Question 5,6

Methods of collecting primary data AND problem faced by researcher in collecting Primary data

SUBMITTED by: Bhawna rajora 117510 BBM 5 sem.

th

Date: 9/9/2013

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE OF PRIMARY RESEARCH COLLECTION OF PRIMARY DATA
OBSERVATION METHOD INTERVIEW METHOD SCHDULE METHOD QUESTIONNIARE/ MAILED SURVEY METHOD EXPRIMENTATION CASESTUDY SIMULATION

PROBLEMS FACED BY RESEARCHER IN COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA

REFERENCES

Methods of collecting primary data and problem faced by researcher in collecting Primary data INTRODUCTION: The task of data collection begins after a research problem has been defined and research design chalk out. While deciding about the method of data collection to be used for the study, the researcher should keep in mind two types of data viz; primary and secondary. The primary data are those which are collected fresh and for the first time, and thus happen to be original in character. The secondary data, on the other hand are those which have already been collected by someone else and which have already been passed through the statistical process. There are advantages and disadvantages to primary research. Advantages:

Addresses specific research issues as the researcher controls the search design to fit their needs Great control; not only does primary research enable the marketer to focus on specific subjects; it also enables the researcher to have a higher control over how the information is collected. Taking this into account, the researcher can decide on such requirements as size of project, time frame and goal.

Disadvantages:

Compared to secondary research, primary data may be very expensive in preparing and carrying out the research. Costs can be incurred in producing the paper for questionnaires or the equipment for an experiment of some sort. In order to be done properly, primary data collection requires the development and execution of a research plan. It takes longer to undertake primary research than to acquire secondary data. Some research projects, while potentially offering information that could prove quite valuable, may not be within the reach of a researcher. By the time the research is complete it may be out of date. Low response rate has to be expected. An example of primary research in opinion research: the government wants to know if people are pleased with how the government is being run, so they hand out questionnaires to the public asking if they are happy and, if not, how to improve.

COLLECTION OF PRIMARY DATA

We collect the primary data during the course of doing experiments in an experimental research but in case we do research of descriptive type and perform surveys, whether sample surveys or census surveys, then we can obtain primary data either through observation or through direct communication with respondents in one form or another or through personal interviews. Researcher must take great care when collecting primary data. They need to make sure that it will be relevant, accurate current and unbiased. There are several methods of collecting primary data,
OBSERVATION METHOD INTERVIEW METHOD SCHDULE METHOD QUESTIONNIARE/ MAILED SURVEY METHOD EXPRIMENTATION CASESTUDY SIMULATION

Some other method which includes a) warranty card b) content analysis c)distributor audit d)pantry audit d) consumer panel e) using mechanical device f) through projective techniques. 1. OBSERVATION METHOD: Observational research involves Gathering primary data by observing relevant people, action, and situation. Observation method is a method under which data from the field is collected with the help of observation by the observer or by personally going to the field. In the words of P.V. Young, Observation may be defined as systematic viewing, coupled with consideration of seen phenomenon. This method is most commonly used specially in studies relating to behavioral sciences. Observation methods represent different class of data collection methods where without interacting with the respondents or the subjects under study, observations are made and recorded. Sometimes it is less costly and more accurate, if instead of asking the respondents their behavior is carefully observed. Observation is quite commonly used in exploratory and monitoring researcher designs. For example, if the newly opened Green Supermarket in Delhi wanted to know if its prices of commodities were competitive, the only way to get the information is to regularly monitor, through observation, the prices of these commodities in other supermarkets and comparable stores. In certain circumstances, though alternative modes of data collection are available, observation may actually be the preferable method of information collection, because of cost or accuracy consideration. Observation may become the more suitable mode of data collection in such a situation when the people are unwilling or unable to provide information. Observation may be carried out manually or mechanically. In countries like UK, USA and Canada devices like the hidden motion picture cameras are used to observe consumer behavior in the natural situation. The audiometer is another gadget, (described as the electromechanical equivalent of the respondent diary) used for recording day to day behavior. It is installed in the televisions of a. selected panel of people and automatically records the times the set in turned on or as well as the stations tuned in. The recordings collected are used to get total average and share of audience for the different channels and commercials. These devices permit a complete and accurate recording: In India, some jewelers stores make use of short circuit cameras.

