Methods for collecting data when defining a problem. Illegal methods of collecting information

There are many sources for finding the data needed for statistical research, and every year with the development technical progress their circle expands and improves. According to the method of obtaining data, they are divided into primary – if the information was collected specifically for this analysis and secondary - if information is used from other sources, collected by other people and for other purposes.

Primary data can be collected independently or by other people on request, the main difference is that their collection is planned and carried out in accordance with the objectives of a particular study. Therefore, they, of course, have a number of advantages, primarily because in this case the maximum compliance of the collected data with the requirements and goals of the analysis is achieved. But, unfortunately, often such studies may not be available or too expensive.

Examples of primary data

• data on the most interesting film recently released, obtained by polling members of its labor collective and (or) browsing the relevant thematic forums on the Internet;
• data on the cost of tourist vouchers obtained by studying websites and telephone surveys travel agencies and companies;
• data on consumer demand for a category of products planned for release, ordered by a professional marketing agency;
• data collected by the quality control department of your own company about the characteristics of the products produced.

But not all data can be obtained independently or ordered by professionals (for example, if we are interested in space research, but we do not have sufficient funds to conduct super-expensive experiments or we need history and accumulated experience in this area). Therefore, a more common option is to use secondary data - already collected by specialized firms or simply by other researchers. Secondary data has its advantages - they are usually much cheaper or even free of charge, can be large in volume, are often collected using special hard-to-reach equipment and professional researchers in the relevant field. It may be data collected scientific institutions and departments of the relevant direction, government agencies and marketing agencies, scientists and researchers. Secondary data have become widespread in recent years due to their placement in the Internet, which is actively spreading in the world. Despite the fact that the necessary information can be very difficult and time consuming to search for, the World Wide Web has made it possible to access colossal amounts of information collected by scientists and non-professionals around the world, and has significantly expanded the scope of statistical research. Internet search engines greatly facilitate the search for secondary information.

Examples of Secondary Data

Such data may be:

• federal service statistics state statistics on the socio-economic situation of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in 1990–2014. (gks.ru);
• dynamics of the US dollar and euro exchange rates against the ruble and exchange trading indicators for the period from 06/20/2005 to 01/01/2015 according to the data of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (cbr.ru);
• dynamics of Russian stock indices PTC RTSI, RTS2, futures for the PTC RTS-3.12 index, stock and bond quotes for 2006–2015. according to the RosBusinessConsulting agency (rbc.ru);
• statistical data on the results of the activities of insurers - insurance premiums and payments, the number of concluded contracts, etc. for 2005–2015 according to the Financial Markets Service of the Bank of Russia (fcsm.ru);
• investment ratings of Russian regions for 2005–2015 according to the rating agency "Expert RA" (raexpert.ru);
• statistics on demographic indicators and health of the population of all countries of the world according to the World Health Organization ( World Health Organization)(who.int/gho/publications/world_ health_statistics/en), etc.

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Test questions:

