Sociological methods of marketing research. Encyclopedia of Marketing Social Marketing Research Methods

The purpose of this work is to study the theory and methodology of sociological methods in marketing research, as well as to consider the techniques, procedures and features of applying these methods in practice. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:
To characterize the theoretical foundations of marketing research, its essence and content;
To study the theoretical foundations of quantitative and qualitative research methods;
To characterize the technique and procedures for applying quantitative and qualitative methods;
To reveal the essence of banking marketing;

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. 3
Chapter I. Theory and methodology of sociological methods in marketing research
1.1. The concept of marketing research ………………………………… 7
1.2. Specifics of quantitative methods ………………………………… .. 13
1.3. Theoretical foundations of qualitative methods ……………………….. 21
Chapter A.I. Features and technique of applying sociological methods in marketing research
2.1. Techniques and procedures for applying quantitative and qualitative methods ………………………………………………………………………. 29
2.2. The concept and essence of banking marketing. Application of sociological methods marketing research in practice on the example of Rosselkhozbank OJSC …………………………………………………. 56
Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….... 62
Bibliographic list ………………………………

The choice of a specific type of research is largely determined by the goals of the research and the tasks that are solved at individual stages of its implementation. Separate types of marketing research are used not only at the stage of defining the problems and objectives of the study, but also in the process of conducting them. In table. 1.1 provides data summarizing overseas experience characterizing the goals of marketing research for their individual areas and methods for conducting them.

Before considering the most popular individual methods of marketing research, we will give general characteristics methods that can be used in the collection and analysis of marketing information.

From the table below (although it does not claim to be a comprehensive overview of all methods), it follows that the most widely used marketing research methods are document analysis methods, consumer survey methods (the entire set of which, with a certain degree of conventionality, can be called sociological research methods, since they were first developed and used by sociologists), peer reviews and experimental methods.

The main difference between the methods of sociological research and expert assessments is that the former are focused on mass respondents of very different competences and qualifications, while expert assessments are aimed at a limited number of professional specialists. These two groups of methods are united, first of all, by the fact that in both cases the same methods of mathematical statistics are used to process the collected data.

All these groups of methods will be described in more detail in subsequent sections of the book.

Another class of methods used in marketing research, but poorly reflected in Table. 1.1 represent economic and mathematical methods.

There are several groups of economic and mathematical methods used in marketing research:

  • 1. Statistical methods for processing information (determining average estimates, error rates, the degree of agreement among respondents, etc. - discussed in subsequent sections of the book).
  • 2 Multivariate methods (primarily factorial and cluster analyzes). They are used to justify marketing solutions, which are based on numerous interrelated variables. For example, determining the sales volume of a new product depending on its technical level, price, competitiveness, advertising costs, etc.
  • 3. Regression and correlation methods. They are used to establish relationships between groups of variables that describe marketing activities.
  • 4. Simulation methods. They are used when variables that affect the marketing situation (for example, describing competition) cannot be determined using analytical methods.
  • 5. Methods of statistical decision theory (game theory, queuing, stochastic programming) are used to stochastically describe the reaction of consumers to a change in the market situation. Two main areas of application of these methods can be distinguished: for statistical testing of hypotheses about the structure of the market and assumptions about the state of the market, for example, the study of the degree of brand loyalty, market share forecasting.
  • 6. Deterministic methods of operations research (primarily linear and non-linear programming). These methods are used when there are many interrelated variables and it is necessary to find the optimal solution - for example, the option of delivering the product to the consumer, providing the maximum profit, through one of the possible distribution channels.
  • 7. Hybrid methods that combine deterministic and probabilistic (stochastic) characteristics (for example, dynamic and heuristic programming) are used primarily to study the problems of commodity circulation.

These seven groups of quantitative methods certainly do not exhaust all their diversity.

Mathematical modeling in marketing research is very difficult (therefore, it is practically not presented in Table 1.1). This is due to:

  • - the complexity of the object of study, the non-linearity of marketing processes, the presence of threshold effects, such as the minimum level of sales promotion, time lags (in particular, the reaction of consumers to advertising is often not observed immediately);
  • -- the effect of the interaction of marketing variables, which for the most part are interdependent and interrelated, such as price, assortment, quality, output;
  • -- the complexity of measuring marketing variables. It is difficult to measure consumer response to certain stimuli, such as advertising. Therefore, indirect methods are often used, such as registering return cases to determine the effectiveness of advertising;
  • -- instability of marketing relationships due to changes in tastes, habits, assessments, etc.;
  • -- the relative incompatibility of personnel involved in marketing and the use of quantitative methods in its research. The first priority is given to informal methods, the second - to mathematical modeling.