Various types of observational research method When observation is characterized by a careful definition of units to be observed, the style of recording the observed information, standardized condition of observation than the observation is called structured observation. But when observation is take place without these characteristics to be thought of in advance that observation is termed as unstructured observation. If the observer observes by making himself, more or less, a member of group he is observing so that he can experience what the members of group experience, the observation is called as participant observation. But when the observer is observing in such a manner that his presence may unknown to the group member that he is observing, such an observation is described as non-participant observation. There are several merits and demerits of observation method: The researcher is enabling to record the natural behavior of the group. This method limited to collecting data about visible characteristics or variables Respondents do not participate. Lack of interaction minimizes data distortion. 2. INTERVIEW METHOD: Definition Interviewing is one of the major methods of data collection. It may be defined as two-way systematic conversation between an investigator and an informant, initiated for obtaining information relevant to as a specific study. It involves not only conversation, but also learning from the respondents gestures, facial expressions and pauses, and his environment. Interviewing requires face-to-face contact or contact over telephone and calls for interviewing skills. It is done by using a structured schedule or an unstructured guide. Importance Interviewing is the suitable method for gathering information from illiterate or less educated respondents. It is useful for collecting a wide range of data from factual demographic data to highly personal and intimate information relating to a person's opinions, attitudes, and values, beliefs, past experience and future intentions. When qualitative information is required, then interviewing is required. Where the area covered for the survey is a compact, or when a sufficient number of qualified interviewers are available, personal interview is feasible. There is different type of interviews as follows: A) Personal interviews: the interviewer asks questions generally in a face to face contact to the other person or persons. B) Telephonic interviews: when it is not possible to contact the respondent directly, then interview is conducted through Telephone. C) Structured interviews: in this case, a set of pre-decided questions are there. D) Unstructured interviews: in this case, we dont follow a system of pre-determined questions. E) Focused interviews: attention is focused on the given experience of the respondent and its possible effects. Gather a group of people, specifically from your company's target market, and have a facilitator guide them in examining a certain product and asking their opinions on said product. This method is primarily used to determine whether a company's new product or brand name will be acceptable to their target market and to the general public.

F) Clinical interviews: concerned with broad underlying feelings or motivations or with the course of individuals life experience, rather than with the effects of the specific experience, as in the case of focused interview. G) Group interviews: a group of 6 to 8 individuals is interviewed. H) Depth interviews: it deliberately aims to elicit unconscious as well as other types of material relating especially to personality dynamics and motivations. 3. SCHEDULE METHOD: This method of data Collection is very much like the collection of data through questionnaire, with little difference which lies in the fact that schedules are being filled in by the enumerators who are specially Appointed for the purpose. In case the informants are largely uneducated and non-responsive data cannot be collected by the questionnaire method. In such cases, schedule method is used to collect data. Here the questionnaires are sent through the enumerators to collect information. Enumerators are persons appointed by the investigator for the purpose. They directly meet the informants with the questionnaire. They explain the scope and objective of the enquiry to the informants and solicit their cooperation. The enumerators ask the questions to the informants and record their answers in the questionnaire and compile them. The success of this method depends on the sincerity and efficiency of the enumerators. So the enumerator should be sweet-tempered, good-natured, trained and well-behaved. Schedule method is widely used in extensive studies. It gives fairly correct result as the enumerators directly collect the information. The accuracy of the information depends upon the honesty of the enumerators. They should be unbiased. This method is relatively more costly and time-consuming than the mailed questionnaire method.
4. QUESTIONNIARE / MAILED SURVEY RESEARCH METHOD:

Survey Research is a means of analysis involving a respondent and questionnaire to obtain qualitative and/ or quantitative information in a sociological study. The respondent is a person who provides data for analysis by responding to a survey questionnaire. This is a very commonly used method of collecting primary data. Here information is collected through a set of questionnaire. A questionnaire is a document prepared by the investigator containing a set of questions. These questions relate to the problem of enquiry directly or indirectly. Here first the questionnaires are mailed to the informants with a formal request to answer the question and send them back. For better response the investigator should bear the postal charges. The questionnaire should carry a polite note explaining the aims and objective of the enquiry, definition of various terms and concepts used there. Success of this method greatly depends upon the way in which the questionnaire is drafted. So the investigator must be very careful while framing the questions. The questions should be (i) Short and clear. (ii) Few in number. (iii) Simple and intelligible. (iv) Corroboratory in nature or there should be provision for cross check. (v) Impersonal, non-aggressive type. (vi) Simple alternative, multiple-choice or open-end type. (a) In the simple alternative question type, the respondent has to choose between alternatives such as Yes or No, right or wrong etc. For example: Is Adam Smith called father of Statistics? Yes/No,