Non-programmed solutions include:
According to J. Dewey, the problem is:
Select the author of the classification according to which each of the three highlighted structural elements(problem, expectations, solutions) may be either known (clear, given) to the decision maker or unknown.
Within the framework of which paradigm is it asserted that the process of developing solutions is rational to the extent that it exists in an expanded form, is stable and not redundant, allows for depersonalization, alienation from a specific decision maker, and replication?
What decisions are based on past bad experience, and are also made with a very high responsibility of the head or company for the task assigned?
To features modern conditions decision making include:
The systems approach is:
What method of analysis of alternatives consists in constructing a model that describes objects and processes in terms of important, but not all, indicators?
Are the concepts of "system analysis" and " systems approach» synonyms?
The influence of what factors is typical for innovative solutions?
The instructions for organizing the decision-making process are:
Which solutions are based on professional use management technologies and development and selection methods?
worker, in functional responsibilities which includes actions to manage the activities of subordinates - these are:
Under what conditions do problems arise when possible outcomes can be described using some probability distribution:
What is the central concept in the concept of decision support systems?
The economic-mathematical method used to make a specific management decision is the method:
The process of transferring tasks and powers to a person who takes responsibility for their implementation is:
What aspects are involved in making any decision?
Which paradigm indirectly contributes to counterproductive stereotypes, such as: changing suppliers, consultants or employees, or choosing a management theory of the month.
Within the framework of which paradigm is the decision-making process rational to the extent that it has a high degree of attractiveness for the decision maker, is emotionally colored, mobilizes and fully uses the creative potential of the decision maker and contributes to its development?
The principle of decision-making, which determines the need to take into account a combination of factors of a long-term nature, and take into account the consequences of implementing decisions, is the approach:
The key elements of problem definition are:
The main defining feature of a modern leader is:
The creative paradigm challenges...
How can you imagine the direction of the solution?
T. Schelling is the author of the theory:
The creative paradigm prioritizes...
Some discrepancy (gap) between the goals set or pursued by the decision maker and the actual (or predicted) state of affairs in the controlled system (object, or process) is:
"Conformity of the various activities of the organization to the interests of employees and other groups of stakeholders" is the definition of ... effectiveness.
How is collective decision making carried out?
The stages of the control procedure include:
What task group activity assumes that the developed solution will be implemented by the performers, and therefore an analysis of their capabilities and interests is necessary?
“The criteria included in the set should provide an adequate assessment of the object of examination or an assessment of the degree of achievement of the goal facing the decision maker, if the set of criteria is intended for this” - this is a description of the property ...
In which country was the Delphi Method first applied?
What managerial decisions are effective?
On what factors does efficiency depend? management decisions?
The initial stage of the decision-making algorithm is?
At what stage of the control procedure should the manager choose one of the three lines of behavior: do nothing, eliminate the deviation, or revise the standard?
In what cases are verbal-numerical scales used?
The main scope of morphological analysis?
What indicator serves as a measure of information uncertainty?
The application of the expert forecasting method is based on the assumption that:
Specific targets for which progress can be measured are:
The concept of "effectiveness of decisions" can be considered as:
Identification of the reaction of participants (organizations, divisions, individuals) to the solution and coordination of their goals and interests is:
“Using various tools, try to imagine the possible future of the organization, which comes as a result of decision» - this is the essence of the method When was the Delphi method developed and first applied?
Group activities include:
Fixing possible solutions on paper is:
What method (tool) is intended for solving quality management problems and is also used to identify possible causes of problems?
What type of control involves comparing the actual results obtained with the required results either immediately after the completion of the controlled activity, or after a predetermined period of time?
“Using various tools, try to imagine the possible future of the organization that occurs as a result of the decision made” - this is the essence of the method. Which of the methods of analyzing an object involves choosing several of its constituent parts(elements) and finding alternative solutions for each of the elements?
What type of control is carried out directly in the course of work?
The measure of uncertainty is:
Two or more persons who interact with each other in such a way that each person influences the others and is simultaneously influenced by the others is:
What method is used to represent possible solutions and checking them for formal completeness?
What type of efficiency is considered as the correspondence of various activities of the organization to the interests of employees and other stakeholder groups?
Depersonification is a hallmark of the … paradigm.
What solutions take into account the balance of interests of stakeholders?
What method is used to generate a sufficiently representative set of random initial data (imitation of real conditions for the development of the system)?
What factors influence how an organization works?
The result of a person's mental activity, leading to a conclusion and (or) to necessary actions, is:
IN technical systems solutions:
What systems can management decisions be oriented towards?
The creative paradigm highlights...
A significant disadvantage of a collective solution is:
What systems combined the capabilities of modern computers, the knowledge and experience of specialists and experts?
The processes of development and implementation of management decisions in any system include:
What decisions need to take into account the uncertainty factor?
The first attempt to formulate the basic concepts related to strategic games was made by ...
Persons empowered to initiate decisions or implement them are:
Which solution is preferred by the organization?
“In the case of a procedure in which, after considering the next pair, the rejected alternative is replaced by a new one, the final decision depends on the order in which the alternatives are presented” - this is the formulation of the voting paradox:
What type of efficiency characterizes the process of achieving the goals of the functioning and development of the organization?
Uncertainty factors include:
Who is the author of the method of morphological analysis and synthesis?
A star network configuration includes:
“Using various tools, try to imagine the possible future of the organization, which occurs as a result of the decision taken” - this is the essence of the method. specific market?
The main reason for the need for control is:
What function of management is ensuring the achievement of the goals set by the organization, the implementation of the adopted management decisions?
The Delphi method should be used under the following conditions:
What concept currently does not have an unambiguous interpretation, since it seems rather difficult to clearly distinguish in the results of the organization's activities as a whole that part that is a direct result of the effectiveness of a management decision?
The main property that a set of criteria should have is:
“The relative effect (efficiency) of a process or operation, defined as the ratio of the effect to the costs that caused its occurrence” is the definition of the concept ...
In what aspect can the information be presented?
Under what conditions are decisions made with risk or uncertainty?
What type of control gives the management of the organization the information necessary for planning if similar work is expected to be carried out in the future:
The intermediate phase between decision and action, largely communicative, including the impact on the social environment - the developers and executors of the decision - is:
The organizational aspect of group management reflects:
The network configuration can be represented as:
The set of methodological tools used to prepare and justify decisions on semi-structured and unstructured problems is:
What elements are included in the concept of "problem situation"?
Individuals who develop solutions, such as developers, designers, managers, are categorized as …
What is the nature of the adopted developed management decision?
A complex set of social and economic forecasts, including such aspects as scientific and technical, political, monetary and financial, is:
Distinctive feature social system is:
The postulates of optimality are:
What groups are united by the concept of "formal methods"?
Collective decision-making involves:
What paradox of voting can be described as the ability of a minority to impose its opinion on the majority while being able to vote, although the process will always be carried out according to the rule of the majority?
The authors of the Delphi method are:
In which group of methods, the dependence of the resulting utility of an alternative on its estimates by many criteria is given without any theoretical grounds?
The key point of applying methods peer review- This:
Obtaining consent to solve the problem by polling without convening the management structure (council, commission) of the organization is the essence of:
A distinctive feature of the scientific approach is:
The way to achieve organizational goals, a set of methods and operations of practical and theoretical development of reality is:
An illegal, but quite successful way of collecting data on competitors' actions, and this data has often been used to reformulate the goals of the organization, is:
A set of techniques for the selection and precise implementation of rules and instructions when making managerial decisions, which is characterized by the establishment of an analytical, formal relationship between the conditions of the problem being solved and its result - this is ... a method.
“The alternative that receives the largest number of votes is considered accepted by all” is the wording:
The content aspect of group management reflects:
What aspects stand out when managing a group?
The method used to assess the impact of any action under conditions of uncertainty caused by the conscious, malicious actions of the conflicting parties is:
The investigated object, situation, phenomenon or system in a reduced form, that is, it represents what is being investigated, with the help of an enlarged or reduced description of the object or system - this is ... a model.
What methods are aimed at revealing similarities in patterns of development various processes?
Main types mathematical models are:
What is the nature of the problem if it can be eliminated by changing only the parameters of the organizational and production system?
Terms of use analytical method is:
To fulfill all managerial functions in management is mandatory:
What management decisions are the cheapest in terms of the cost of their formation and selection?
computer program, embodying the components of the experience of experts in such a form that this program, based on the information being processed, can give the user options or recommend a solution - this is:
“Communication that occurs within the individual himself. The individual speaks to himself. He is both the sender and the receiver” - is a characteristic of ... communication.
A simplified form of a real life situation, phenomenon or object, freed from unnecessary elements or information that makes it difficult to perceive or analyze a real object, phenomenon or situation is:
Distinctive feature modern organization is:
What type of forecast is based on the organization's customer survey results?
Lack of a single ready solution, the answer is an element ...
What models are used to determine the best way to allocate scarce resources in the presence of competing needs?
The conditions for using the statistical method include:
A method that uses both past experience and current assumptions about the future to determine it is:
Additional management functions are:
“The criteria included in the set should provide an adequate assessment of the object of examination or an assessment of the degree of achievement of the goal facing the decision maker, if the set of criteria is intended for this” - this is a property characteristic:
The process of creating a model and its experimental application to anticipate changes in a real situation is:
Some discrepancy (gap) between the goals set or pursued by the decision maker and the actual (or predicted) state of affairs in the controlled system (object or process) is:
Which method is based on the assumption that what happened in the past gives a good enough approximation of the future?
TO key elements problems include:
The method of influencing the efficiency of an organized or functioning production process, the meaning and content of which boils down to the fact that organizations can simplify work operations, if approached from the point of view of effective management, is:
What method is a set of techniques for selecting and accurately implementing rules and instructions when making managerial decisions?
Characteristic features individual decision makers are:
For what decisions is the principle of perspective important?
Within the framework of the Delphi method, the analytical group determines:
The initial stage of the modeling process is:
A functional problem can be solved by:
In what games do the interests of the parties collide, but they cannot be considered directly opposed, since there is a more or less extensive area of ​​compromises, concessions, and cooperation?
The process of finding a way out of the situation and the result of this process are a description of the concept ...
The process of analyzing, forecasting and assessing the situation, choosing and agreeing on the best alternative to achieve the goal is:
The main aspects of forecasting are:
An object of any nature that is capable of replacing the object under study in such a way that its study gives new information about the object under study is:
What kind of modeling is an attempt to predict what will happen in similar situations by examining the statistical relationship between the factor in question and other variables?
What is the nature of the problem if its solution does not yet require a change in functions, but can no longer be achieved by changing the numerical values ​​of individual parameters.
Specialists with deeper knowledge on certain issues who are invited to the organization on a permanent or temporary basis are:
What is the nature of the problem if it can be solved at the level of functions of the organizational and production system?
In technical solution systems:

Illegal collection methods intelligence information and secret information protected by the owner, and often by law, received their name for the use of methods and techniques that are outside the legal field during the accumulation of the necessary array of information.