The above is largely due to the fact that marketing deals with human behavior and not with technical phenomena. Marketing rarely repeats itself, everything is different for different situations. Marketing is focused on specific consumers, and consumers are different.

In the face of deep and rapid change external environment a mathematical model is not able to predict the impact of a change that was not initially taken into account in it. Unlike an expert, a mathematical model is not capable of improvisation and cannot adapt to profound changes in the external environment.

The breadth of application of certain methods in conducting marketing research is also determined by the company's ability to use them on its own or buy the results of such research. Obviously, large organizations have significantly more such opportunities than small businesses. That's why quantitative methods in marketing research are currently used more often by organizations with appropriate analytical units to determine such critical parameters market activity like demand, sales volume, market share, etc.

Marketing research methods are primarily divided into methods for collecting primary data and methods for collecting secondary data.

Primary data - information collected by the researcher specifically to solve a specific problem.

Most often, marketing research is understood as the collection of primary information. Methods for collecting primary data, in turn, are divided into methods for collecting qualitative data, methods for collecting quantitative data and the so-called mix-methods, via the Internet.

Qualitative research answers the “how” and “why” questions.

This type of research allows you to get very detailed data about the behavior, opinions, attitudes, attitudes of a very small group of people. The data obtained cannot be quantified (with rare exceptions), but gives a good idea of ​​the mindset of consumers. Qualitative research is indispensable in the development of new products, advertising campaigns, studying the image of firms, trademarks and solving other similar problems.

Basic methods of qualitative research: focus groups, in-depth interviews, protocol analysis.

Quantitative research answers the questions "who" and "how much".

This type of research, in contrast to qualitative research, allows obtaining quantified information on a limited range of problems, but from a large number of people, which makes it possible to process it with statistical methods and disseminate the results to all consumers. Quantitative research helps to assess the level of awareness of a company or brand, identify the main consumer groups, market volumes, etc. .

The main methods of quantitative research are different kinds surveys and retail audits.

Mix-techniques are mixed research methods that quite successfully combine the advantages of qualitative and quantitative methods.

The main types of mix-methods are: hall-tests, home-tests and secret shopper.

The advantages of primary information are as follows:

  • - collection in accordance with a precisely set goal,
  • - the collection methodology is known and controlled. The results are available to the company and can be protected from competitors,
  • known reliability.

Its disadvantages include:

  • - a lot of time for collection and processing,
  • - high cost,
  • - the company itself is not always able to collect all the necessary data.

Secondary data - information collected at any time for any purposes not related to the current task.

Secondary research is usually based on already available information and is therefore called desk research.

Distinguish (in relation to the firm) external and internal sources for secondary research. As internal sources of information, there can be - marketing statistics (characteristics of turnover, sales volume, sales volume, import, export, complaints), data on marketing costs (by product, advertising, promotion, sales, communications), other data (on the performance of installations , equipment, price lists for raw materials and materials, characteristics of the storage system, consumer maps, etc.).

The external sources are:

  • - publications of national and international official organizations;
  • - publications government agencies, ministries, municipal committees and organizations;
  • - publications of chambers of commerce and industry and associations;
  • - yearbooks of statistical information;
  • - reports and publications of industry firms and joint ventures;
  • - books, messages in magazines and newspapers;
  • - publications of educational, research, design institutes and public scientific organizations, symposiums, congresses, conferences;
  • - price lists, catalogs, brochures and other company publications.

In order to get an overview of secondary information, you need to:

  • 1. Identify possible sources of information you need. This information may be contained in both internal and external sources. Internal sources of information include internal company reports, conversations with employees, sales reports, accounting and financial reports, consumer complaints and suggestions, etc. External sources of information are the media, bulletins issued by various organizations, publications of research and consulting firms , statistical collections; a lot of valuable information is on the Internet - thematic and industry sites, sites of competing companies.
  • 2. Study all the selected sources of information, analyze their content and select the information you need.
  • 3. Prepare a final report.

The main advantages of secondary information are that, as a rule, it is cheap and can be accessed relatively easily and quickly.

The main disadvantages are related to the fact that secondary information was collected to solve a different problem. Accordingly, it is likely to be a) outdated, b) incomplete, c) not directly related to the problem being solved, d) unreliable (this is especially true for Russian sources of secondary information, in which sometimes the values ​​of the same parameter in different sources differ by almost an order of magnitude).

