DBB2103: Research Methodology Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ)

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

SEMESTER 3

DBB2103
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

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DBB2103: Research Methodology Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ)

Unit 5
Data Collection
Table of Contents

SL Topic Fig No / Table SAQ / Page No

No / Graph Activity
1 Introduction - -
3
1.1 Objectives - -
2 Classification of Data 1, 2 1I 4-6
3 Secondary Data 3, 4, 5 2 7 - 14
3.1 Uses of Secondary Data - -
3.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of - -
Secondary Data
3.3 Types and Sources of Secondary Data - -
4 Primary Data Collection: Observation - 3 II 15 – 18
Method
5 Primary Data Collection: Focus Group - 4 19 – 22
Discussion
6 Primary Data Collection: Personal Interview 6 5 23 – 26
Method
7 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data - - 27
9 Summary - - 28
10 Glossary - - 28
11 Terminal Questions - - 29
12 Answers - - 29 – 30
13 References - - 30

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1. INTRODUCTION

In the last unit, we discussed research design and its various aspects. Once the research
design is in place, it is time to answer the research problem and hypotheses. But this cannot
be done unless one collects the relevant information necessary for arriving at any suitable
conclusions. The information thus collected is usually termed data. The researcher has a
choice of a wide variety of methods to collect the same. It has to be remembered that there
might be a lot of information available on the topic under study; however, you need to pick
up only that information which is of direct relevance to the current problem under study.

The researcher can make use of data that has been collected and compiled earlier or
alternately make use of methods that are problem-specific. The decision to choose one over
the other or to use a combination of methods depends on several deciding criteria. This unit
will begin by making the reader aware of the methods of data collection available for
research. Next, we will discuss the secondary data methods and then go on to discuss the
three most widely used primary data methods: observation, focus group discussion, and
interviews. The most popular and widely used method of primary data is the questionnaire
method. This will be dealt with at length in Unit 6.

1.1 Objectives

After studying this unit, you should be able to:

❖ distinguish between different types of primary and secondary sources of data.

❖ explain the relevance of secondary data in research.
❖ identify the different types and sources of secondary data.
❖ describe the method and uses of the observation method.
❖ discuss the method of focus group discussion.
❖ identify and use the interview method for data collection.

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2. CLASSIFICATION OF DATA

To understand the number of choices available to a researcher for collecting the study-
specific information, one needs to be fully aware of the resources available for the study and
the level of accuracy required. To appreciate the truth of this statement, one needs to
examine the variety of methods available to the researcher. The data sources could be either
problem-specific and primary or historical and secondary (Figure 4.1).

Figure 5.1 Sources of Research Information

Primary data, as the name suggests, is original, problem- or project-specific and collected for
the specific objectives and needs to be spelt out by the researcher. The accuracy and
relevance are reasonably high. The time and money required for this are quite high and
sometimes a researcher might not have the resources or the time or both to go ahead with
this method. In this case, the researcher can look at alternative sources of data that are
economical and reliable enough to take the study forward. These include the second category
of data sources— namely the secondary data.

Secondary data as the name implies is that information which is not topical or research-
specific and has been collected and compiled by some other researcher or investigative body.
This type of data is recorded and published in a structured format, and thus, is quicker to
access and manage. Secondly, in most instances, unless it is a data product, it is not too
expensive to collect. The information required is readily available as a data product or as

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information which the researcher or the organization can get and use it for arriving at quick
decisions. In comparison to the original research-centric data, secondary data can be
economically and quickly collected by the decision-maker in a short period. However, one
must remember that this is a little low on accuracy as what is primary and original for one
researcher would essentially become secondary and historical for someone else.

Table 5.1 gives a snapshot of the major differences between the two methods.

Table 5.1 Primary vs Secondary Data

Primary Data Secondary Data

Collection For the problem at For other

purpose hand problems
Collection Very involved Rapid & easy
process
Collection cost High Relatively low
Collection time Long Short
Accuracy As Desired Not Known
Control Complete No Control
Period Up to date Dated

Activity 1
• What kind of data will you collect for the following? measuring the financial
performance of ICICI bank
• Measuring the inflation rate in a country
• Comparing the profile of Santro with I – 10 users
• Analyzing Willian Shakespeare’s style of writing

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Self-Assessment Questions -1

1. The data that is always collected first in a research study is called

___________data.
2. ___________ data is not always specific to the research problem under study.
3. Census data is an example of a primary data source. (True/False)
4. The sampling frame of the respondent population is an example of secondary
data. (True/False)
5. Primary data methods have a significant time and cost advantage over
secondary data. (True/False)

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3. SECONDARY DATA
We have already discussed what secondary data is. Let us see what are its uses, types and
sources.