Numerous illegal methods of collecting information can be classified as follows:
1. Theft of a competitor's property.
2. Theft of documents containing information that the interested party needs.
3. Copying documents containing information that the interested party needs.
4. Sending penetrating agents to a competitor's site.
5. The introduction of agents in the structures of a competitor.
6. Listening competitor conversations.
7. Penetration into the local computer system competitor.

Especially often, abduction techniques are used in the preparation, holding and curtailment of exhibitions, fairs, demonstrations and other promotional events. In addition, abductions are intended to obtain an object for research, they can also be used to disrupt promotional activities. History knows many such cases (theft of silkworms, porcelain, steel-smelting technologies; disruption of demonstrations of the Maxim machine gun, etc.). The stolen products are then examined in special secret laboratories, also called "vivisection laboratories".

The theft of documents, if it did not end in the failure of the agent, is a signal to the firm, and it will take protective measures. More successful, in this respect, is copying competitor's documents. Firstly, skillfully copied documents leave no traces, and remain unknown to their owner. This is perhaps main factor in favor of this approach. Secondly, modern computer, photo and video equipment allows us to do this work quickly, efficiently and reliably.

The task of secret collection of information, - noted A. Dulles, - consists mainly of getting closer to a certain object bypassing all obstacles. The next task is the collection and selection of information, which are also carried out by secret methods. The next task, and perhaps no less responsible, is the transfer of information to the user. Finally, the last one, information processing, is solved more simply by involving specialists in special departments and laboratories.

With illegal methods of collecting information, the first three tasks are solved by agents. The main problem of selecting agents is as follows: they must be able to solve all three tasks related to access to the object, collection and selection of information and its transmission. Different types of agents meet these requirements not equally.

These obstacles can be overcome in two ways:
1) combination of agents for carrying out one operation or solving tasks of the same type;
2) the introduction of an agent on the object of intelligence.

In case of episodic penetration of a competitor’s object, it is possible to combine several agents, specialists in various areas: penetration, selection of information, its delivery. In case of episodic penetration, the scout is at the facility illegally, and the first step to such a state is to overcome the guards at the entrance and exit.

In this case, various tricks are used: turning off the alarm, forging passes, distracting guards, entering from the back door, etc. An experienced scout is often helped by intuition and chance.

When solving problems of long-term penetration, it is advisable to recruit a specialist at the facility and connect a liaison officer to him from the outside.

1. general characteristics data collection methods

Data collection methods in marketing research can be classified into two groups: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is usually identified with the conduct of various surveys based on the use of structured closed questions, which are answered by a large number of respondents.

The characteristic features of such studies are: a clearly defined format of the collected data and sources of their receipt, the processing of the collected data is carried out using ordered procedures, mostly quantitative in nature.

Qualitative research involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Observations and conclusions are of a qualitative nature and are carried out in a non-standardized form. Qualitative data can be quantified, but this is preceded by special procedures. For example, the opinion of several respondents about alcohol advertising may be verbally expressed in different ways. Only as a result of additional analysis, all opinions are divided into three categories: negative, positive and neutral, after which it is possible to determine how many opinions belong to each of the three categories. Such an intermediate procedure is superfluous if a closed form of questions is used immediately during the survey.

However, why is a qualitative, “soft” approach often used? Market researchers have found that using large-scale surveys does not always produce consistent results. For example, Procter & Gamble is interested in improving Tide laundry detergent. To do this, it is more effective to invite a group of housewives and, with the participation of the company's marketers, to discuss ways to improve this washing powder (quality, design, packaging, etc.).

The following qualitative research methods will be discussed below: observations, focus groups, in-depth interviews, protocol analyzes, projection, physiological measurements.

2. Observation and its role in marketing research

The basis of qualitative research is observational methods, which involve observation rather than communication with respondents. Most of these methods are based on approaches developed by psychologists.

Observation in marketing research is a method of collecting primary marketing information about the object under study by observing selected groups of people, actions and situations. At the same time, the researcher directly perceives and registers all factors related to the object under study and significant from the point of view of the objectives of the study.

Observation in marketing research can be aimed at achieving various goals. It can be used as a source of information for constructing hypotheses, serve to verify data obtained by other methods, with its help you can get additional information about the object under study.

The variety of methods for conducting observations is determined by four approaches to their implementation: direct or indirect observation, open or covert, structured or unstructured, carried out with the help of a person or mechanical means.

Direct observation involves direct observation of the behavior of, say, shoppers in a store (for example, in what order they examine the products displayed on the counter). When using indirect observation, the results of a certain behavior are studied, and not the behavior itself. Historical data is often used here, for example, data on the dynamics of stocks of certain goods over the years can be useful in studying shifts in the market situation. In addition, physical evidence of some events may be examined. For example, based on the results of studying the contents of garbage cans, we can conclude to what extent the packaging (cans, bottles, bags, etc.) of which companies litters the environment the most.

Open observation assumes that people are aware that they are being observed, for example, when conducting special experiments. However, the presence of observers affects the behavior of the observed, so we should strive to minimize it.

Covert surveillance satisfies these requirements, when the subject does not assume that he is being observed. For example, in stores, they can covertly observe how the seller treats customers politely and helps them make a purchase.

When conducting structured observation, the observer determines in advance what he will observe and record.

All other behaviors are ignored. A standard observation sheet is often used, minimizing the observer's time.

Structured observation is used to check the results obtained by other methods, to refine them. It can also be used as the main method of collecting information to accurately describe the behavior of the object of study and test certain hypotheses.

Its application requires a good preliminary knowledge of the subject of research, since in the process of developing a structured observation procedure, the researcher must build a classification system for the phenomena that make up the observed situation and standardize the categories of observation. The classification system should be expressed in the terms in which the subsequent analysis is intended to be carried out.

The following is an example of structured observation.

Let's say that on behalf of a company that produces orange juice of a certain brand, you covertly study the behavior of buyers of orange juice in a self-service store. You have received the consent of the management of this store and dressed in the uniform of the seller. Record the results of your observations on paper. In order to make it easier to present the results of your observations in a form convenient for drawing conclusions, first of all, observations should be recorded for separate logical categories, classifying interdependent goods into the following groups: fresh oranges, bottled juices, juices in bags, chilled fresh oranges and frozen oranges (Table 1). Then, for each group, alternative approaches are identified for choosing a product of a certain brand: a product of a certain brand is selected immediately; a product of a certain brand is selected after comparison with products of other brands; goods of this brand are inspected, but not bought; the buyer did not stop at the stand with this product. In addition, it is desirable to divide buyers into the following categories: one buyer, two adult buyers, one adult buyer with children. It is also possible to classify buyers according to other criteria (gender, age, whether or not he uses a trolley/basket for shopping, etc.).

