SURVEY
survey technique is a method of collecting primary data through a interactive process where researcher contact subject to obtain facts, attitudes and opinions, usually with the help of questionnaire.under survey data is collected from a representative sample population or universe under study.
Very popular technique of data collection as many different data can be collected at the same time.
Methods of conducting survey
Telephonic Survey
Data is collected through telephone or mobile phone.
No face to face interaction hence even sensitive issues can be discussed.
Takes less time.
Restricted only to telephone and mobile user.
Can't ascertain wether the responses are influenced or geniune.
Can't ascertain whether actual respondents is being contacted or not.
Responses can be vague as respondents seriousness or interest can't be validated.
Self Administered Survey
Respondents fill the details in the questionnaire by themself.
Respondents can hide their identity and hence can give more indepth data, at the same time can give too vague answers.
Respondents can leave the questionnaire incomplete or doesn't fill at all.
Absence of interviewer can help the respondents in uninterupted thinking.
Such questionnaire can be
Mail Survey
Face to Face Interview
Internet Survey
Focus Group
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
RESEARCH DESIGNS
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
Exploratory Research is a research which is conducted at the preliminary stage to explore, discover new ideas to understand the problem at hand.Exploratory Research is often conducted because a problem has not been clearly defined as yet , or its real scope is unclear, Exploratory research is qualitative in nature rather than quantitative i.e exploratory research doesn't target large sample size and is not used for drawing out conclusions.
Exploratory research is done to allow the researcher to familiarize him with the problem or concept to be studied, it helps to understand the problem and define it and generate Hypothesis which can be analysed or tested by other means later.
Exploratory research helps to determine the best research design, data collection methods and selection of subjects
Sometimes exploratory research helps prove to conclude that problem doesn't exist at all.
When to conduct Exploratory Research?
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
Research which is carried out to provide information about a behaviour/ phenomenon/ reaction of a population or universe under study is known as descriptive research.
Descriptive research tells about who, when, where and how about it but it is not concerned with the Reason behind such behaviours.
Under descriptive research we only record a particular behaviour/ reaction/ phenomenon as it happens and doesn't try to establish what are the factors behind it.
Descriptive research only provide a systematic description which is factual and accurate as possible along with the frequency of the occurrence.
Descriptive research are rigid and structured hence careful observation and recording is very imperative.
Methods of Descriptive Research
The descriptive research can be conducted by two methods
Observation and Survey
Observation Methods
Method of data collection where there is no requirement of personal interaction between researcher and the subject, and behaviours or reactions are required to be recorded as it happens under normal or experimental settings. Data can be recorded by human, mechanical, electrical, or electronic means. With the help of observation technique qualitative or quantitative data can be collected.
Methods of observations
There are six different ways of classifying observation methods
1) Participant and Non Participant observation:-
Observation technique when observer/ researcher becomes a part of the system to observe the behaviour e.g mystery shopper/ or observer becoming customer in a mall, such technique is known as participant observation.
Under non participant observation method researcher doesn't become part of the system and record the observations even not being a part of the situation
advantages of participant observation
researcher can be a part of the situation and can experience the settings of the system.
being a part he can observe things from a close proximity even without being noticed by the subject.
researcher can find out more in depth knowledge under the guise of a participant of the system.
Disadvantages of participant observation method
researcher can be detected by the subjects and it fails the objective of research.
recording the behaviours as it happens can't be done in systematic manner as it rely on the memory of the researcher.
2 ) Obtrusive and UN obtrusive observation method
When subject can detect that they are being observed it is obtrusive observation method e.g installing CCTV, microphones etc, unobtrusive observation method when the behaviours are recorded through indirect methods e.g analysing purchase records of a consumer from supermarket bills or credit cards usage.
Disadvantages of obtrusive methods of observations
subject can change its behaviour as they become conscious when they know, they are being observed.