3.1 Uses Of Secondary Data

Secondary data can be used for multiple purposes as follows:

• Problem identification and formulation stage: Existing information on the topic

under study is useful to help develop the research question.
• Hypotheses designing: Previous research studies done in the area could help in
hypothesizing about expected results.
• Sampling considerations: There might be respondent-related databases available to
seek respondent statistics and relevant contact details. These would help during
sampling for the study.
• Primary base: The secondary information collected can be used to design the primary
data collection instruments, to phrase and design the right questions.
• Validation board: Earlier records and studies can also be used to support or validate
the information collected through primary sources.

Before we examine the wide range of secondary sources available to the business researcher,
one must be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary sources.

3.2 Advantages And Disadvantages Of Secondary Data

There are multiple advantages of using secondary data.

• Resource advantage: Any research that is making use of secondary information will
be able to save immensely in terms of both cost and time
• Accessibility of data: The other major advantage of secondary sources is that it is very
easy to access this data.
• Accuracy and stability of data: Data from recognized sources has the additional
advantage of accuracy and reliability
• Assessment of data: It can be used to compare and support the primary research
findings of the present study.

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However, there is a need for caution as well because in using secondary data, there might be
some disadvantages like:

• Applicability of data: The information might not be directly suitable for our study.
Also, since it is past data it might not be applicable today.
• Accuracy of data: All data available might not be reliable and accurate.

3.3 Types And Sources Of Secondary Data

As we saw earlier in Figure 5.1, secondary data can be divided into internal and external
sources. Internal, as the name implies, is an organization-or environment-specific source and
includes the historical output and records available with the organization which might be
the backdrop of the study. The data that is independent of the organization and covers the
larger industry scope would be available in the form of published material, computerized
databases, or data compiled by syndicated services. Discussed below are three major sources
of data – internal, external, computer-stored data, and syndicated databases.

Internal sources of data

Compilation of various kinds of information and data is mandatory for any organization that
exists. Some sources of internal information are presented in Figure 4.2.

Figure 5.2 Internal Sources of Data

• Company records: This includes all the data about the inception, the owners, and the
mission and vision statements, infrastructure, and other details, including both the
process and manufacturing (if any) and sales, as well as a historical timeline of the events.
• Employee records: All details regarding the employees (regular and part-time) would
be part of employee records.
• Sales data: This data can take on different forms:

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Cash register receipt

(i) Salespersons’ call records: This is a document to be prepared and updated every day
by each salesperson.
(ii) Sales invoices: Customer who has placed an order with the company, his complete
details including the size of the order, location, price by unit, terms of sale, and
shipment details (if any).

Financial records and sales reports

Besides this, there are other published sources like warranty records, CRM data, and
customer grievance data which are extremely critical in evaluating the health of a product or
an organization.

External data sources

As stated earlier, information that is collected and compiled by an outside source that is
external to the organization is referred to as external source of data. External sources of data
include the following:

Published data: There could be two kinds of published data—one that is from official and
government sources and the other kind of data is that has been prepared by individuals or
private agencies or organizations.

Government sources: The Indian government publishes a lot of documents that are readily
available and are extremely useful for providing background data. A brief snapshot of some
government data is given in Table 4.2.

Table 5.2 Secondary Data—Government Publications

Sub-type Sources Data Uses

1. Census Data Registrar General of India Size of the population Population

Conducted conducting census survey and its distribution by information is
every ten http://censusindia.gov.in/ age, sex, occupation significant as the
Years and income levels. forecasts of purchase,
Throughout 2010 census is taking estimates of growth
the country many more variables and development, as
to get a better picture well as policy
of the population decisions can be made
on this Base

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2. Statistical CSO (Central Statistical Education, health, Making demand,

