: presents no response
options to the respondent
• Unprobed format: seeks no additional
information
• Advantages:
• Respondent frame of reference; allows
respondent to use his or her own words
• Disadvantages:
• Difficult to code and interpret
• Respondents may not give complete
answers
Basic Question-Response Formats
Open-Ended
Probed
• Open-ended question: presents no response
options to the respondent
• Probed format: includes a response probe
instructing the interviewer to ask for additional
information or answer clarification
• Advantages:
• Elicits more-complete answers
• Respondent frame of reference
• Disadvantages:
• Difficult to code, analyze, and interpret
Basic Question-Response Formats
Close-Ended
Dichotomous
• Close-ended question: provides a set of answers
from amongst which the respondent must choose
• Dichotomous: has only two response options,
such as “yes” - “no”; “have” – “have not”;
“male” – “female”
• Advantages:
• Simple to administer, code, analyze
• Disadvantages:
• May oversimplify response options
• May be in researcher frame of reference
Basic Question-Response Formats
Close-Ended
Multiple Category
• Close-ended question: provides a set of answers from
amongst which the respondent must choose
• Multiple response: has more than two answer
choices; must have “mutually exclusive” and
“collectively exhaustive” answer set
• Advantages:
• Allows for broad range of possible responses
• Simple to administer, code, and analyze
• Disadvantages:
• May be in researcher frame of reference
• May not have all appropriate respondent
answer options
Basic Question-Response Formats
Scaled-Response
Unlabeled
• Scaled-response question: uses a scale (parts:a
statement, instructions, a response format) to
measure respondent feeling, judgment, perception …
• Unlabeled: uses a scale that may be purely
numerical (no words/phrases) or only the
endpoints of the scale are identified
• Advantages:
• Allows for degree of intensity to be
expressed without researcher options
• Simple to administer, code, and analyze
• Disadvantage:
• Scale may not reflect respondents’ view
Basic Question-Response Formats
Scaled-Response
Labeled
• Scaled-response question: uses a scale (parts: a
statement, instructions, a response format) to
measure respondent feeling, judgment, perception …
• Labeled: a scale where all choices/positions are
identified with some descriptive word/phrase
• Advantages:
• Allows for degree of intensity to be more
clearly expressed
• Simple to administer, code, and analyze
• More consistency in responses
• Disadvantage:
• Scale choices more limited or too detailed
Considerations in Choosing a QuestionResponse Format
• The nature of the property being measured
Gender=dichotomous; liking for chocolate=scale
• Previous research studies
Use format of previous study if comparing
• The data collection mode
Cannot use some scales on the phone
• The ability of the respondent
Kids can only relate to certain types of visual scales
• The level of analysis points to scale type needed
Basic Concepts in Measurement
• Measurement: determining how much of a
property is possessed; numbers or labels are
then assigned to reflect the measure
• Properties: specific features or characteristics of
objects, persons, or events that can be used to
distinguish them from others
• Objective properties are physically observable
or verifiable
• Subjective properties are
mental constructs
Scale Characteristics Determine the Level of
Measurement (Level of Data)
• Nominal data: The use of a descriptor, name, or label,
to stand for each “unit” on the scale: “yes” “no”, “male”
“female”,etc.
• Ordinal data: Objects, persons, events are placed in
rank order on some characteristic in a specific direction.
Zero and distance have no meaning; rank 1, 2, 3, etc.
• Interval data: Units of distance have meaning.
There is
an arbitrary zero point. Examples are temperatures in
degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius; map distance Chicago to ?
• Ratio data:Multiples have meaning.
There is an
absolute or natural zero point. Examples: the Kelvin
temperature scale, sales/costs in $, market share in %
Common Scales Used in Marketing Research
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•
•
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The Likert-Type Scale
The Graphic Rating Scale
The Semantic Differential Scale
The Staple Scale
Reliability and Validity
• Reliability: person responds in the same or a
similar manner to an identical or nearly identical
measure (repeatability)
• Validity: the ability of the measure being used to
actually measure what it is supposed to measure
• Validity types: face, construct, concurrent,
discriminant, predictive