Research using the Internet is relatively cheap method of collecting primary information.

Advantages:

  • - speed and profitability.
  • - no differences in the speed of research within and outside the country

Flaws:

Preliminary careful planning is required.

Any field research involves the participation of the researcher in obtaining primary information. What information and to what extent should be obtained is determined by the stated purpose of the study. However, in order to get specified information commonly used methods are given in table. 1.2

Table 1.2. Information collection methods

Rice. 1.4

Recently, one of the most common ways to obtain the necessary information has become a survey of a certain circle of people who are directly related to the problem under study. To conduct a survey means to identify the existing positions of the respondents on a certain range of issues related to the problem under consideration.

Surveys allow you to explore a relatively wide area of ​​marketing-related issues. The main problem of the survey method is how to limit the objectives of the survey, which determine the strategy and interpretation of the information received. Closely related to the purpose of the survey is the problem of determining the circle of persons who participate in the survey (expert, trader, consumer, etc.). When organizing a survey, Special attention interview tactics (particularly the wording of the questions), survey forms, and interview methods.

Surveys can be one-time or recurring. Repeated surveys are called a panel. This term comes from the English word panel, which means a list in translation. A panel study is a survey of a specific, representative circle of people for a long time or for a certain period of time on a specific topic. Both a group of persons and organizations can act as a panel. This method is used when studying the consumer opinions of a certain group of people over a certain period of time, and on its basis, the trend of changing consumer opinions, their needs, habits, tastes, etc. is studied. The most important forms of the panel are - the panel of consumers and the panel of entrepreneurs (Fig. 1.5)

When using survey methods, the researcher faces the problem of compiling questions. The choice of the form of the question is determined by how specifically the goal of the study is set.

To collect primary data, marketing researchers can choose from two main research tools: a questionnaire and technical tools.


Fig.1.5

The questionnaire is the most common research tool in the collection of primary data. A questionnaire is a series of questions to which the respondent must answer. The questionnaire is a very flexible tool, questions can be asked in many different ways. The questionnaire requires careful development, testing and elimination of identified shortcomings before its widespread use. During the development of the questionnaire, the marketing researcher selects the questions to be asked, chooses the form of these questions, their wording and sequence. Each question should be tested for the contribution it makes to the achievement of the research results. Idle questions should be omitted as they prolong the procedure and get on the interviewee's nerves. The questionnaire usually consists of an introduction, a requisite part and a main part.

The wording of the questions of the questionnaire should be specific, clear and unambiguous, the researcher should use simple, unambiguous words that do not affect the answer, the questionnaire should be concise and contain the optimal number of questions. The questionnaire should not be monotonous, inspire boredom and cause fatigue. In the test of the questionnaire, generally accepted terminology should be used. All questions should be grouped into specific blocks in accordance with the logic of the study. Nessesary to use test questions to check the sequence of respondents in the answers. Difficult and personal questions placed at the end of the questionnaire.

The survey should not be started without appropriate testing of the questionnaire. It is used to evaluate the questions themselves and their sequence. During testing, it turns out whether people really remember the data that they would like to receive from them, whether some questions confuse them, whether they cause reluctance to answer or uncertainty in the answers. The inclusion of each question in the questionnaire is justified.

Telephone questionnaires are used in cases where it is necessary to collect information in short time across a wide geographic market. Questioning by phone should be conducted in advance by preparing questions. The characteristics of a telephone survey are low cost, speed of field work, the possibility of conducting research on large samples, a high degree of standardization and a small volume of the questionnaire. Duration - no more than 15 minutes. The disadvantages of the method are less trusting contact between the interviewer and the respondent, the impossibility of using visual materials.

During the survey, the direct contact of the interviewer with the respondent allows obtaining more reliable information, using visual materials and including open-ended questions in the questionnaire. The maximum duration of the interview is 20-25 minutes. The method is most effective in the case of easily accessible target audience research is well suited for research with specific groups of respondents (for example, young people) that are difficult to achieve in other types of surveys.

The In-Hall test is a data collection method that provides researchers with the greatest opportunity. The survey is conducted in a specially prepared room, which allows using various equipment, presenting a large number of samples to respondents, etc. In the case of a target audience that is difficult to reach (for example, high-income consumers, professional specialists, children with parents, etc.), a preliminary selection of respondents is possible.