Abstract Organization) for the past 5 years Residential estimations and a
India – http://www.mospi.gov.in/ information at the State-level
Annually cso_test1.htm State-level is part of assessment of
this document government support
and policy changes
can be made
3. White paper CSO Estimates of national Significant An
on National http://www.mospi.gov.in/ income, savings and indication of the
Income cso_test1.htm Consumption financial trends;
investment forecasts
and monetary policy
formulation
4. Annual CSO No. of units, persons Information on
Survey of employed, capital-output ratio, existing units gives
Industries – turnover, etc. perspective on
all industries http://www.mospi.gov.in/cs Industrial
o_test1.htm development and
helps in creating the
employee profile
5. The Monthly CSO Production statistics Demand–supply
survey of http://www.mospi.gov.in/cs in detail estimations
selected o_test1.htm
industries
6. Foreign Director-General of Commercial Exports and Imports Forecast,
Trade of Intelligence countrywise and manufacturing ,.and
India http://www.dgciskol.nic.in/ productwise trade estimations
Monthly
Statistics
7. Wholesale Ministry of Commerce and Reporting of prices of Establishing price
price index— Industry products like food bands of product
weekly all http://india.gov.in/sectors/c articles, food grains, categories; Pricing
India ommerce/ministry_commerce.php minerals, fuel, power, estimations for new
Consumer lights, lubricants, products; determining
Price Index textiles, chemicals, consumer spend
metal, machinery and
Transport
8. Economic Dept. of Economic Affairs, Ministry Descriptive reporting Estimations of the
Survey – of Finance, patterns, currency and of the current future and evaluation
annual finance economic Status of policy decisions and
publication http://finmin.nic.in/the_mini extraneous factors in
stry/dept_eco_affairs/ that Period
9. National Ministry of Planning Social, economic, Significant for making
Sample http://www.planningcommis demographic, policy decisions as
Survey (NSS) sion.gov.in/ industrial and well as studying
Agricultural statistics. sociological patterns

Other data sources: This source is the most voluminous and most frequently used, in every
research study. The information could be

• Books and periodicals

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• Guides: including Industry guides

• Directories and indices
• Standard non-governmental statistical data: Some non-government data sources are
presented in Table 5.3.

Table 5.3 Secondary Data—Non-government Publications

Sub-type Sources Data Uses
1. Company Bombay Stock Exchange A complete Significant in
Working http://www.bseindia.com/ database of the determining the
Results – companies financial health of
Stock registered with various sectors
Exchange the stock as well as
Directory exchange and assessment of
comprehensive corporate funding
details about and predictions
stock policies and of outcomes
current share
prices
2. Status The commodity board or the Detailed These are useful
reports by industry associations like information on for individual
various Jute Board, Cotton Industry, current assets-in sectors in
commodity Sugar Association, Pulses terms of units, working out their
boards Board, Metal Board, current plans as well as
Chemicals, Spices, production figures evaluating
Fertilizers, Coir, Pesticides, and market causes of
Rubber, Handicrafts, condition success or failure
Plantation Boards, etc.
3. Industry FICCI, ASSOCHAM, AIMA, Cases/ Cognizance of
Associations Association of Chartered comprehensive the gaps and
ns on Accountants and Financial reports by the problems in the
problems Analysts, Indo-American supplier or user effective
faced by Chamber of Commerce, or any other functioning of the
private etc. section organization;
sector, etc. http://www.ficci.com/ associated with Trouble-shooting
http://www.assocham.org/ the sector
http://www.aima-ind.org/
www.iaccindia.com/
4. Export Leather Exports Promotion Product and To estimate the
related Council, Apparel Export country wise data demand; gauge
data – Promotion Council, on the export opportunities for
commodity Handicrafts, Spices Tea, figures as well as trade and
wise etc., Exim Bank,etc. information on impetus required
http://www.leatherindia.org/ existing policies in terms of
http://www.aepcindia.com/ related to the sector manufacturing and
policy changes
5. Retail ORG (Operations Research The touchpoint Market analysis
Store Group); Monthly reports on for this data is and market
Audit on the urban sector. Quarterly retailer, who structure
pharmace- reports on rural sector provides the mapping with
utical, figures related to estimations of
veterinary, product sales; the market share of
consumer data is very leading brands.
products comprehensive The audit can
and covers most also, be used to
brands. The data Study