3) Observation under natural or contrived settings
observations which are done under natural settings e.g actual places like shopping malls, restaurants where subjects are already present for there own reasons, the factors governing their behaviours are not being controlled or stimulated, where as under contrived settings the situations like actual or natural settings are developed so as to conduct a research. e.g creation of a model shop and offering cash or product free of cost to assess the buying behaviours of consumers.
Advantage and Disadvantage observation under natural settings
Under natural settings observer can't control the speed of behaviours.
No influencing variables are under control of researcher.
The behaviours are natural or normal as subject is unaware of the fact that he is being observed.
Advantages and disadvantages of observation under contrived settings
Researcher can control the speed and number of observations.
More data can be collected from the subject by way of interview.
Subject may not show their actual behaviour as they know they are being observed.
May give wrong data so as to show them in good light.
4) Disguised Or non disguised observation
Non Disguised observation when subject know or detect that they are being observed, whereas under disguised observation subject doesn't know that they are being observed, or they are unaware of the real objective of the observation.
advantages and disadvantages of non disguised observation
subject being aware of the fact that they are being observed may provide better details to the researcher but at same time being conscious they may alter actual reply or responses
advantages and disadvantages of disguised observation
subject being unaware of the fact that they are not being observed represent actual behaviour or reaction. Can reflect or express details of sensitive issues as they don't know the real objective of research.
5) Structured and Un structured observations
When researcher uses or refer a predetermined checklist or note only predetermined aspects of a behaviours it is known as structured observation.
where as when observer rely on his expertise and knowledge to give weight age to any aspect of behaviour it is termed as unstructured observation.
Structured observations give more accurate data in terms or recording and frequency.
It is beneficial for observer as he just have to record happening or non happening and doesn't depend on his justification.
Can be analysed more quickly as ranges are predetermined.
unstructured observation methods can be more beneficial when researcher can also record the accompanying factors which influenced the behaviours.
can be more tedious as researcher will have to think to record a particular behaviour as significant.
classifying and analysing will be difficult as so many subjective parameters will be there because of too many researcher.
6) Direct and Indirect observation method
Direct observation is when behaviours are recorded as they happen where as in case of indirect observation method the behaviours are recorded after they happened.
Exploratory Research is a research which is conducted at the preliminary stage to explore, discover new ideas to understand the problem at hand.Exploratory Research is often conducted because a problem has not been clearly defined as yet , or its real scope is unclear, Exploratory research is qualitative in nature rather than quantitative i.e exploratory research doesn't target large sample size and is not used for drawing out conclusions.
Exploratory research is done to allow the researcher to familiarize him with the problem or concept to be studied, it helps to understand the problem and define it and generate Hypothesis which can be analysed or tested by other means later.
Exploratory research helps to determine the best research design, data collection methods and selection of subjects
Sometimes exploratory research helps prove to conclude that problem doesn't exist at all.
When to conduct Exploratory Research?
when reserarcher doesn't have enough information to be able to formulate a problem precisely.
when the problem is totally new of which researcher doesn't have any insight.
It helps to know trends in the market to take a decisive action.
Anohter common reason for conducting exploratory research is to test concepts before they are put in the market place, which are always costly endeavour.
Exploratory research can be quite informal relying on secondary data such as reviewing available literature or data or qualitative apporachs such as discussions with suppliers, customers etc.
Results of exploratory research are not usually considered for decision making by themselves, but they can provide significant insight in to given situation.
Results of exploratory research can' t be generalized and represent the ideas or opinions of whole population.
Characterstics of exploratory research....
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
Research which is carried out to provide information about a behaviour/ phenomenon/ reaction of a population or universe under study is known as descriptive research.
Descriptive research tells about who, when, where and how about it but it is not concerned with the Reason behind such behaviours.
Under descriptive research we only record a particular behaviour/ reaction/ phenomenon as it happens and doesn't try to establish what are the factors behind it.