"Focus groups" consists in conducting a group in-depth focused interview in the form of a group discussion, during which subjective information is collected from its participants on a designated range of problems. The recommended number of focus groups when studying a particular problem is 3-5. Focus groups are used when it is necessary to obtain detailed data from existing or potential consumers about their perception of the object of study, associations and opinions associated with it, as well as to model possible consumer behavior. Each survey method has its pros and cons. Table 4.6 shows the advantages and disadvantages of the individual methods of this form of marketing research.

The effectiveness of the survey depends largely on the definition of the sample. Here there is a need to obtain information about the parameters of the "group", among the members of which the marketing research will be conducted. For example, a marketing manager wants to know the sales volume of his organization's products through various types of retail stores. Such a "group" in statistics is called the general population or simply the population. Sometimes the population is small enough for a manager to examine all of its members. Usually, this is impossible to do: to study, for example, the opinion of all children aged 3 to 5 years regarding toys of a certain type. Therefore, only a part of the population is studied.

To determine the necessary and sufficient sample, the researcher must evaluate the circle of respondents that would correspond to the entire population and meet the objectives of the study. When developing a sample selection plan, it is necessary to determine who to interview, how many people to interview, and how to select sample members.

Table 1.3. Advantages and disadvantages various forms survey


The following stages in the development of a sampling plan can be distinguished:

  • 1. Definition of the appropriate population.
  • 2. Obtaining a "list" of the population.
  • 3. Designing a sampling plan.
  • 4. Determination of access methods to the population.
  • 5. Achievement of the required sample size.
  • 6. Checking the sample for compliance with the requirements.
  • 7. If necessary, the formation of a new sample.

In reality, the decision on the sample size is a compromise between theoretical assumptions about the accuracy of the survey results and the possibilities of their practical implementation, primarily in terms of the cost of conducting a survey.

It should be noted that there is no direct relationship between the sample size and the representativeness of the results obtained.

In practice, several approaches are used to determine the sample size. First of all, we will describe the most simple ones.

The arbitrary approach is based on the application of the "rule of thumb". For example, it is assumed without evidence that to obtain accurate results, the sample should be 5% of the population. This approach is simple and easy to implement, but it is not possible to establish the accuracy of the results obtained. With a large enough population, it can also be quite expensive.

The sample size can be set based on certain predetermined conditions. For example, a market research customer knows that when studying public opinion, the sample is usually 1000-1200 people, so he recommends that the researcher stick to this figure. In the event that annual surveys are conducted on a particular market, a sample of the same size is used each year. In contrast to the first approach, here, when determining the sample size, the known logic is used, which, however, is very vulnerable.

For example, when conducting certain studies, accuracy may be less than in the study of public opinion, and the size of the population may be many times smaller than in the study of public opinion. Thus, this approach does not take into account current circumstances and can be quite expensive. In some cases, the cost of conducting a survey is used as the main argument in determining the sample size. Thus, the budget for marketing research provides for the cost of conducting certain surveys, which cannot be exceeded. Obviously, the value of the information received is not taken into account. However, in some cases even a small sample can give fairly accurate results.

It seems reasonable to consider the costs not in an absolute way, but in relation to the usefulness of the information obtained as a result of the surveys. The client and researcher should consider different sample sizes and data collection methods, costs, other factors

The sample size may be determined based on statistical analysis. This approach is based on determining the minimum sample size based on certain requirements for the reliability and reliability of the results. It is also used in the analysis of the results obtained for individual subgroups formed as part of a sample by sex, age, level of education, etc. The requirements for the reliability and accuracy of the results for individual subgroups dictate certain requirements for the sample size as a whole.

Conducting sampling studies is always associated with an error or measurement error (Table 1.4).

Table 1.4 Dependence of error interval on sample size and level of confidence

The error interval should be taken into account when processing the results of the survey.

From the point of view of the organization of the process, there are at least three alternative approaches to data collection: by employees marketing service, by a specially created group or with the involvement of companies specializing in data collection. The process of collecting information is usually the most expensive stage of the research. In addition, a fairly large number of errors may occur during its implementation.

Many errors can occur in data collection other than sampling errors, hence called out-of-sampling errors. These errors include selecting the wrong sample items for interviews, not taking into account the opinions of those who refused to be interviewed or not at home, and false estimates given by interviewees intentionally. Falsification of the received data by the interviewer is possible. Mistakes can be made when transcribing the collected information from the questionnaires. Unlike sampling errors, out-of-sample errors cannot be measured. Therefore, it is important to find out in advance the possible causes of out-of-sample errors and take appropriate measures to prevent them.