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is region-specific consumption
and covers both trends at different
inventory and time periods or
goods sold subsequent to
sales promotion
or other activities
6. National IMRB-survey of reading Today these Media planning
Reader- behavior for different surveys are done and measuring
Ship segments as well as by various bodies exposure as well
Surveys different products with different as reach for
(NRS) http://www.imrbint.com/ sample bases. product
Today the survey categories
base has become
younger, with the
age of the reader
lowered to 12+
7. THOMPS Hindustan Thompson All towns with The inclinations
ON Associates population of to purchase
INDICES: more than one consumer
Urban lakh are covered products are
market and information directly related to
index, of demographic socio-economic
Rural and socio- development of
market economic communities in
Index variables are general. The
given for each indices provide
city with Mumbai barometers to
as base. The measure such
rural index potentials for
similarly covers each city and has
about 400 implications for
districts with the researcher in
socio-economic terms of data
indicators like collection
value of sources
agriculture
output, etc.

Computer-stored data

Information today is also available in electronic form. The databases available to the
researcher can be classified on the basis of the type of information or by the method of
storage and recovery as described below.

• Reference databases: These refer users to the articles, research papers, abstracts and
other printed news contained in other sources. They provide online indices and
abstracts and are thus also called bibliographic databases.
• Source databases: These provide numerical data, complete text, or a combination of
both.

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Based on storage and recovery mechanisms: Another useful way of classifying databases
is based on their method of storage and retrieval.

• Online databases: These can be accessed in real-time directly from the producers of
the database or through a vendor. Examples include ABI/ Inform, EBSCO, and Emerald.
• CD-ROM databases: Here information is available on a CD-ROM.

Syndicated data sources

Syndicated service agencies are organizations that collect organization/product- category-

specific data from a regular consumer base and create a common pool of data that can be
used by multiple buyers, for their individual purpose.

There are different ways to classify syndicate sources.

• Household/individual data: These could be in the form of surveys or panel data

available through reputed agencies.
• Surveys: Surveys are usually one-time assessments conducted on a large
representative respondent base. Like opinion polls before elections, the best business
school to study.
• Product purchase panels: These specially selected respondent groups specifically
record certain identified purchases, generally related to household products and
groceries.
• Media-specific panels: Panels are also created for collecting information related to
promotion and advertising. The task of the media panel is to make use of different kinds
of electronic equipment to automatically record consumer viewing behavior. These are
used to calculate the television rating performance (TRP) of different programs.
• Scanner devices and individual source systems: To overcome the problems of panel
data, a new service is provided by research agencies through electronic scanner
devices-e.g., sales volume tracking data.
• Institutional syndicated data: The syndicated data can also be available at the
institutional level. Retailer and wholesaler audits are examples of this kind. Usually, the
records are noted as:

Beginning stocks + deliveries – ending inventory = sales for the period

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Self-Assessment Questions - 2

6. A cash register receipt is an example of __________ secondary data source.

7. Customer grievance data available with the company is an important source of
___________ data.
8. Statistical abstracts of India are prepared by ____________.
9. The __________ prepares the National Sample Survey (NSS).
10. Poor’s Statistical Services is a government publication on the people below the
poverty line.(True/False)
11. Syndicate sources are periodic in nature. (True/False)

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4. PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION: OBSERVATION METHOD

The researcher has available to him/her a wide variety of data collection methods that are
primary or problem-specific in nature. However, in this unit, we would be discussing the
major and most often used methods like the observation method, focus group discussion,
and interview method. The questionnaire method is the most commonly used method of
primary data collection. We will focus on the questionnaire method in detail in Unit 6. Let us
discuss some of the other widely used methods now.

Observation is a direct method of collecting primary data. It is one of the most appropriate
methods to use in the case of descriptive research. The method of observation involves
viewing and recording individuals, groups, organizations, or events in a scientific manner in
order to collect valuable data related to the topic under study.

The mode of observation could be a standardized and structured observation. Here, the
nature of content to be recorded, the format, and the broad areas of recording are
predetermined. Thus, the observer’s bias is reduced and the authenticity and reliability of
the information collected are higher. For example, Fisher-Price toys carry out an
observational study whenever they come out with a new toy. The observer is supposed to
record the appeal of the toy to a child.

The opposite of this is called unstructured observation. Here, the observer is supposed to
make a note of whatever he understands as relevant to the research study. This kind of
approach is more useful in exploratory studies

Since it lacks structure, the chances of observer bias are high. An example of this is the
observation of consumers at a bank, a restaurant, or a doctor’s clinic.