Thus, the form of observations should indicate what kind of behavior is observed and how it should be recorded. In addition, the name of the researcher, the date and time of observation are indicated in the header of the form.

Table 1

Observation registration form

Observer
Place of observation
date
time of day

The structure of the group of observables

Group size: ...........adults............children
Gender: Adults: ...........male.............female
Children: ..................male.............female

Usage:

• food trolleys
• grocery basket
• Nothing

Registration of behavior in the store

Usage: ........ shopping list ........ calculator ......... coupons
Time of purchase: ......... Quantity purchased ..........

The above approach involves first classifying and then making observations. Although it is possible to conduct an initial observation, and then spread the results of observations into separate categories.

Better to use the first approach. It makes it possible to carry out observations according to a predetermined scheme, to record the results of observations for each selected category. These observations are not of a random or arbitrary nature, but are carried out in accordance with a certain plan; have a high degree of completion. It is easier for the researcher to generalize the results obtained from different observers.

When unstructured observation is carried out, the observer fixes all kinds of behavior in the studied episode. This type of behavior is often used in exploratory research. For example, a company that produces construction tool, can send its employees to study the directions and frequency of use of this tool in the construction of houses. The results of observations are used to improve this tool.

Sometimes a human observer can be replaced by a special mechanical device. This substitution is due to greater accuracy, lower cost, or functional reasons. For example, when studying street traffic, automatic devices record each car whose wheels have crossed a special plate. It is also more reliable and easier to study a family's viewing habits of certain television programs using a special device than on the basis of human observations.

For successful observation, certain conditions must be met:

1. Observations should be carried out over a relatively short period of time. For example, from a time and cost point of view, it is hardly worthwhile to observe the process of buying a house as a whole. Although this can be done in parts, at separate stages of this process.
2. Observed processes and phenomena should be available for observation, take place in public. This requirement is not satisfied, for example, by a private conversation.
3. Observations should be subjected only to such behavior, which is not based on a frequently repeated, systematic activity that the respondent is not able to remember well. For example, a person usually cannot remember which radio program he listened to in his car on the last Monday on his way to work.

Ideally, the objects of observation should not be aware that their behavior is being observed. In some cases, observation is the only way to obtain accurate information. For example, young children are not able to verbally express their attitude towards a new toy, but such information can be obtained by watching children play with this toy or not.

Usually the observational method is used in conjunction with other methods. The results obtained in this case complement and check each other. So, if observation is used to control data obtained by other methods, it should be structured as strictly as possible, carried out in the conditions in which the information controlled by it was collected.

The shortcomings of the method of observation are inherent in all qualitative research. With direct observation, the behavior of a small group of people under certain conditions is usually studied, therefore, the question arises about the representativeness of the data obtained. In this case, there is a subjective interpretation of the data obtained. Human perception is limited, so the researcher may miss, not notice some important manifestations of the situation being studied. Usually, the researcher is not able, on the basis of the method of observation, to deepen the results obtained and reveal the interests, motives, and relationships that underlie certain behavior. In some cases, this limitation can be overcome, for example, by studying the reaction of children to a new toy. In addition, it must be borne in mind that the presence of an observer can influence the observed situation. The size of this influence is extremely difficult to determine.

Observation is a very laborious method. Drawing up the results of observations sometimes takes twice as much time as the observation itself.

When using the method of observation, one must strive to overcome the following two shortcomings. The first is the desire to “suck out” all conceivable and unthinkable information from non-representative observations. The second is in an effort to thoughtlessly use quantitative characteristics. The path to success is the judicious use of both quantitative and qualitative methods; conducting both large-scale surveys and observations in small groups.

According to the nature of the environment, observation can be field, which means that the processes take place in a natural setting (in a store, near a store window), or laboratory, i.e. carried out in an artificially created situation.

The results of observations are recorded using audio or video equipment, in notebooks, etc.

Observation difficulties are divided into subjective (associated with the personality of the observer) and objective (not dependent on the observer).

The subjective difficulties of observation include the possibility of the researcher understanding and interpreting the behavior and actions of other people through the prism of his own “I”, through his system of value orientations, as well as the emotional coloring of human perception and the inevitability of the influence of the researcher’s past experience on the results of observation. In addition, observation is always subordinated to the purpose of the study, which outlines the scope of what is observed, giving it a selective character. As a consequence, the choice of facts to observe and record is highly dependent on the observer.

The objective difficulties of observation include, first of all, the limited time of observation by the time of the event. In addition, not all factors of interest are directly observable.

The presence of an observer can cause a feeling of embarrassment in the observed, change the usual stereotypes of behavior.

The personal qualities of the observer, the manifestation of his attitude to ongoing events can also have a serious impact on the behavior of the observed.

Observation should complement other methods of marketing research and be used when the information needed by the researcher cannot be obtained in any other way. This happens when people do not want or cannot accurately and in detail describe the sequence of their actions. In habitual situations, the actions of people in most cases acquire an “automatic” character. In this case, it is rather difficult for a person to say which of the usual actions he performed and why. In addition, the frequently repeated situation itself becomes something given to him in his mind, and its features, its character traits are erased. On the other hand, with excessive emotional stress, a person acts as if without reasoning, on the first impulse, and subsequently he can rarely explain why he performed one action and not another.

Observing the activity being studied from the outside, the observer can fix such characteristics of it as the sequence and frequency of certain actions, changes in the emotional atmosphere, etc., i.e. obtain information that is not available to obtain using other methods.

To obtain the information necessary for the purposes of the study, i.e. to obtain information about the important characteristics of the object under study, not to miss any important facts related to its activities, or significant information about it, it is necessary to carefully develop a plan and program of observation in advance. When planning, it is necessary to clearly establish the timing of the observation and determine the means of collecting information. In addition, it is important for the researcher to resolve the issue of limiting the scope of observations, given the possibilities available to him (time, finances, the number of assistants and their qualifications), as well as to take into account possible obstacles (administrative or psychological difficulties, difficulties associated with obtaining and fixing information).

The following stages of observation are distinguished.

Determination of the goal, setting tasks, establishing the object and subject of observation. Depending on the objectives of the study, one or a limited number of aspects of the object's activity is usually chosen as the subject of observation, for example, the route of the buyer's movement in trading floor shop.

Ensuring access to the environment, obtaining appropriate permits, establishing contacts with people.

The choice of observation method and the development of a procedure based on pre-collected materials.

Before proceeding with the observation, it is necessary to pre-select signs, units of observation, by which it will be possible to judge the situation that interests the researcher. As a unit of observation (and from the side of the observed, it is a unit of behavior), any complex set of actions can be singled out and fixed. different nature, for example, the buyer can simply look at a certain product, or maybe pick it up.

In order for observational data to be understandable to other researchers, and the results of similar studies to be comparable, it is necessary to develop a language, a system of concepts that will be used to describe the results of observations. For example, if there is a reaction to an advertisement in a store, then it should be clearly identified and recorded different kinds manifestations of the emotional state (categories): calmness, excitement, etc.