(b) In the multiple choice type, the respondent has to answer from any of the given alternatives. Example: To which sector do you belong? (i) Primary Sector (ii) Secondary Sector (iii) Tertiary or Service Sector (c) In the Open-end or free answer questions the respondents are given complete freedom in answering the questions. The questions are like What are the defects of our educational system? The questionnaire method is very economical in terms of time, energy and money and very flexible in nature. The method is widely used when the scope of enquiry is large. Data collected by this method are not affected by the personal bias of the investigator. However the accuracy of the information depends on the cooperation and honesty of the informants. This method can be used only if the informants are cooperative, conscious and educated. This limits the scope of the method. 5. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH: Whereas observation is best suited for exploratory research and surveys for descriptive research, experimental research is best suited for gathering causal information. Experiment involve selecting matched groups of subjects, giving them different treatments, controlling unrelated factors and checking for differences in group responses. Thus, experimental research tries to explain cause-and-effect relationship. It also help to find out the relationship between different marketing variables. Marketing experiments are conducted almost like other scientific experiments. Why Experiment? Experimentation requires special efforts. It is often extremely difficult to design, and it is also a time consuming process. Why should then one take such trouble? Why not simply observe/survey the phenomenon? The fundamental weakness of any non-experimental study is its inability to specify causes and effect. It can show only correlations between variables, but correlations alone never prove causation. The experiment is the only method, which can show the effect of an independent variable on dependent variable. In experimentation, the researcher can manipulate the independent variable and measure its effect on the dependent variable. For example, the effect of various types of promotional strategies on the sale of a given product can be studies by using different advertising media such as T.V., radio and Newspapers. Moreover, experiment provides the opportunity to vary the treatment (experimental variable) in a systematic manner, thus allowing for the isolation and precise specification of important differences. 6. CASESTUDY: Case Study usually refers to a fairly intensive examination of single unit, such as person, a small group of people, or single company. case study is in extensive use mainly in marketing research today. Using situations analogous to or relevant to the problem situation, an in depth investigation is carried out to thoroughly study the case situation. The emphasis of the study is on identifying key variables, defining the nature of their relationships and possibly defining the problem/opportunity in order to suggest alternative courses of action for the decision situation. The source is typically relevant in situations where multiple variables interact to produce the problem or the opportunity.

Examples would be research problems involving, a) study of changes in sales performance with the entry of a new competitor, b) contrasting performance levels in different markets, c) transitional stages like study of sales territories where the company is altering its distribution channels from indirect to direct sales. 7. SIMULATION: A marketing simulation is an incomplete representation of the marketing system or some aspect of the system. It is a relatively new data source and is largely computer based. It involves the study of dynamics of the marketing system by manipulating independent variables like marketing mix or situational factors and observing their influence on the dependent variables. It would therefore need characteristics of the phenomenon and the relationships between variables to be represented as data inputs. The researcher creating a marketing simulation is required to conceptualized and record the structural component and assign probabilities to represent the behavior of the components. Depending upon the phenomenon being studied these components could be buyers, retailers, households etc. while the variables which affect how these components would behave could be price charges, advertising expenditure levels, sales promotion programmes, quality of the product and so on. The constants in respect to phenomenon under study are represented as parameters of the study which can be manipulated by the researcher in order to experiment and explore alternative marketing strategies. The behavior of the components results in numerical output. An example could be, suppose you want to study the consumer response to varying advertising expenditures in terms of sales. The components here would be consumers, the variable is expenditure and sales are the dependent variable. The researcher would assign probabilities of consumers reacting to a particular level of advertising expenditure in terms of buying the product and by varying the different expenditure levels, would get the output in terms of sales expected at these levels. The constants could be the size of the advertising budget. Simulation is a complicated process and its success depends how well has the actual situation (reality) been represented in the simulation (abstraction). It requires the skill of a specialist and is therefore limited in application as far as the routine marketing. PROBLEMS FACED BY RESEARCHER IN COLLECTING PRIMARY DATA: Different kind of research topic creates different-different problems. Most problems in collecting primary data in marketing research stem from cultural differences among countries and range from the inability of respondents to communicate their opinions to inadequacies in questionnaire translation. Researcher also has to face some demographical, life style, economic, political challenges of the country. The American cultural trend to avoid telephone calls from strangers, no matter their reason for calling, is shown by the huge increase in unlisted telephone numbers, trends such as increased concerns for privacy, technological changes (e.g., caller identification, cellular telephones, etc.), and the increased lack of time at home have added to the noncontact rate. For all survey modes, nonresponsive is the biggest challenge. The problems of nonresponsive are much more serious for surveys that use random population samples than those that use targeted samples. The costs of surveys are increasing rapidly; consequently, this survey mode is being used less often.

REFERENCES

Websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_research http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/MarketingResearch/00000016.htm
www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=+primery+data+collection&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&ved=0CD8QFjAG&url http://www.globusz.com/ebooks/MarketingResearch/00000016.htm&eiurl

http://www.citeman.com/9248-problems-of-gathering-primary-data.html#ixzz28bIZXF9d

Books: Research methodology in social sciences, written by: Defender taker Research methodology methods and technique, written by: C.R.kothari

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