However, it is critical here to understand that the researcher must have a preconceived plan
to capture the observations made. It is not to be treated as a blank sheet where the observer
reports what he sees. The aspects to be observed must be clearly listed in an audit firm, or
they could be indicative areas on which the observation is to be made.

Another way of distinguishing observations is the level of respondents being aware of being
observed or not. This might be disguised; here the observation is done without the

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respondent’s knowledge who has no idea that he/she is being observed. This can also be
done with devices like a one-way mirror or a hidden camera or a recorder. The only
disadvantage is that this is ethically an intrusion of an individual’s right to privacy. On the
other hand, the knowledge that the person is under observation can be conveyed to the
respondent, and this is undisguised observation. The decision to choose one over the other
depends upon the nature of the study.

The observation method can also be distinguished on the basis of the setting in which the
information is being collected. This could be natural observation, which as the name
suggests, is carried out in actual real-life locations, for example, the observations of how
employees interact with each other during lunch breaks. On the other hand, it could be an
artificial or simulated environment in which the respondent is to be observed. This is actively
done in the armed forces where stress tests are carried out to measure an individual’s
tolerance level.

There is another differentiation where the observation could be done by a human observer
or a mechanical device.

Human observation: As the name suggests, this technique involves observation and
recording done by human observers. The task of the observer is simple and predefined in
the case of a structured observation study as the format and the areas to be observed and
recorded are clearly defined. In an unstructured observation, the observer records in a
narrative form the entire event that he has observed.

Mechanical observation: In these methods, man is replaced by a machine. Some examples

are

• Store cameras and cameras in banks and other service areas.

• Universal product code (UPC) scanned by electric scanners in stores
• Psychogalvanometer, which measures galvanic skin response (GSR) or changes in the
electrical resistance of the skin. Thus, the respondent could be exposed to different
kinds of packaging, advertisements, and product composition, to note his/her reaction
to them.

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• Eye-tracking equipment such as coulometers, eye cameras, or eye view minutes, record
the movements of the eye. The coulometer determines what the individual is looking
at, while the pupilometer measures the interest of the person in the stimulus. The
pupilometer measures changes in the diameter of the respondent’s pupils.
• Trace analysis; in this the remains or the leftovers of the consumers’ basket-like his
credit card spending, his recycle bin on his computer, his garbage (garbology) are
evaluated to measure current trends and patterns of usage and disposal.

Observational techniques are an extremely useful method of primary data collection and are
always a part of the inputs, whether accompanying other techniques, like interviews,
discussions, or questionnaire administration, or as the prime method of data collection.
However, the disadvantage that they suffer is that they are always behaviorally driven and
cannot be used to investigate the reasons or causes of the observed behavior. Another
problem is that if one is observing the occurrence of certain phenomena, one has to wait for
the event to occur. One alternative to this is to study the recordings, whether verbal, written,
or audio-visual, in order to formulate the study-related inferences.

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Self-Assessment Questions - 3

12. Observation is a direct method of collecting

a. Primary data
b. Secondary data
c. Both
d. Published data
13. Observing the remains or the leftovers of the consumers’ basket is referred to
as
a. Structured observation
b. Unstructured observation
c. Trace analysis
d. Mechanical observation
14. In case one wants to know why some people use plastic bags for carrying their
groceries even after the imposition of a ban on plastic bags by the Delhi
Government, one may use the observation method to collect the data.
(True/False)
15. Usually, the observation method entails that the observation is disguised, i.e.,
carried out without the respondent’s knowledge. (True/False)

Activity 2
Prepare an observation sheet for observing buying behavior in malls. Now go to a mall near
your house, first on a weekday and then on a weekend, and write down your observations in
the sheet you had made. What pattern of buying did you observe? how do you think this
information is of value to a marketer?

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5. PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION

Focus group discussion (FGD) is a highly versatile and dynamic method of collecting primary
data from a representative group of respondents. The process generally involves a
moderator who steers the discussion on the topic under study. There are a group of carefully
selected respondents who are specifically invited and gathered in a neutral setting. The
moderator initiates the discussion and then the group carries it forward by holding a focused
and interactive discussion.

Key elements of a focus group

Size: Ideal recommended size for a group discussion is 8 to 12 members. Less than eight
would not generate all the possible perspectives on the topic and the group dynamics
required for a meaningful session. And more than 12 would make it difficult to get any
meaningful insight.