Experiment is another method, the most important tool for analysis and testing in the marketing system. Depending on the conditions of carrying out, a field and laboratory experiment is distinguished. The main goal of the experiment is to study the behavior of an object in terms of the dynamics of its output parameters when the input characteristics change, which can vary both by the experimenter (laboratory) and the environment (field). For example, changing the structure of buyers with changes in advertising media and prices, or changes in the behavior of competitors and merchants.

The field experiment, which is carried out under normal conditions, finds the greatest application in practice. environment. It finds application for research in the field of marketing of goods, means of production and means of consumption. The laboratory experiment is carried out under specially prepared testing conditions.

Depending on the relationship of the testee to the conditions of the testing process, four types of experiment are distinguished:

  • - an open experiment, when the test person is aware of the purpose, tasks and conditions of the experiment;
  • - an experiment in a situation that is not clear to the test subject, when only his tasks and his behavior in the experiment are known to him, but the goals of the experiment are not known;
  • - an imaginary experiment, when the test person knows the goals and objectives of the experiment, but does not know the conditions of the situation in which it will be carried out;
  • - an uncertain experiment, when the test person is completely unaware of the purpose, task and conditions of the experiment.

In practice, there are experiments that are carried out in the form of various tests and are classified according to various criteria, such as the place of testing (market, studio, home, etc.), the object of testing (product test, price test, etc.), the identity of the test person ( current consumer, expert, potential consumer, etc.), test duration (short-term, long-term), etc.

Data analysis begins with the transformation of the original data (introduction to the computer, checking for errors, coding, representation in matrix form). This allows you to translate a lot of raw data into meaningful information. Next, a statistical analysis is carried out (averages, frequencies, regression and correlation coefficients are calculated, trends are analyzed, etc.). To do this, use the system of analysis of marketing information.

Marketing Information Analysis System - a set of advanced methods for analyzing marketing data and marketing problems. The basis of any marketing information analysis system is a statistical bank and a bank of models.

Statistical bank - aggregate modern techniques statistical processing of information, allowing to most fully reveal the interdependencies within the data collection and establish the degree of their statistical reliability. These methods include correlation analysis, factor analysis, regression analysis, etc.

The model bank is a set mathematical models facilitating the adoption of optimal marketing decisions by market actors. These models include the pricing model, the development model advertising budget etc.

After the collection of information and its processing, a final report on the work done is created, where the conclusions of the study are indicated and recommendations are given to the customer.

Sociological methods are successfully used to collect primary data. There are three main methods of collecting primary information: observation, experiment, survey.

In table. 2 shows the advantages and disadvantages of the main sociological research methods used in marketing research.

Observation is a method of collecting information by fixing the functioning of the objects under study without the researchers establishing contacts with them and in the absence of control over the factors influencing their behavior.

Surveillance can be carried out both openly and covertly. Since the awareness of the object of research about being under observation can affect his behavior and in this case can be regarded as establishing contact with him, in practice, as a rule, covert observations are carried out. At the same time, hidden cameras and special mirrors are used as research tools.

Table 2. Advantages and disadvantages of the main sociological research methods

Advantages

Flaws

Observation

Simplicity.

Relative cheapness.

exclusion of distortions caused by contacts of objects with researchers

does not allow to unambiguously establish the internal motives of the behavior of the objects of observation and the processes of their decision-making, and, therefore, they can be misinterpreted by observers.

Experiment

Objective character. The possibility of establishing causal relationships between marketing factors and the behavior of the objects under study

Difficulty in controlling all marketing factors in vivo. The difficulty of reproducing the normal behavior of a socio-economic object in the laboratory.

Higher costs than observation, especially when it is necessary to study several marketing factors.

Almost unlimited scope of possible application.

Allows you to get data not only about the current behavior of the object, but also about its behavior in the past and intentions in the future

Great labor intensity. Significant survey costs. Possible reduction in the accuracy of the information received due to incorrect or distorted answers.

Survey Forms

By phone

High efficiency. Cheapness of carrying out

Suitable for collecting both factual and relationship data. Control

Limited to respondents with a telephone

It is difficult to maintain interest for more than 15 minutes.

It's hard to ask tough questions.

Forced brevity of conversation

Available for small group researchers.

Low cost.