Preparation of technical documents and equipment (replication of cards, protocols, instructions for observers, preparation technical equipment, stationery, etc.).

After the development of the plan, observations are carried out, data are collected, and information is accumulated.

Here, first of all, you need to select observers. In addition to such qualities as attention, patience, the ability to fix changes in the observed situation, one of the main requirements for the observer is the requirement of conscientiousness.

The observer must continuously monitor his actions so that their influence on the observed situation and, therefore, its change is minimal.

It is essential that each observer receive appropriate training. Observer training involves simultaneously developing the ability to see significant actions, as well as the ability to remember and keep accurate records.

It must be remembered that at any given moment a person is able to simultaneously perceive from five to ten discrete units. If we are talking about a fairly wide area of ​​observations, it is advisable to entrust the work to several observers, while strictly distributing functions.

The best way to prepare observers is through exercises where the trainees take notes, observing either specially enacted or videotaped situations.

If this is not possible, then the researcher can train assistants in the process of real observations. To do this, it is necessary that he, along with those who are being trained, be present at the observation and keep parallel records. After observation, the notes of the researcher and the student are compared, and the researcher explains the most important and difficult points.

An important step in the preparation of the observer is the development of instructions. A well-prepared instruction facilitates the work of observers and unifies the material they collect.

The instructions give precise instructions on the criteria by which certain actions, events, phenomena will be brought under one or another category. It also emphasizes the need to keep records strictly in accordance with the existing categories. So, the observer cannot mark “aggressiveness” if this category is not marked in the code.

The instruction must also contain requirements for the method of fixing observed events; it may contain explanations of how to use the applicable measurement scales.

If the recording requires interpretation of the intentions of the persons being studied, then the instructions should either indicate the principle or list the indicators on the basis of which the observer will make his judgments. All this is necessary to ensure that all observers, if possible, evaluate the observations in the same way.

Fixation of the results of observations can be carried out in the form of: a) short-term recording, carried out “on a hot trail”, as far as the place and time allow; b) cards used to register information relating to observed persons, phenomena, processes; c) observation protocol, which is an extended version of the card; d) a diary of observations, in which all the necessary information, statements, behavior of individuals, their own reflections, difficulties are systematically entered day after day; e) photo, video, sound recording.

Fixing the results of observations is at the same time a means of double control: control over the observer and control over possible deviations within the observed situation or process.

Unstructured observation (see below) most often does not have rigid forms of fixation. Here, first of all, it is important that the record makes it possible to determine what is only an observation, and what is, to some extent, an interpretation of the observed events. Otherwise, the observational data will be mixed with the conclusions.

Monitoring of observation can be carried out in different ways: a) by holding a conversation with the participants in the situation; b) referring to documents related to this event; c) comparing the results of one's own observation and the observation made by another also qualified observer; d) sending observation reports to other researchers for the purpose of repeating observations.

The observation report must contain: a) careful documentation of the time, place and circumstances of the observation, b) information on the role of the observer in the study, the method of observation; c) characteristics of the observed persons; d) observer's own notes and interpretations; e) evaluation of the reliability of the obtained results.

Usually one of three types of reliability assessment is used:

• coefficient of agreement of observers (the same event is observed simultaneously by different observers);
• stability (one and the same observer observes at different times);
• reliability factor (different observers observe at different times).

When planning an observation, the researcher first of all needs to develop a hypothesis, on the basis of which, to build a classification system for those facts, phenomena that make up the observed situation and meet the goals of the study. Without this, recorded facts will be isolated, indeterminate, and therefore meaningless. However, this classification system should not be made too complete and rigid. In this case, the researcher will be forced to discard all the facts that do not fit into it.

An observer who does not have a classification system can see a lot, but fix and define very little. A researcher who has too complete and rigid system classification, most often will record only those phenomena and facts that can confirm his preliminary concepts.

When developing an observation plan, it is necessary to determine the most significant characteristics of the conditions and situations in which the activity of the observed takes place, i.e. Decide where and when to observe.

3. Focus group method

There are four main goals for this method:

1. Generating ideas, such as product improvement, product design, packaging, or new product development.
2. Studying the colloquial vocabulary of consumers, which may be useful, say, when conducting advertising campaign, compiling questionnaires, etc.
3. Acquaintance with the needs of consumers, their perception, motives and their attitude to the product under study, its brand, methods of its promotion, which is very important in determining the goals of marketing research.
4. Better understanding of data collected from quantitative research. Sometimes members of the focus group help to better understand the results of the survey.
5. The study of emotional and behavioral reactions to certain types of advertising.

Usually the work of the group is recorded using audio and video equipment, and its results can be the basis for quantitative research, for example, through a survey.

Obviously, the possibilities and effectiveness of using this method are strongly influenced by culture, traditions of communication, etc. residents of different regions and countries. This is taken into account when forming a focus group, for example, determining its size, the role and degree of activity of the moderator.

The optimal focus group size ranges from 8 to 12 people. With a smaller number of participants, the necessary dynamics are not created for productive work group, and the facilitator has to make a lot of efforts to activate the work of the group. With a group size exceeding 12 people, it is difficult to start productive discussions, the group can break into subgroups in which conversations can be held on abstract topics, and only a few people take part in the discussion itself.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine the composition of the group in advance. For example, 12 people express their desire to take part in the discussion, but in fact only 6 people are present.

As for the composition of the group, it is recommended to form it based on the principle of homogeneity of the composition of its participants (by age, type of activity, marital status, etc.). In this case, it is considered that Better conditions for an open discussion.

The choice of group members is primarily determined by the objectives of the study. For example, if the goal is to generate new ideas about product packaging, consumers who have purchased products of a certain brand are invited as focus group participants. Usually, potential participants are invited to participate in the discussion by phone, although sometimes those who want to participate in the group are found among the buyers right in the store. It is desirable that the facilitator takes part in the process of forming the group.

When “recruiting” members of the group, they use both a monetary form of payment for their labor, and in kind in the form of free provision of certain goods. Very often, on the eve of the day of the focus group, potential participants are reminded of this. In this case, in case of refusal to take part in the discussion, it is possible to replace such participants.

Best of all, when the discussion is expected to last more than 1.5 hours, it should be held in a room adapted for such discussions, preferably at a round table, in an atmosphere of peace and quiet conducive to mental work.

The success of the focus group largely depends on the effectiveness of the leader, who, based on a deep understanding of the goals and objectives of the discussion, manages its conduct without direct intervention in the course of the discussion. He should strive for a balance between natural discussion among participants and avoidance of the topic under discussion. Lead must be high sociable person showing deep interest and participation in the positions and comments of the group members. Usually, even before the start of the discussion in the focus group, the moderator prepares a detailed plan of its work, strives to increase the level of his knowledge on the issues under discussion.

When analyzing the results of the group's work, two important factors should be taken into account. First, to translate the statements of the participants in the discussion into the language of categories and concepts of the topic under discussion and to determine the degree of consistency of their opinions.