Nature: Individuals who are from a similar background—in terms of demographic and
psychographic traits—must be included, otherwise, disagreement might emerge as a result
of other factors rather than the one understudy. The other requirement is that the
respondents must be similar in terms of the subject/ policy/product knowledge and
experience with the product under study. Moreover, the conduction of the focus group
discussion must ensure that the following criteria are taken care of:

Acquaintance: It has been found that knowing each other in a group discussion is disruptive
and hampers the free flow of the discussion. It is recommended that the group should consist
of strangers rather than subjects who know each other.

Setting: The space or setting in which the discussion takes place should be as neutral,
informal, and comfortable as possible. In case one-way mirrors or cameras are installed,
there is a need to ensure that these gadgets are not directly visible.

Time period: The discussion should be held in a single setting unless there is a ‘before’ and
‘after’ design, which requires group perceptions, initially before the study variable is
introduced; and later in order to gauge the group’s reactions. The ideal duration of

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conduction should not exceed an hour and a half. This is usually preceded by a short rapport
formation session between the moderator and the group members.

The recording: This is most often machine recording even though sometimes this may be
accompanied by human recording as well.

The moderator: The moderator is the one who manages the discussion. He might be a
participant in the group discussion or he might be a non-participant. He must be a good
listener and unbiased in his conduct of the discussions.

Steps in planning and conducting focus groups

The focus group conduction has to be done in a stepwise manner:

• Clearly define and enlist the research objectives of the study that requires group
discussion.
• A comprehensive moderator’s structured outline for conducting the whole process
needs to be charted out.
• After this, the actual focus group discussion is carried out.
• The focus summary of the findings is clubbed under different heads as indicated in the
focus group objectives and reported in a narrative form. This may include expressions
like ‘majority of the participants were of the view’ or ‘there was a considerable
disagreement on this issue’.

Types of focus groups

The researcher has different kinds of group discussion methods available to him or her.
These are:

Two-way focus group: Here one respondent group sits and listens to the other and after
learning from them or understanding the needs of the group, they carry out a discussion
amongst themselves. For example, in a management school, the faculty group could listen to
the opinions and needs of the student group.

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Dual-moderator group: Here, there are two different moderators; one responsible for the
overt task of managing the group discussion and the other for the second objective of
managing the ‘group mind’ in order to maximize the group performance.

Fencing-moderator group: The two moderators take opposite sides on the topic being
discussed and thus, in the short time available, ensure that all possible perspectives are
thoroughly explored.

Friendship groups: There are situations where the comfort level of the members needs to
be high so that they elicit meaningful responses. This is especially the case when a supportive
peer group encourages admission about the related organizations or people/issues.

Mini-groups: These groups might be of a smaller size (usually four to six) and are usually
expert groups/committees that on account of their composition are able to decisively
contribute to the topic under study.

Creativity group: These are usually longer than one-and-a-half-hour duration and might
take the workshop mode. Here, the entire group is instructed, after which they brainstorm
in smaller sub-groups. They then reassemble to present their sub-group’s opinion. This
might also stretch across a day or two.

Brand-obsessive group: These are special respondent sub-strata who are passionately
involved with a brand or product category (say, cars). They are selected, as they can provide
valuable insights that can be successfully incorporated into the brand’s marketing strategy.

Online focus group: This is a recent addition to the methodology and is extensively used
today. Here, the respondents at the designated time in a web- based chat room and enters
their ID and password to log on. The discussion between the moderator and the participants
in real-time.

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Self-Assessment Questions - 4

16. A focus group discussion generally involves a ________ who steers the discussion
on the topic under study.
17. Online focus groups are conducted in ______________ .
18. The ideal number of participants in a focus group discussion is

(a) 2–6 (b) 6–10 (c) 8–12 (d) 10–15

19. Special respondent sub-strata who are passionately involved with a brand or
product category are known as
a. Brand-obsessive group
b. Online focus group
c. Special focus group
d. Brand ambassadors

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6. PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION: PERSONAL INTERVIEW METHOD

The personal interview is a one-to-one interaction between the investigator/ interviewer
and the interviewee. The purpose of the dialogue is research specific and ranges from
completely unstructured to highly structured.

Uses of the interview method

The interview has varied applications in business research and can be used effectively in
various stages.