Ease of organization.

There is no influence from the interviewer.

Use of illustrations

Low efficiency.

The possibility of not returning a significant proportion of the questionnaires sent out The possibility of self-selection of respondents

Lack of opportunity to clarify the issue.

Possibility to answer questions of people other than those to whom they are addressed

Personal interview

Relatively small percentage of non-responses.

Relatively high survey accuracy.

Use of more complex and lengthy questionnaires. Opportunity to clarify any unclear questions.

Relatively large organizational efforts and material costs for its implementation.

The possibility of the interviewer to influence the opinion of the respondents if he has certain predilections.

Observation is mainly used in exploratory research, i.e. of a preliminary nature, aimed at concretizing the problems facing researchers.

An experiment is a method of collecting information about the behavior of the objects under study, which provides for the establishment by researchers of control over all factors that affect the functioning of these objects.

The purpose of research conducted with the help of an experiment is, as a rule, to establish cause-and-effect relationships between marketing factors and the behavior of the objects under study.

To ensure the reliability of the results of the experiment, the values ​​of all factors, except for the one under study, must remain unchanged. If several factors need to be investigated, a series of experiments may be required.

In practice, this method is used in cases where it is required to establish with a high degree of certainty the nature of causal relationships between marketing factors and the behavior of the object under study.

Interview. A survey is a method of collecting information by establishing contacts with the objects of study. As a research tool, the survey method uses a questionnaire, which is a questionnaire that provides for fixing answers.

Surveys have practically no alternative in those cases when a company needs information about the knowledge, beliefs and preferences of consumers, the degree of their satisfaction, the image of the company, etc. This, first of all, explains the widespread use of this method in marketing research.

So, if an experiment is chosen as a method, then the researchers must conduct its thorough preparation, including determining the place or places of its conduct, the duration of the conduct, the composition of factors, marketing and their values, which must be maintained unchanged or change in a strictly defined way throughout the experiment.

The preparation of an observation involves determining the places of observation, its duration, measures to ensure secrecy, detailed instruction of observers on the interpretation of possible various behaviors of the objects under study.

Preparing to collect information using a survey involves solving the following tasks:

  • - choice of communication method with the audience;
  • - preparation of the questionnaire;
  • - conducting testing and finalizing the questionnaire.

There are three main ways of communication between the researcher and the object during the survey: by phone, by mail and personal interview. Each of these communication methods has certain advantages and disadvantages. Appendix B discusses the main advantages and disadvantages.

The questionnaire is a flexible survey tool, because to obtain the necessary information, questions that differ in form, wording, and sequence can be used. So researchers can conduct both open and covert surveys.

An open survey uses wording of questions that clearly reflects its purpose. The advantage of such a survey is the ability to exclude interpretations by the interviewees of questions that do not correspond to the objectives of the study. The main disadvantage is the desire of the respondent in some cases to avoid a frank answer, and above all to questions of a personal nature.

Hidden polling avoids the drawback noted above, increases the degree of sincerity of the answers, but can lead to undesirable biases in the answers due to the incorrect interpretation of the question asked by the interviewee.

Depending on the form, two types of questions are distinguished: open and closed. Open-ended questions have a form that opens up complete freedom for the respondent in the formulation of the answer.

Closed questions provide the respondent with a set of alternative answers, from which he must choose one or more that best reflects his position (for example, "Indicate the two characteristics of a cell phone that are most important to you: appearance, compatibility, reliability, cost, availability of additional functions, etc.). These questions may require a single answer ("yes" or "no") or provide multiple choice.

Open-ended questions are preferable for preliminary research aimed at clarifying the nature of the problem. Their disadvantage lies in the fact that difficulties arise for the researcher in the analysis of answers due to discrepancies in the shades of words and expressions and the impossibility of their unambiguous interpretation. Therefore, in practice, closed questions have found the greatest distribution in marketing research.

The wording of the questionnaire questions must be carefully designed and meet the established requirements.

The final choice of the appropriate method largely depends on the qualifications and experience of the researchers, the depth of their knowledge of individual methods of data collection.

1. Fundamental differences between quantitative and qualitative methods for collecting primary information

2. Types of qualitative research

Main categories and concepts: quantitative research, qualitative research, case study, ethnographic method, historical method, family history method, biographical method, focus group method.

Sociological and marketing information is a special case of social information. This is information obtained with the help of sociological and marketing methods its collection and interpreted within the boundaries of sociology and marketing.

