DESIGNING MARKET

RESEARCH STUDIES
 Identifying the problem

• Checking out definitions, ambiguities and underlying

assumptions
– make sure the brief is clearly defined
– ambiguities need to be clarified
– make sure underlying assumptions are correct
• Setting the research boundary and prioritizing
– keep the scale of the study manageable
– prioritize the order of objectives to be addressed
• Making use of existing knowledge and frameworks
– always assume that somewhere there must exist data that
will solve a problem and better design the study
 Identifying the problem (Contd.)

• Setting the problem in context and understanding the

salience of the issues to respondents
• Structuring the problem and anticipation
• Sorting out research objectives, survey questions and
decision outcomes
• Managing expectations
 Research Methods

• Quantitative

• Qualitative

“Quantitative and qualitative research go hand in hand as

techniques that can be jointly deployed to help solve
problems”
 Qualitative vs. Quantitative

Qualitative
• Usually small groups
• Involves objective
interpretation of results and
understanding of human
behavior
• Understanding why and how
people do things
Quantitative
• Usually large samples
• Use of statistics –
measurable, quantifiable results
• Understanding what, where
and when
 Qualitative Techniques

• Focus group discussion

• In-depth interviews

• Observation

• Ethnography
 Quantitative Techniques
• Face to face

• Telephone interviewing

• Self administered questionnaire (online, fax)

and postal research
 Common Types of Quantitative
Research
• Customized survey

• Retail audit

• Consumer panel and postal research

• Media panel – audience measurement

• Media survey and Readership Survey

• Omnibus survey (not common in Bangladesh)

• Mystery shopper survey

 The Sampling Decision

• Probability sampling

• Quota sampling
 The Sampling Decision (Contd.)

• Accuracy of the findings from the total sample

• Sub-group analysis

• Coverage of the universe

• Prior knowledge

• Resource
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
 Key issues

• Meeting research objectives

• Obtaining valid and reliable data from

respondents

• Facilitating the interviewer’s task and

subsequent data processing

• Achieving and maintaining respondent

involvement
Three virtues of good questionnaire

• Being clear and unambiguous

• Simple and comfortable to respond to

• Relevant to the respondent

FIELD OPERATION AND CONTROL

Recruitment

Training

Selection

Field work

Control
 DATA PROCESSING
Questionnaire registration and editing

Listing of open-ended responses and classification

Coding and code transfer

Data entry and entry verification/cleaning

Development of analysis plan

Program development as per the analysis plan

Program running and report generation