• Problem definition: The interview method can be used right at the beginning of the
study. Here, the researcher uses the method to get better clarity about the topic under
study.
• Exploratory research: Here because the structure is loose this method can be actively
used.
• Primary data collection: There are situations when the method is used as a primary
method of data collection, this is generally the case when the area to be investigated is
high on emotional responses

The interview process

The steps undertaken for the conduction of a personal interview are somewhat similar in
nature to those of a focus group discussion.

Interview objective: The information needs that are to be addressed by the instrument
should be clearly spelled out as study objectives. This step includes a clear definition of the
construct/variable(s) to be studied.

Interview guidelines: A typical interview may take from 20 minutes to close to an hour. A
brief outline to be used by the investigator is formulated depending on the contours of the
interview.

Structure: Based on the needs of the study, the actual interview may be unstructured, semi-
structured, or structured.

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• Unstructured: This type of interview has no defined guidelines. It usually begins with a
casually worded opening remark like ‘so tell us/me something about yourself’. The
direction the interview will take is not known to the researcher also. The probability of
subjectivity is very high.
• Semi-structured: This has a more defined format and usually only the broad areas to be
investigated are formulated. The questions, sequence, and language are left to the
investigator’s choice. Probing is of critical importance in obtaining meaningful
responses and uncovering hidden issues. After asking the initial question, the direction
of the interview is determined by the respondent’s initial reply, the interviewer’s
probes for elaboration, and the respondent’s answers.
• Structured: This format has the highest reliability and validity. There is considerable
structure to the questions and the questioning is also done on the basis of a prescribed
sequence. They are sometimes used as the primary data collection instrument also.

Interviewing skills: The quality of the output and the depth of information collected depend
upon the probing and listening skills of the interviewer. His attitude needs to be as objective
as possible.

Analysis and interpretation: The information collected is not subjected to any statistical
analysis. Mostly the data is in narrative form, in the case of structured interviews, it might be
summarized in prose form.

Types of interviews

There are various kinds of interview methods available to the researcher. In the last section,
we have spoken about a distinction based on the level of structure. The other classification
is based on the mode of administering the interview.

Figure 5.3 presents a classification of the types of personal interviews.

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Figure 5.3 Types of Personal Interview

Personal methods: These are the traditional one-to-one methods that have been used
actively in all branches of social sciences. However, they are distinguished in terms of the
place of conduction.

• At-home interviews: This face-to-face interaction takes place at the respondent’s

residence. Thus, the interviewer needs to initially contact the respondent to ascertain
the interview time.
• Mall-intercept interviews: As the name suggests, this method involves conducting
interviews with the respondents as they are shopping in malls. Sometimes, product
testing or product reactions can be carried out through structured methods and
followed by 20–30-minute interviews to test the reactions.
• Computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI): This technique is carried out with the
help of a computer. In this form of interviewing, the respondent faces an assigned
computer terminal and answers a questionnaire on the computer screen by using the
keyboard or a mouse. A number of pre-designed packages are available to help the
researcher design simple questions that are self-explanatory and instead of probing,
the respondent is guided to a set of questions depending on the answer given. There is
usually an interviewer present at the time of the respondent’s computer-assisted
interview and is available for help and guidance if required.

Telephone method: The telephone method replaces the face-to-face interaction between
the interviewer and interviewee, by calling up the subjects and asking them a set of
questions. The advantage of the method is that geographic boundaries are not a constraint

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and the interview can be conducted at the individual respondent’s location. The format and
sequencing of the questions remain the same.

• Traditional telephone interviews: The process can be accomplished using the traditional
telephone for conducting the questioning.
• Computer-assisted telephone interviewing: In this process, the interviewer is replaced
by the computer and it involves conducting the telephonic interview using a
computerized interview format. The interviewer sits in front of a computer terminal
and wears a mini-headset, in order to hear the respondent’s answer. However, unlike
the traditional method where he had to manually record the responses, the responses
are simultaneously recorded on the computer.

Since the interview requires a one-to-one dialogue to be carried out, it is more cumbersome
and costly as compared to a focus group discussion. Also, the conduction of an interview
requires considerable skills on part of the interviewer, and thus adequate training in
interviewing skills is needed for capturing comprehensive study-related data.

Self-Assessment Questions - 5

20. The interview method is a one-to-one interaction between __________and the

_____________.
21. The __________ interview has no defined guidelines.
22. When interviews are conducted with the help of the computer they are called
_____________.