AT modern sociology and marketing, qualitative and quantitative data collection methods are used to obtain primary information.

Chronologically qualitative methods appeared much later than quantitative ones, in the second half of the 20th century. The fundamental difference between qualitative methods is the practical possibility of obtaining the subjective context of the opinions, judgments, assessments of the respondents, who are called informants in qualitative research. At the same time, qualitative studies do not provide for the use of a large surveyed population, as a result of which the possibility of extrapolating (transferring) the obtained data to the entire population is excluded. As a rule, in a qualitative study, the surveyed population is 10-15 units of analysis, but the selection of units of analysis is carried out according to all the rules for the formation of a sample population.

The collection of information is carried out mainly with the help of a narrative interview or a narrative essay (narrative - in-depth textual research), during which the informants express their subjective judgments, opinions, assessments. The subjectivity of the statements is dictated by the fact that this kind of survey is not of a standardized nature, that is, the informants are not offered questions with accompanying scales. Informants are given only general directions of the conversation or essay: either in the form of a problem / topic, or in the form of general questions, or in the form of clusters (a list of positions on which it is desirable to receive information). In each case, the informant determines the content context of the conversation or essay itself.

During the preparation of such a study, a traditional research program is drawn up. Upon completion of the qualitative study, the analysis and processing of the results obtained are carried out, which are subsequently used in the text of the report. A feature of the methods of processing qualitative information is the impossibility of using statistical programs.

Currently, there are no standard methods for processing qualitative information. Most general requirement The criterion for qualitative information is the use of the so-called "living speech" of the informants, which, in the context of the researcher's interpretive text, should be preserved in the style and vocabulary of the informants. In the case of an essay, in the spelling of the informants, that is, with all possible mistakes(in real research practice, such requirements are unconditional for sociology, but not for marketing).


The style of research using qualitative methods is defined as soft, warm.

Quantitative Research built on other grounds and laws. In this case, standardized methods of obtaining information are used, with the help of which statistical calculation of information is possible. On the basis of statistical data, the general trend for the surveyed population is determined, which can be extrapolated to the general population, since in this case valid sample(i.e. statistically significant, reflecting the whole variety of features of the general population).

Those interviewed in quantitative research are called respondents.

At the end of such a study, to process the results obtained, either statistical programs or the SPSS program are used. Manual processing is also possible - the so-called pointing.

The style of research using quantitative methods is defined as hard, cold.

In research practice in reality today mixed methods are mainly used - qualitative-quantitative. In this case, two research strategies can be used.

1. First, quantitative methods are used, the statistical results of which make it possible to construct certain qualitative/social portraits.

2. Initially, qualitative methods are used, during which those indicators / colloquial concepts that were used in the speech of informants in repetition when assessing any similar life situations, events are identified. Subsequently, these indicators are used in the preparation of scales for quantitative research.

Let's look at a few examples types of qualitative research , designating them in the general list not in terms of importance, but for the convenience of presentation.

· Case study / case study- study specific situations, cases that characterize the vital activity of certain small groups. In this case, in fact, the behavioral patterns that arise in non-standard situations that have become the subject of research interest.

When conducting a case study, additional options are possible: the study of one small group in several situations or the study of several small groups in a similar situation.

· Ethnographic method- with the help of which information is collected from representatives of a certain ethnic group, which allows you to form a high-quality portrait of the ethnic group.

· historical method- (largely close to the so-called "oral history" / "oral history" method, actively used in American sociology) - recreating certain historical events according to the stories of their participants.

· Family history method– study of the dynamics of intra-family relations in the context of historical events, changes in the social status positions of members of the same family in the chronological and event context of history. In the 90s, the method was actively mastered by the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as a result of which academic publications appeared, which presented the history of workers, peasants, petty bourgeois, noble families in Russia.

When using this method, it should be taken into account that from the point of view of demography, statistics, sociology, the generation step is 25 years, that is, intergenerational differentiation within families should be built on this principle.

· Biographical method ("History of life")- allows you to trace the dynamics of personality development in the context of certain concomitant life circumstances. This method is actively used in modern American sociology. In Russian practice, there was a fairly close analogue, which is represented by the ZhZL series (“Life of Remarkable People”). However, in this case, a sociological view of the problem was not involved, as a result of which this presentation of biographical materials cannot be considered sociological proper.

· Focus group method is one way of focusing the attention of informants on a particular problem. Focus groups are different. The traditional/conventional focus group (FG) includes 7-9 people. Extended (RFG) - up to 13-15 people. Mini focus group (MFG) - from 3 to 5 people.

