The Sampling Design Process

“Target Population” and “Sample”

Target Population – The entire relevant group of people, from which
information is required
e.g. “All users of Dove soap in India” for a research to understand
customer satisfaction of Dove among its users

Sample – A sub-set of a larger group (population) from which

information is collected to learn about the population
e.g. “2000 users of Dove soap selected from different locations of
India” to understand customer satisfaction of Dove
“Census” and “Sample Survey”
Census – Complete enumeration OR a research among the entire
target population

e.g. For a ‘Channel member Satisfaction Study’ of Tata Steel all

Distributors of Tata Tiscon (120) are interviewed with a structured q’re

Sample Survey – A Survey done among a selected Sample from the

population, to represent the characteristics of the population

e.g. A survey done among 2000 users of Dove

“Census” and “Sample Survey”

WHY DO WE MOSTLY DO SAMPLE SURVEYS AND NOT

CENSUS?
- Time
- Cost

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…

“Census” and “Sample Survey”
Incremental improvement in sampling error is very marginal after
a certain sample size is achieved
So, When is Census really required?
- When the size of the target population is very small
- there is a large variance in the characteristics of the target
population
- and, at times, when studying individual members of the
target population important

e.g. 1. Understanding the purchase behaviour of confectionaries for the

Airline industry
(There are less than 30 airlines operating in India and difference in
procurement policies can be huge!... Also you cannot miss out on one
Indigo as that might be the most important player to target!!!)
e.g. 2. Satisfaction studies among wholesalers, distributors, dealers
How to go about a Sampling Design
Process
How to go about the Sampling Process

Step 1: Decide on Target Population

Step 2: Get hold of a Sampling Frame

Step 3:Decide on Sampling Technique

Step 4: Determine Sample Size

STEP 1: Decide on Target Population
Target Population – Collection of all members in the population
who meet the Target Group (TG) definition of the research
TG: Well-defined set of relevant consumers whom the company
has decided to aim its marketing efforts
…generally decided by the Client OR by the Researcher in
discussion with the Client
For example, TG of a research to understand Awareness, Trial and
imagery of HUL’s premium brands of shampoo
- SEC A
- Housewife / Brand decision maker for shampoos in the household
- Age 21 – 45 yrs
- Regular user of any high-price-segment brand (Priced > x for 100ml)
Target Group definition… In general
The general practice is to look at two things
- Demographics (like SEC, MHI, Age, Gender, etc)
- Product usage habits, Brand usage, etc

Demographics can be in two parts – Household demographics (SEC,

MHI, etc) and Individual demographics (Age, Gender, Education,
Occupation, etc. of person being interviewed)

Similarly for Product or Brand usage also, Household Products (butter,

ketchups, TV, Refrigerator, etc) and Individual Products (mobile phone,
shaving cream, soft drinks, etc) are distinguished

Details of household products can be answered by housewife but for

others, specific members need to be contacted
Target Group definition: Exercise 1

A new ad of Coke is being aired in all media for last 2

weeks. Coca-Cola Co. would want to do a research to
understand what % of its relevant audience “recalls it” and
what is the “Likeability” and “Intention to buy” among them
Target Group definition: Exercise 2

Opinion poll to predict results of a forthcoming election

Target Group definition: Exercise 3

First post launch brand health study for a Ready to Eat brand
Target Group definition: Exercise 4

Post launch brand health research for ITC’s Aashirvaad

Branded Spices (Chilli, Turmeric, Coriander Powder)
END OF STEP 1:
Decide on Target Population… and hence
the TG of the research!
STEP 2: Get hold of a Sampling Frame
What is a Sampling Frame?
- A representation of all the elements of the target population
- It consists of a list or set directions for identifying the target
population

Examples of Sampling Frame:

1. Voter’s List
2. Telephone Directory
3. Mailing lists / Databases purchased from commercial
organizations
4. Lists of retailers / customers provided by the Client
STEP 3: Decide on Sampling Technique
Broadly, there are two types of Sampling techniques:
- Probability Sampling (ESTIMATION,
MEASUREMENTS)
- Non-Probability Sampling (DIAGNOSTICS)

Probability Sampling (also commonly called “Random Sampling”)

is one where every member of population has some chance (and
a known chance) of getting selected in the Sample
e.g. Opinion Poll with sample size of 15,000 to predict election results
(Sampling Frame: Voter’s list)

In Non-Probability Sampling, every member of Population may

not have a chance of getting selected in the Sample

e.g. A Survey among credit card owners in Kolkata done by ‘Mall-

intercept’ or contacting friends and friend’s friends
Random Sampling

 If a sample is randomly selected from a population, the

characteristics of the sample should (imperfectly) mimic
those of the population

 How can a random sample be obtained?