Descriptive research only provide a systematic description which is factual and accurate as possible along with the frequency of the occurrence.
Descriptive research are rigid and structured hence careful observation and recording is very imperative.
Methods of Descriptive Research
The descriptive research can be conducted by two methods
Observation and Survey
Observation Methods
Method of data collection where there is no requirement of personal interaction between researcher and the subject, and behaviours or reactions are required to be recorded as it happens under normal or experimental settings. Data can be recorded by human, mechanical, electrical, or electronic means. With the help of observation technique qualitative or quantitative data can be collected.
Methods of observations
There are six different ways of classifying observation methods
1) Participant and Non Participant observation:-
Observation technique when observer/ researcher becomes a part of the system to observe the behaviour e.g mystery shopper/ or observer becoming customer in a mall, such technique is known as participant observation.
Under non participant observation method researcher doesn't become part of the system and record the observations even not being a part of the situation
advantages of participant observation
researcher can be a part of the situation and can experience the settings of the system.
being a part he can observe things from a close proximity even without being noticed by the subject.
researcher can find out more in depth knowledge under the guise of a participant of the system.
Disadvantages of participant observation method
researcher can be detected by the subjects and it fails the objective of research.
recording the behaviours as it happens can't be done in systematic manner as it rely on the memory of the researcher.
2 ) Obtrusive and UN obtrusive observation method
When subject can detect that they are being observed it is obtrusive observation method e.g installing CCTV, microphones etc, unobtrusive observation method when the behaviours are recorded through indirect methods e.g analysing purchase records of a consumer from supermarket bills or credit cards usage.
Disadvantages of obtrusive methods of observations
subject can change its behaviour as they become conscious when they know, they are being observed.
3) Observation under natural or contrived settings
observations which are done under natural settings e.g actual places like shopping malls, restaurants where subjects are already present for there own reasons, the factors governing their behaviours are not being controlled or stimulated, where as under contrived settings the situations like actual or natural settings are developed so as to conduct a research. e.g creation of a model shop and offering cash or product free of cost to assess the buying behaviours of consumers.
Advantage and Disadvantage observation under natural settings
Under natural settings observer can't control the speed of behaviours.
No influencing variables are under control of researcher.
The behaviours are natural or normal as subject is unaware of the fact that he is being observed.
Advantages and disadvantages of observation under contrived settings
Researcher can control the speed and number of observations.
More data can be collected from the subject by way of interview.
Subject may not show their actual behaviour as they know they are being observed.
May give wrong data so as to show them in good light.
4) Disguised Or non disguised observation
Non Disguised observation when subject know or detect that they are being observed, whereas under disguised observation subject doesn't know that they are being observed, or they are unaware of the real objective of the observation.
advantages and disadvantages of non disguised observation
subject being aware of the fact that they are being observed may provide better details to the researcher but at same time being conscious they may alter actual reply or responses
advantages and disadvantages of disguised observation
subject being unaware of the fact that they are not being observed represent actual behaviour or reaction. Can reflect or express details of sensitive issues as they don't know the real objective of research.
5) Structured and Un structured observations
When researcher uses or refer a predetermined checklist or note only predetermined aspects of a behaviours it is known as structured observation.
where as when observer rely on his expertise and knowledge to give weight age to any aspect of behaviour it is termed as unstructured observation.
Structured observations give more accurate data in terms or recording and frequency.
It is beneficial for observer as he just have to record happening or non happening and doesn't depend on his justification.
Can be analysed more quickly as ranges are predetermined.
unstructured observation methods can be more beneficial when researcher can also record the accompanying factors which influenced the behaviours.
can be more tedious as researcher will have to think to record a particular behaviour as significant.
classifying and analysing will be difficult as so many subjective parameters will be there because of too many researcher.
6) Direct and Indirect observation method
Direct observation is when behaviours are recorded as they happen where as in case of indirect observation method the behaviours are recorded after they happened.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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