The first two in time last within 1.5 - 2 hours. A mini focus group can run for 3 or more hours.

The focus group is conducted by a moderator together with an assistant. The entire course of the discussion is recorded on video and on a voice recorder.

At the preparatory stage, a range of issues is determined that should be discussed during the focus group. Moreover, all participants in the focus group should express their opinion on each of the questions.

The discussion usually takes place in a situation of casual tea drinking (or coffee is served) in order to give an informal character to communication.

A sign is placed in front of each participant indicating his name and patronymic, so that participants can address him accordingly.

When forming focus groups, it is important to observe the principle of social status unity of the group. It is inappropriate to involve people with contrasting socio-demographic positions (age, marital status, occupation, place of work, position, etc.).

The focus group should take place in a chamber setting in the absence of strangers. No one should interfere during its implementation. Tables should be placed in a semicircle so that everyone present can see each other. The door should be in the field of view of informants, and not behind their backs, in order to exclude accidental, distracting glances that interfere with speaking.

These are the standard requirements for the procedure for conducting focus groups.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that the focused can be individual interview. This is the case that is defined as a narrative interview in a qualitative research situation.

In modern domestic sociology, all methods of qualitative research are used to obtain initial data. In marketing - only focus groups in all its modifications.

In-depth interview a semi-structured personal conversation between the interviewer and the respondent in a form that encourages the latter to give detailed answers to the questions asked.

Distinctive features

The interview takes place in the form of a free conversation on a topic of interest to the researcher, during which the researcher receives from the respondent very detailed information about the reasons for his actions, about the attitude to various issues.

Technology

Preparing the Structure of the Conversation. Before starting a series of interviews, the researcher prepares a plan according to which the interview will be conducted. Unlike a regular survey, an in-depth interview plan is simply a list of questions on which the interviewer needs to get the opinion of the respondent.

Selecting respondents and conducting interviews. After preparing the interview plan, respondents are selected and the interviews themselves are conducted. The duration of an in-depth interview can be from half an hour to several (2-3) hours, depending on the complexity of the topic, as well as the number and depth of the issues being studied. As a rule, in-depth interviews are conducted in a special room with a neutral environment and good sound insulation, in order to avoid any external interference. The interview is recorded on audio and / or video equipment to facilitate subsequent interpretation and analysis of the data, and also in order not to lose important information.

Processing the results of the interview and compiling an analytical report. After the interview is completed, its audio and/or video recording is processed, as a result of which the researcher receives full text the entire interview. Based on these texts and the impressions of the interviewer, an analytical report is compiled.

Interviewers

The success of an in-depth interview largely depends on the professionalism and personal qualities of the interviewer. To conduct an interview, you need a qualified specialist, preferably with a psychological education. He must have the skills to establish contact with people, a good memory, the ability to quickly respond to non-standard answers, and patience. During the interview it is impossible to exert psychological pressure on the interviewee, to argue with him.

Application

As a rule, in-depth interviews are used to solve the same tasks as focus groups, namely:

  • study of consumer behavior, their attitude to goods, companies, brands;
  • development of new products, evaluation of the concept of a new product (its packaging, advertising campaign etc.);
  • obtaining preliminary consumer reactions to various marketing programs.

An in-depth interview should be used instead of a focus group in the following cases:

  • the topic of the interview involves the discussion of purely personal topics (personal finances, diseases);
  • interviews are conducted with representatives of competing organizations who do not agree to discuss this topic in a group;
  • a topic is discussed in which there are strict social norms, and the respondent's opinion may be influenced by the response of the group (paying taxes, etc.);
  • it is impossible to collect all respondents in one place and at one time (the respondents are small, distant from each other and/or very busy).

Advantages and disadvantages

Main disadvantages methods of in-depth interviews are associated with the difficulty of finding interviewers. First, conducting in-depth interviews requires skilled professionals who are not easy to find. Further, the quality of interview results is strongly influenced by the personality and professionalism of the interviewer. And, finally, the complexity of processing and interpreting the data obtained during the interview, as a rule, requires the involvement of psychologists for their analysis.

Advantages. With the help of in-depth interviews, you can get more complete information about a person’s behavior, about the reasons for such behavior, his deep motives, which is not always possible in a focus group where respondents put pressure on each other and it is difficult to determine who exactly gave this or that answer.

 

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