- First, a “master list” of the population must be enumerated
- Using an Excel file, a random subset of any size can be drawn from
the population by generating random numbers
Population Versus Random Sample
 Generally speaking, with research we want to learn truths
in a population, but can only estimate these from an
imperfect sample of observations from the population

Population Random Sample

20% M < 30 years

15% M ≥ 30 years
25% F< 30 years
40% F ≥ 30 years
Types of Probability Sampling

Types of Probability Sampling:

1. Simple Random Sampling
2. Systematic Random Sampling
3. Stratified Sampling
4. Cluster Sampling

Types of Non-Probability Sampling: Quota, Convenience,

Judgemental, Snowballing, etc
Types of Probability Sampling

1. Simple Random Sampling:

- Every element of population has equal chance of getting selected in
the Sample
- Every Sample of a given size ‘n’ can be drawn and has equal chance of
getting selected in the Sample

2. Systematic Random Sampling

- Step 1: Select a random starting point
- Step 2: Pick every i-th element in succession from Sampling Frame
Types of Probability Sampling

3. Stratified Random Sampling:

- Step 1: Divide the population into homogeneous sub-groups (Strata)
- Step 2: Select Sample from each Stratum by Simple Random or
Systematic Random Sampling process
(Sampling of IRS and several other large Indian surveys)

4. Cluster Sampling:
- Step 1: Divide the population into Clusters (generally of equal size).
The Clusters are not homogeneous within
- Step 2: Pick a random sample of Clusters. Study them totally OR by
picking a random sample of elements
(Survey to find average height of trees in Sunderban Forest)
Types of Non-Probability Sampling

1. Convenience Sampling
2. Judgmental Sampling
3. Snowball Sampling
4. Quota Sampling: Widely Used. Similar to Stratified Sampling…
however, in Step 2, the individual elements of Sample are not selected
randomly
How to go about the Sampling Process

Step 1: Decide on Target Population

Step 2: Get hold of a Sampling Frame

Step 3:Decide on Sampling Technique

Step 4: Determine Sample Size

STEP 4: Determine Sample Size

QUALITATIVE FACTORS:
1. Importance of the decision (e.g. demand estimation vs Pack
Test)
2. Number of variables being studied (e.g. Awareness, Trial,
Repeat, Imagery, etc in a post-launch track vs Pack Likeability in
a Pack Test)
3. Number of sub-groups to be studied (e.g. Post Launch
Track results required by Markets, SECs, Age groups, Gender
separately)
4. Nature of Analysis required (multi-variate vs simple Tables)
5. Other practical reasons like sample size used in previous
similar studies, interview completion rates, time and cost
STEP 4: Determine Sample Size
Quantitatively, sample size depends on:
1. The sampling error permissible for the study
2. The confidence level with which one wants the results
3. The variable (or variables) that one would like to measure
and the expected proportion of that variable

It is often said that “the results are valid at 95% confidence level, with a
sampling error of 5%”… What does this mean???

Take example of Washing Machine Ownership study in Kolkata (expected to be 40% among SEC A)

Do not confuse error and confidence level. Confidence level is nothing

but the surety with which you can say that the result from the sample will
fall in a certain range. In the above case, you are 95% sure
STEP 4: Determine Sample Size
Quantitatively, sample size depends on:
1. The sampling error permissible for the study
2. The confidence level with which one wants the results
3. The variable (or variables) that one would like to measure
and the expected proportion of that variable

Remember, “Error of what?” Error levels would depend on what you are
measuring… e.g. Error associated with Trial (say, at 10%) and
Awareness (say, at 50%) would be different
STEP 4: Determine Sample Size
Quantitatively, sample size depends on:
1. The sampling error permissible for the study
2. The confidence level with which one wants the results
3. The variable (or variables) that one would like to measure
and the expected proportion of that variable

Max error would be at 50%, so often, sample sizes are determined

keeping this in mind
Always Remember

1. With large sample sizes, sampling error will be low. But in

general, non-sampling errors may be higher
e.g. A study of 100 sample size done by 10 interviewers VS a study of
10,000 sample size done by 500 interviewers… The latter may have
more non-sampling error due to different interviewing style, difficulty in
supervision, etc

2. Large sample sizes, beyond a certain point, do not

increase efficiency at the same rate
e.g. To improve sampling error levels from 7% to 5%, one can increase
the sample size from ___ to ___. But to improve the error levels from 5%
to 3% sample should be increased from ___ to ___
Sample Size – A Final Word

FOR ALL LARGE TARGET POPULATIONS, PLEASE

REMEMBER THAT SAMPLE SIZE DOES NOT DEPEND
ON THE SIZE OF THE POPULATION, BUT ON THE
HETEROGENIETY OF IT

SO, FOR THE SAME STUDY, SAMPLE SIZE IN MUMBAI

TAKEN AS 400 AND SAMPLE SIZE OF KOLHAPUR
TAKEN 250, IS NOT BECAUSE POPULATION OF
MUMBAI IS LARGER
How to go about the Sampling Process

Step 1: Decide on Target Population

Step 2: Get hold of a Sampling Frame

Step 3:Decide on Sampling Technique

Step 4: Determine Sample Size

Thank You!