Marketing Research: Online Research Applications (4th Edition) by Al Burns & Ron Bush Chapter 9 Survey Data Collection

Methods

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
To learn about the advantages and disadvantages of surveys To become knowledgeable about the details of different types of survey data collection methods such as personal interviews, telephone interviews, and computer-assisted interviews, including online surveys To appreciate the impact of online surveys on traditional survey methods To comprehend the factors researchers consider when choosing a particular survey method

CONTENTS
Advantages of Surveys 238 Standardization 238 Ease of Administration 238 Ability to Tap the Unseen 238 Suitability to Tabulation and Statistical Analysis 239 Sensitivity to Subgroup Differences 239 Three Alternative Data Collection Modes 239 Person-Administered Surveys (Without Computer Assistance) 240

Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

Computer-Administered Surveys 241 Self-Administered Surveys 243 Descriptions of Representative Data Collection Modes 244 Person-Administered Interviews 244 Computer-Administered Interviews 251 Self-Administered Surveys 256 Choice of a Particular Survey Method 258 The Survey Data Collection Time Horizon 258 The Survey Data Collection Budget 260 Special Considerations 260 Summary 262 Key Terms 263 Review Questions/Applications 263 Interactive Learning 265 Case 9.1 FAW-VW of the PRC 265 Case 9.2 METREC 265 Case 9.3 Your Integrated Case: The Hobbits Choice Restaurant 266

CHAPTER SUMMARY
This chapter described the various methods available to marketing researchers to survey respondents. Surveys provide the important advantages of standardization, easy administration, getting at motives for behaviors, simple tabulation, and ability to investigate subgroupings of respondents. We noted that personal interviews are advantageous because they allow feedback, permit rapport building, facilitate certain quality controls, and capitalize on the adaptability Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

of a human interviewer. However, they are slow and prone to human errors. Computer-administered interviews, on the other hand, are faster, error free, may have pictures or graphics capabilities, allow for real-time capture of data, and may make respondents feel more at ease because another person is not listening to their answers. We described 11 different survey data collection methods: (1) inhome interviews, which are conducted in respondents homes; (2) mall-intercept interviews, conducted by approaching shoppers in a mall; (3) in-office interviews, conducted with executives or managers in their places of work; telephone interviews, either conducted (4) by an interviewer working in his or her home, or (5) from a central location telephone interviews, conducted by workers in a telephone interview companys facilities; (6) computer-assisted telephone interviews, in which the interviewer reads questions off a computer screen and enters responses directly into the program; (7) fully computerized interviews, in which the respondent interacts directly with a computer; (8) online and other Internet-based surveys; (9) group self-administered surveys, in which the questionnaire is handed out to a group for individual responses; (10) drop-off surveys, in which the questionnaire is left with the respondent to be completed and picked up or returned at a later time; and (11) mail surveys, in which questionnaires are mailed to prospective respondents who are requested to fill them out and mail them back. The specific advantages and disadvantages of each data collection mode were discussed. Researchers must take into account several considerations when deciding on a survey data collection mode. The major concerns are (1) the survey time horizon, (2) the researchers budget, and (3) special considerations. The research project deadline, money available for data collection, and desired quality of data are taken into consideration. Ultimately, the researcher will select a data collection mode with which he or she feels comfortable and one that will result in the desired quality and quantity of information without exceeding time or budget constraints.

KEY TERMS
Person-administered survey - A person-administered survey is one in which an interviewer reads questions, either face-to-face or over Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

the telephone, to the respondent and records his or her answers. Computer-administered survey - Basically, a computer-administered survey is one in which computer technology plays an essential role in the interview work. Self-administered survey - A self-administered survey is one in which the respondent completes the survey on his or her own. In-home interview - Just as the name implies, an in-home interview is conducted in the home of the respondent. Mall-intercept interview - Patterned after man-on-the-street interviews pioneered by opinion-polling companies and other hightraffic surveys conducted In-office interviews - Normally, in-office interviews take place in person while the respondent is in his or her office, or perhaps in a company lounge area. Traditional telephone interviews - Prior to central location and computer-assisted telephone interviewing, these traditional telephone interviews were those that were conducted either from the homes of the telephone interviewing staff or, perhaps, from telephone stalls located in the data collection companys offices. Central location telephone interviewing - With central location telephone interviewing, a field data collection company installs several telephone lines at one location, and the interviewers make calls from the central location. Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) - The most advanced companies have computerized the central location telephone interviewing process; such systems are called computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). Fully computerized interviews - Some companies have developed fully computerized interviews, in which the survey is administered completely by a computer, but not online. Completely automated telephone survey (CATS) - In the research industry, this approach is known as completely automated telephone survey (CATS).

Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

Internet-based questionnaire - Online research may take on any of a number of faces, but the Internet-based questionnaire in which the respondent answers questions online is becoming the industry standard for online surveys. Group self-administered survey - Basically, a group selfadministered survey entails administering a questionnaire to respondents in groups, rather than individually, for convenience or to gain certain economies. Drop-off survey - Another variation of the self-administered survey is the drop-off survey, in which the survey representative approaches a prospective respondent, introduces the general purpose of the survey to the prospect, and leaves it with the respondent to fill out on his or her own. Mail survey - A mail survey is one in which the questions are mailed to prospective respondents who are asked to fill them out and return them to the researcher by mail. Nonresponse - Nonresponse refers to questionnaires that are not returned. Self-selection bias - Self-selection bias means that those who do respond are probably different from those who do not fill out the questionnaire and return it and, therefore, the sample gained through this method is nonrepresentative of the general population.

KNOWLEDGE NUGGETS
Key advantages of surveys include standardization, ease of administration, ability to tap the unseen, suitability to tabulation and statistical analysis, and sensitivity to subgroup differences. Mail surveys are self-administered, the simplest form of administration for researchers. Questionnaire design programs include statistical analysis packages as a natural extension of survey research. Three data collection modes are person-administered, computeradministered, and self-administered surveys. Person-administered surveys have the four unique advantages of Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

feedback, rapport, quality control, and adaptability. Personal interviewers can build rapport with respondents who are initially distrustful or suspicious. Personal interviewers can easily adapt to the needs and styles of different respondents. Person-administered surveys are relatively slow and/or expensive. Computer-administered surveys are fast, error free, capable of using pictures or graphics, able to capture data in real time, and are less threatening for some respondents. The real-time capture of data by computer-administered surveys is an important advantage of this data collection method. Some types of computer administered surveys incur relatively high setup costs, but others are very reasonable and easy to use. Self-administered surveys are attractive because they are low in cost, they give respondents control, and they avoid interviewer evaluation apprehension. There is potential for respondent error with self-administered surveys. If respondents misunderstand or do not follow directions, they may become frustrated and quit. In-home interviews are conducted in the security and comfort of respondents homes. In-home interviews facilitate interviewerinterviewee rapport. Mall-intercept interviews are conducted in large shopping malls, and they are less expensive per interview than are in-home interviews. Mall-intercept interview companies make this method easy and popular. The representativeness of mall interview samples is always an issue. Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

Mall interview companies use rooms in their small headquarters areas to conduct private interviews in a relaxed setting. In-office interviews are conducted at executives or managers places of work because they are the most suitable locations. In-office personal interviews incur costs due to difficulties in accessing qualified respondents. Advantages of telephone interviews are cost, quality, and speed. The telephone is a poor choice for conducting a survey with many open-ended questions. Telephone interviewers must contend with the negative impression people have of telemarketers. Traditional telephone interviewing has great potential for errors. Central location interviewing is the current telephone survey standard. Central location telephone interviewing affords good control of interviewers. With CATI, the interviewer reads the questions off a computer screen and enters respondents answers directly into the computer program. With CATI, the interviewer is the voice of the computer. Most CATI systems are programmed to make wrong answers impossible. CATI systems permit tabulation in midsurvey. CATIs popularity may fall as online surveys and panels rise in use. CATS eliminates the need for a human interviewer. With fully computerized interviewing, respondents interact directly with the computer and enter their responses manually.

Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

Several varieties of computer assisted interview formats are available. Online surveys are fast, easy, and inexpensive. Online surveys have significant advantages over traditional surveys, and their use will increase in the future. Group self-administered surveys economize in time and money because a group of respondents participates at the same time. With a self-administered survey, each respondent works at his or her own pace. Drop-off surveys must be self explanatory. Several variations of drop-off surveys exist. An example of a mailing list firm with online purchase capability is USAData (www.usadata.com). Mail surveys suffer from low response rates and self-selection bias. Self-selection bias means respondents who return surveys by mail may differ from the original sample. To cope with low response to mail surveys, some companies have turned to mail panels. In selecting a data collection mode, the researcher balances quality against cost and time. A short deadline may dictate which data collection method to use. By their very nature, some survey data collection methods take longer than others. A telephone survey helped this bank test its radio ads in a few days. Budget constraints may disallow consideration of the more expensive data collection methods.

Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition

Quality, time, and budget are usually combined in the objective, What data collection method will generate the most complete and generalizable information within the time horizon and without exceeding the allowable expenditure for data collection?

Chapter 9 - Burns & Bush Marketing Research 4th Edition