Secondly, it is necessary to determine to what extent the characteristics of the focus group participants are typical for the consumers of the studied target market.

The main advantages of a focus group include the following:

1. The ability to express opinions honestly and freely, generate fresh ideas especially if the discussion uses brainstorming.
2. The opportunity for the customer to take part in the formation of the goals and objectives of the discussion, to observe the work of the group causes a fairly high confidence in the result of its work. The customer, at times, begins to use these results in practical work even before the official report.
3. A variety of directions for using this method, as discussed earlier.
4. The ability to study respondents who, in more formal, structured situations, are not amenable to study, not wanting, for example, to take part in a survey.

Summing up the above, the disadvantages of this method include possible non-representativeness, subjective interpretation of the results obtained, high cost per group member.

The fact that the results of the work of the focus group may not be representative, in relation to the general population as a whole, they are determined by the following. The work of such a group, as a rule, is attended by respondents who are more active and willing to respond to proposals of this type compared to the general population as a whole. In addition, this is facilitated by the small, as a rule, homogeneous composition of the focus group, which may include professional respondents at the last moment.

The subjectivism of the interpretation of the results of the group's work is due to the fact that it is possible to focus on the facts that support the point of view of the leader and ignore other points of view. Further, the participation of the customer in the preparation and conduct of the focus group can also determine the desired results. As noted earlier, the customer can use the results of the group's work even before receiving the official report.

The costs of using this method are determined as follows. Thus, in the United States, the cost of conducting numerous telephone conversations is expressed at about $ 25 per participant. A focus group incentive costs approximately $30. The salary of a qualified presenter for one session is 1500-2000 dollars. In addition, you should take into account the cost of renting the premises, the cost of using technical means. Typically, these costs are hundreds of dollars per hour of rental. Then there are hidden costs that are not directly included in the total costs, for example, due to the participation of the customer in the study.

The use of modern communication technologies expands the range of use of focus groups. For example, organizing the interaction of two groups holding a session in different cities.

4. Other qualitative methods

The following qualitative research methods will be briefly described below: in-depth interviews, protocol analysis, and projection methods.

An in-depth interview consists of a sequence of probing questions asked by a qualified interviewer to the respondent in order to understand why they behave in a certain way or what they think about a certain issue. The respondent is asked questions on the topic under study, to which he answers in free form. At the same time, the interviewer asks questions like: “Why did you answer in such a way?”, “Can you justify your point of view?”, “Can you give any special arguments?” The answers to such questions help the interviewer to better understand the processes taking place in the respondent's head.

This method is used to collect information about new concepts, design, advertising and other methods of product promotion; it helps to better understand consumer behavior, the emotional and personal aspects of consumer life, decision-making at the individual level, and obtain data on the use of certain products.

Here, first of all, it is necessary to achieve a benevolent atmosphere when communicating with the interviewee. For this it is necessary that:

• the interviewer listened to the interviewee patiently and friendly, but was critical;
• the interviewer did not put pressure on the interviewee;
• did not discuss.

He can speak and ask only under certain conditions:

• to help the interviewee speak;
• to dispel his anxiety, which may interfere with the establishment of contact between the interviewer and the interviewee;
• to return the conversation to a question that was missed or insufficiently covered.

It is desirable for the interviewer to be attentive both to the verbal design and to the feelings contained in the words.

The hardest part is summarizing the data from the individual surveys into a final report. When using this method, a tape recorder is used or detailed recordings are kept.

The analysis of the protocol consists in placing the respondent in a certain decision-making situation, while he must verbally describe all the factors and arguments that guided him in making the decision. Sometimes, when applying this method, a tape recorder is used. The researcher then analyzes the protocols submitted by the respondents.

The protocol analysis method is used in the analysis of decisions, the adoption of which is distributed over time, for example, the decision to buy a house. In this case, the researcher collects into a single whole the individual decisions made at its individual stages.

In addition, this method is used in the analysis of decisions, the process of making which is very short. In this case, the protocol analysis method, as it were, slows down the speed of decision-making. For example, when buying chewing gum, people usually do not think about this purchase. Protocol analysis makes it possible to understand some internal aspects similar purchases.

Using projection methods Respondents are placed in certain simulated situations in the hope that respondents will provide information about themselves that is not available in direct interviews, such as drug use, alcohol use, tips, etc. The following specific methods that are part of the projection methods can be distinguished: associative methods, sentence completion testing, illustration testing, drawing testing, role-playing, retrospective conversations and conversations based on creative imagination.

Associative methods include associative conversations and associative word testing or word association. In the process of an associative conversation, the respondent is guided by questions of this kind: “What makes you think about this or that ...?”, “What thoughts do you now have in connection with ....?” etc. This method allows the interviewee to say whatever comes to mind. In the event that some respondents have difficulty in clarifying the level of their preferences, if only because of an insufficient vocabulary, they are limited to several answers.

An associative test of words consists in reading the words to the respondent, who in response must pronounce the first word that came to his mind. For example, words used in advertising, product names and brands are tested. Thus, an attempt is made to reveal the true feelings of the respondents in relation to the object of the test. At the same time, the response delay time is also fixed, bearing in mind that a large response delay means the absence of a clearly defined association of the tested word with some other words (pleasant, beautiful, ugly, unaesthetic ...). Let's say we were testing variants of the names of a new soft drink. Respondents-students matched one of the names with such words as “light, hissing, cold”, which essentially corresponded to the real consumer properties of this drink.

The sentence completion test consists of giving respondents an unfinished sentence, which they must complete in their own words. The respondent is expected to provide some information about themselves in completing this task. Let's say a tea company decides to expand its market to teenagers. The researcher asked the students of one of the schools to complete the following sentences:

• The one who drinks tea is........
• Tea is good to drink when ........
• My friends think tea is...

Next, the endings of sentences are analyzed. Say, in the endings of the first sentence, such words as “healthy”, “peppy” predominate. Do the same with the rest of the offers. The result of such a study may be the desire to promote tea in the studied market segment.

Illustration testing consists in the fact that research participants are shown a certain illustration (drawing or photograph) depicting people put in a typical situation and solving some problems, and asked to describe their reaction to it. The researcher analyzes the content of these descriptions in order to determine the feelings, reactions caused by this illustration. This method is used when choosing the best options advertising, illustrations for brochures, images on packaging, etc., as well as their accompanying headlines. An analysis of the materials received shows that in many cases people transfer their own problems to the characters and thus more easily give information that they would not dare to give directly.

Testing illustrations may involve writing in a free space above the head of one of the characters, usually depicted simply as an outline, his comments on the situation depicted in the figure, followed by analysis of these notes. The interviewee must put himself in the place of this character and answer for him.

When playing roles, participants are asked to enter the role of one of the characters in a particular situation (friend, neighbor, colleague) and describe their actions in the situation under study. In this way, positive or negative latent reactions, feelings, value systems are studied. For example, a participant is introduced into a situation where his friend has bought an expensive car of a certain brand and is asked to comment on this purchase to a third party.

