Marketing Quiz

Zunaira Shahid
19E01012-EMBA SEC-A
Descriptive research design-survey and observation
Q. Your views about observation level with examples.

Answer
If you want to do good descriptive research, it is important to know exactly what you want to
measure, and you have to be smart in selecting a survey method that everyone wants to
happily respond to as per Mr. Jeff Miller.
The major methods in descriptive research are survey and observation. They go hand in hand
or, you can say, they complement each other. A survey is also called a communication
method. It is important to feel connected nowadays with consumers more than just
communicating.
Survey methods classified by mode of administration include telephone methods, personal
methods, mail methods, and electronic methods. Personal methods can be personal in-home
interviews, mall intercept personal interviews, and computer-assisted personal interviewing.
Criteria for evaluating survey methods include task factors, for example, diversity of
questions, and flexibility of data collection, use of physical stimuli, sample control, the
potential for interviewer bias. Speed for administering the survey to the entire sample, cost of
the survey. Other criteria include respondent factors like perceived anonymity social
desirability, low incidence rate, etc.
The observation methods are structured and unstructured. Unstructured is subjective, and the
conclusion is not known or clearly in order, whereas structured methods are more quantitative
and accurate when measured in terms of expression.
Observational methods help eradicate biases from the process, unlike surveys that skew the
gathered data. The main advantage of an observational survey is that I cover both the subjects
under study those who want to participate willingly, and those who do not participate. For
example, if a researcher observes a customer who picks the branded product but ends up
opting/buying for the less expensive product in a particular category, can ask him if it was
due to financial budget, etc.
Observational methods also require giant investments in the process. Data that has to be
analyzed can also be time-consuming, and at times it fails to provide insights on attitudes or
motives. For example, a consumer is observed via cameras and recordings, spending two
hours reading the ingredients of food packages but, the researcher cannot be sure of what the
insight of the consumer was and to what extent this reading leads to the buying decision.
Other observation methods include disguised and undisguised. Disguised observation does
not allow respondents to know that they are being observed.
Natural observation and contrived observation are other observational methods. Contrived
observation is the opposite of natural observation where respondents are being observed in an
artificial environment. An example of contrived observation includes the test kitchen.
In personal observation, actual behavior is observed and as a result, often brands change the
product. Studying human behavior is important as it helps the researcher understand the
consumer, and it is successful when a researcher has amazing observational skills.
Observation allows researchers to observe in a natural environment and situations. Usability
testing is a good example of such research. Examples of such situations would include the
production of video games where consumers are given the devices for playing and are
observed without given any instructions on it or they can even give instructions before giving
it and ask questions later about it.
The eye-tracking system, a technology that can observe researchers or provide insight to find
out where consumers are looking and paying attention to while shopping has helped research
firms grow. For example, a research conducted by SensoMotoric instruments in Germany in a
supermarket had provided glasses to a consumer who was being observed via an eye-tracking
system and was interviewed later to get insight on their buying behavior and choices. It
helped researchers understand how long consumers gaze at the product and how they are
attracted to different colors/labels. They also observed the product placement in the
supermarket and the shelves that attracted the consumers the most.
A test kitchen in the USA allowed marketers to research their new tag called Black label
hamburgers. Researchers were only allowed to research through direct observation without
using cameras and recordings. Management of the food chain walked them through the entire
process of making the burger. Test samples were carried to consumers to observe and test the
burger on taste, messiness, and uniqueness. It was tested at Ohio University, where the
student population was massive and it had a strong international presence. If this burger was a
hit here it means it was accepted by consumers of all demographics. For example, Jenis ice-
cream’s certain flavors were tested here and they were a big seller. Another example is Piada
Italian street food that was tested some years ago, and today it has 38 locations in six states.
And it was observed, during the research that consumers waited in the queue for long periods
to purchase food from Piada and the line never ended.
Observational research can give the best outcome when paired with different research
methods like surveys, in-depth interviews, etc. data skewing can be minimal if this pairing is
executed smartly.