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9. QUALITATIVE VS. QUANTITATIVE DATA

The table below describes some of the important differences between Qualitative and
Quantitative Data.

Quantitative Data Qualitative Data

If it can be counted or measured, Qualitative data refers to the
and given a numerical value, it is words or labels used to describe
Nature quantitative in nature certain characteristics or traits
It is based on interpretation,
It is based on numbers, countable, descriptive, and relating to
Measurement or measurable language
Quantitative variables can help in
understanding "how many," "how Qualitative data can help in
They answer much," or "how often." answering the "why?" or "how?"
Statistical Analysis is normally
used by collecting, evaluating, and
Research presenting large amounts of data Here data is grouped into
Tools to discover patterns and trends categories and themes
It focuses on measuring (using
inferential statistics) and
Measures generalizing results. It is subject to interpretations
Context It is fixed and universal It is subjective and unique

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9. SUMMARY
Let us recapitulate the important concepts discussed in this unit:

• The researcher has access to two major sources of this data: original as in primary
sources or secondary data.
• The secondary information is a useful, fast, and cost-effective way of testing and
achieving the study objectives.
• Secondary data could be collected and compiled within the organization/ industry.
• Data collected from an outside source is termed an external data source.
• The observational method is the simplest method of primary data collection. This can
be differentiated into structure-unstructured; human– mechanically observed data.
• The focus group discussion is a cost-effective method and can ideally be done on a small
group of respondents to obtain meaningful data.
• The interview method involves a dialogue between the interviewee and the
interviewer. This can range from unstructured to completely structured. Today the
interviewer can make use of the telephone as well as computer to assist him in
conducting the interview.

10. GLOSSARY

• An external source of data: Information that is collected and compiled by an outside

source that is external to the organization.
• Focus group discussion: A form of structured group discussion involving people with
knowledge and interest in a particular topic and a facilitator.
• Online database: a database that can be accessed by computers.
• Primary data: Original, problem or project-specific and collected for the specific
objectives and needs spelled out by the researcher.
• Secondary data: Information that is not topical or research-specific and has been
collected and compiled by some other researcher or investigative body.
• Syndicated data: Information gathered by a service or company for public release and
sold by subscription.

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11. TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. Distinguish between secondary and primary methods of data collection.
2. How can secondary data be classified? Elaborate on each type with suitable examples.
3. What are syndicated data sources?
4. What is the observation method? What are the different types of observation methods
available to the researcher?
5. What are focus group discussions? What are the types of focus groups available to the
researcher?
6. Explain the interview method of data collection. What are the uses of the technique?
What are the different types of interviews?

12. ANSWERS

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. Primary
2. Secondary
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. Internal
7. Secondary
8. Central Statistical Organization
9. Ministry of Planning
10. False
11. True
12. (a) Primary data
13. (c) Trace analysis
14. False
15. False
16. Moderator
17. Web-based chat rooms

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18. (c) 8–12

19. (a) Brand-obsessive group
20. Investigator/interviewer, an interviewee
21. Unstructured
22. Computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI)

Answers to Terminal Questions

1. The data sources could be either problem-specific and primary or historical and
secondary in nature. Refer to Section 2 for further details.
2. Secondary data can be divided into internal and external sources. Refer to Section 3.3
for further details.
3. Information gathered by a service or company for public release and sold by
subscription is called syndicated data. Refer to Section 3.3 for further details.
4. Observation is a direct method of collecting primary data. Refer to Section
4 for further details.
5. Focus group discussion is a highly versatile and dynamic method of collecting
information from a representative group of respondents. Refer to Section 5 for further
details.
6. The personal interview is a one-to-one interaction between the investigator/
interviewer and the interviewee. Refer to Section 6 for further details.

13. REFERENCES

1. Bhattacharyya, D K. (2006). Research Methodology. New Delhi: Excel Books.

2. Chawla D and Sondhi, N. (2011). Research Methodology: Concepts and Cases. New Delhi:
Vikas Publishing House.
3. Malhotra, N K. (2002). Marketing Research–An Applied Orientation. 3rd edn. New Delhi:
Pearson Education.
4. Pannerselvam, R. (2004). Research Methodology. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt.
Ltd.,
5. Easwaran, Singh, SJ. (2006). Marketing Research–Concepts, Practices and Cases. New
Delhi: Oxford University Press.

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