In the course of a retrospective conversation, the interviewee is asked to recall some scenes, some actions, indicative of the area they want to study. The examiner helps the interviewee recall, describe in detail what he remembers. For example, during a conversation, the interviewee describes how he smokes his first cigarette of the day.

When conducting a conversation based on the creative imagination, the interviewee is placed in a certain hypothetical situation. The method of conducting a conversation is to energetically encourage a person to imagine his reactions, feelings, behavior that would be inherent in him if he were in a similar situation. He projects his attitudes, feelings, ideas on the topic under study onto the future.

The implementation of all the above methods is based on the high professionalism of the persons conducting them, which leads to a high cost of their implementation. This is especially true for the interpretation of the results obtained. Therefore, these methods are not widely used in commercial marketing research.

Typically, these methods are used after the researcher, based on the survey, has already received information that gives him the opportunity to formulate several hypotheses, which will either be confirmed or refuted.

Further, among the qualitative methods are physiological measurements based on the study of involuntary reactions of respondents to marketing stimuli. When carrying out such measurements, special equipment is used. For example, the expansion and movement of pupils is fixed when studying certain goods, pictures, etc. In addition, the electrical activity and perspiration of the respondents' skin can be measured, characterizing the degree of their excitation. However this technique is unusual in nature, so it can make respondents nervous. Its use does not make it possible to separate positive reactions from negative ones.

An example is the conduct of special experiments to determine the attitude of children to various toys. In the course of their conduct, the behavior of children is monitored. Various toys are laid out in front of the children (of various types, colors, made of different materials) and with the help of contact and non-contact sensors, video filming, eye movement, pupil size, pulse rate, perspiration, sequence and nature of the study of toys are recorded.

Physiological measurements for these reasons are rarely used in marketing research.

5. Survey methods

Let us characterize in more detail the quantitative methods of collecting primary data or survey methods.

The survey consists in collecting primary information by directly asking people questions about their level of knowledge, attitudes towards the product, preferences and purchasing behavior. The survey may be structured or unstructured; in the first case, all respondents answer the same questions, in the second case, the interviewer asks questions depending on the answers received.

When conducting a survey, a group of respondents may be subjected to either single or multiple surveys. In the first case, a kind of cross section of this group is obtained in many parameters for a fixed point in time (cross-sectional study - “cross-sectional” study). For example, the editorial offices of magazines and newspapers conduct one-time selective surveys of their readers by such parameters as age, gender, level of education, occupation, etc. Since, as a rule, large sample sizes are used in these studies, these studies are usually called sample surveys.

In the second case, the same group of respondents, called a panel, is repeatedly studied over a certain period of time (longitudinal study - “longitudinal” study). Various types panels are used in many marketing researches. In this case, it is often said that a panel survey method is used.

Survey methods have the following advantages.

1. A high level of standardization due to the fact that all respondents are asked the same questions with the same answer options.
2. Ease of implementation lies in the fact that it is not necessary to visit the respondents, giving them questionnaires by mail or by phone; don't need to use technical means and involve highly qualified professionals, as in the case of using the focus group method, in-depth interviews, etc.
3. The possibility of conducting an in-depth analysis lies in the formulation of consistent clarifying questions. For example, working mothers are asked how important it was to consider the location of a school when choosing a school for their children. The next question is how many schools were considered as possible options. Then questions are asked regarding occupation, features of work, income, family size.
4. The ability to tabulate and conduct statistical analysis is to use the methods of mathematical statistics and related packages application programs for personal computers.
5. Analysis of the obtained results in relation to specific market segments. This is due to the ability to subdivide the overall sample into separate sub-samples according to demographic and other criteria.

table 2
Questionnaire example

1. Do you like wearing T-shirts?
Yes___
No___
No opinion___

2. What do you like about this T-shirt?
- style
- quality

3. What do you dislike about this T-shirt?
- style
- quality
- something else (please specify)

4. How do you rate the quality of this T-shirt?
- excellent
- good
- average
- bad

5. If you decide to buy this T-shirt, what price will suit you?
indicate the figure in rubles ________

6. If you buy a T-shirt, for what purpose?
for everyday wear__
for relax__
for sports__
for others as a gift__

Respondent data
Floor:
husband__
wives__

Age (circle):
15–24 | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45 and over

Enter your total household income (in US dollars):
Up to 25 | 25–50 | 50–100 | 100–300 | 300–1000 | Over 1000 thousand dollars

Information during surveys is collected from respondents in three ways:

1. By posing questions to respondents by interviewers, the answers to which the interviewer fixes (Table 2 provides an example of a questionnaire used when interviewing buyers regarding their attitude to T-shirts of a certain brand);
2. By asking questions using a computer;
3. By self-completion of questionnaires by respondents.

The first method has the following advantages:

1. The presence of feedback from respondents, which makes it possible to manage the survey process.
2. Possibility to establish trust between the respondent and the interviewer at the beginning of the survey.
3. The ability to take into account the characteristics and level of education of the respondents during the survey, for example, help the respondent understand the gradations of the scales used.

The disadvantages of this method exactly correspond to the advantages of the second and will be discussed below.

The advantages of the second method are as follows:

1. High speed of implementation of this approach in comparison with personal interviewing. The computer can quickly ask questions adapted to the answers to previous questions; quickly dial randomly selected phone numbers; take into account the characteristics of each respondent.
2. The absence of interviewer mistakes, he does not get tired, he cannot be bribed.
3. The use of pictures, graphs, video materials integrated into questions that appear on the computer screen.
4. Data processing in real time. The received information is directly sent to the database and is available for tabulation and analysis at any time.
5. The subjective qualities of the interviewer do not affect the answers received, especially for personal questions. Respondents do not try to give answers that please the interviewer.

Among the disadvantages of the computer method of surveys are the relatively high costs associated with the acquisition and use of computers, software, cleaning computer viruses after each examination, etc.

The main specific feature of the third method is that the respondent answers the questions of the questionnaire transmitted or sent to him independently without the participation of the interviewer or the use of a computer.

The advantages of this method are as follows:

1. Relatively low cost due to the lack of interviewers, computer equipment.
2. Independent organization of answers to questions by respondents who independently choose the time and speed of answers to questions create for themselves the most comfortable conditions for answering questions.
3. The absence of some influence from the interviewer or computer, which creates a more comfortable environment for respondents to answer questions.

The disadvantages of this survey method are, first of all, that since the respondent independently controls the answers to the questions of the questionnaire, his answers may contain errors due to misunderstanding, lack of due attention, etc., be incomplete; the timing of the survey may be violated or the questionnaires will not be returned at all. As a result of the foregoing, the questionnaires should be developed in the most careful way, contain clear and complete instructions.

6. Panel examination method

The basic concept of this method is the concept of a panel.

Panel - a sample of surveyed units subjected to repeated research, and the subject of research remains constant. Panel members can be individual consumers, families, trade and industrial organizations, experts, who, with certain reservations, remain permanent. The panel survey method has advantages over conventional one-time surveys: it makes it possible to compare the results of subsequent surveys with the results of previous ones and to establish trends and patterns in the development of the studied phenomena; provides a higher representativeness of the sample in relation to the general population.

All types of panels are subdivided according to the time of existence, the nature of the studied units (subjects), the nature of the problems studied (subjects of study), and the methods of obtaining information.

By the time of existence, the panels are divided into short-term (there are no more than a year) and long-term (no more than five years).

Long-term panels can provide continuous or periodic information. Continuous information is recorded in the diaries daily, and the diaries themselves are sent to the organizers of the study at regular intervals. Periodic information is received as surveys are conducted in the form of completed questionnaires.

By the nature of the units studied, the panels are divided into:

• consumer, whose members are individual consumers, families or households (for example, in the US, NFO Research, Inc. created a consumer panel that includes 450,000 households);
• trade, whose members are trade organizations and individuals engaged in trade;
• industrial enterprises, producing the studied goods;
• experts - experts on the problem under study.

The composition of the panel largely determines the information obtained during the surveys. The most difficult is the formation of family and individual consumer panels. Trade panels, industry panels, and expert panels have the advantage of having fewer members than consumer panels, which reduces the cost of building and monitoring them.

By the nature of the problems studied, the panels are divided into general and specialized. Specialized panels can be created to explore individual goods or product groups. For example, they are used to test products and concepts for new products; tracking market trends, for example, studying the dynamics of the market share indicator; determining the sources from which consumers receive information about new products; testing video ads.

If general panels are formed to be representative of the composition of the region's population, then specialized panels can be formed as samples from the entire population (all families); all potential consumers of the studied goods; all actual consumers (owners) of the studied goods.

A specialized panel may also be non-representative, for example, it may be formed as a panel of activists, i.e. people who have a certain product and willingly give information about it. Such panels are used for preliminary analysis of the problem.

According to the method of obtaining information, four types of panels are possible:

1. panel members send the required information (filled diaries, questionnaires) by mail;
2. panel members are interviewed;
3. panel members fill out diaries or questionnaires, but special workers collect information;
4. panel members are interviewed at regular intervals, and within the time interval they send information by mail.

During the panel surveys:

• identify factors influencing the solution of the problem under study, and their dynamics;
• study the opinions and assessments of the subjects regarding goods and the organization of trade, their change over time;
• identify the decisions and intentions of the respondents and their implementation;
• reveal differences in the behavior of consumers belonging to different social strata, living in different regions and cities, and settlements different type;
• study the motives of the purchase and predict their development, etc.

Panels are divided into traditional and non-traditional. The latter include widely used public panels (omnibus panels). With traditional panels, the same questions are asked each time panel participants are surveyed. When using a public panel, each survey may have different objectives and different questions may be asked, with only one or a very limited number of questions being asked to a large number of interviewees. This type of panel is based on the use of existing, previously used sources of information that can be quickly used for a variety of research purposes. It turns out, as it were, an instant photograph of certain opinions, relationships, etc. Due to the limited number of questions asked and established channels for obtaining information this species panel survey is relatively cheap. For example, a marketer using this method, using, say, a well-established learning system public opinion, created by some organization specializing in this field, can quickly obtain information about the opinion certain group consumers regarding a product of two different brands. On the basis of the traditional panel, the same parameters are studied in dynamics, for example, based on the study of the dynamics of purchases of a certain brand of goods by consumers of individual market segments. Here you can explore the number of goods sold, the market share indicator, the change in consumer attitudes towards a product of a certain brand, its switching to the use of a product of another brand, that is, market trends. However, this is carried out on the basis of a specially conducted study.

The expediency of using certain panels is determined by the nature of the tasks to be solved and the amount of funds allocated. Therefore, before conducting consumer surveys, based on the objectives of the study, it is necessary to choose the type and size of the panel. Larger panels give more reliable results or, with the same reliability, have smaller confidence intervals. But larger panels require more costs.

It should be noted that there are difficulties in ensuring the representativeness of the generated panel. In addition to the general problems of forming a representative sample, there are problems due to the fact that traditional panels are created for multiple studies. Panel members can simply refuse further cooperation, move to another city, switch to another consumer panel, or die. In addition, panel participants, feeling under control, consciously or unconsciously change their habitual behavior: housewives are better prepared for purchases, the share of spontaneous purchases decreases.

As an example of using the panel survey method, consider the study of medical care and the drug market in France. The panel included 1,600 physicians (one in 20 physicians) working with private clients. Panel members wrote out prescriptions for one week every three months in a special tear-off book with spines. This made it possible to simultaneously receive a duplicate of the prescription and certain information recorded on the spine: the characteristics of the patient, the diagnosis, the therapeutic effect expected from the prescribed medicine, etc.

The panel formation process in this example included:

• division of the territory into regions and categories of cities;
• separation medical personnel into categories by specialty and age;
• drawing lots in each category to select the required number of doctors;
• verification of the sample by many parameters (the title of a doctor, the number of his clientele, etc.).

In addition, monthly statistics were collected on the sale of medicines in pharmacies (the panel included 307 pharmacies).

7. Methods for obtaining data from respondents

The following data collection methods can be distinguished when conducting surveys with the participation of interviewers or self-completion of questionnaires by respondents:

1. Interviewing carried out at the respondent's home. It is possible to pre-arrange the timing of the interview by phone. It is usually easier to establish a trusting relationship, showing product samples, promotional materials, etc. is possible. The home environment sets up for a fairly long interview with a high degree of concentration on the survey. However, this is an expensive data collection method.
2. Interviewing visitors to large stores. Companies conducting such surveys may have their offices in large stores. Store visitors are interviewed by the interviewer at the store or may be invited to be interviewed in the office. With the help of this method, without the use of special methodological approaches, it is difficult to ensure the representativeness of the survey results and the thoughtful attitude of the respondents to the questions asked. Compared to the first method, this method is cheaper.
3. Office interviews. It is usually used when collecting information about products for industrial and technical and office purposes. This method has essentially the same advantages and disadvantages as the first method, but it has a higher cost due to the use of more qualified interviewers.
4. Traditional telephone interview. The advantages of this method and data collection include the following: relatively low cost, the ability to reach a large number of respondents and provide high level representativeness, the possibility of carrying out in a relatively short period of time. This method has the following disadvantages: the impossibility of showing something to the respondent, the impossibility for the interviewer to have a personal impression of meeting with the respondents. (However, the lack of personal contact sometimes helps to obtain truthful answers to questions about the consumption of alcohol, contraceptives, etc.). Then there is the difficulty of obtaining lengthy answers to a large number of questions, since the respondent's patience may run out. In addition, it is difficult to check the quality of the interviews conducted and to establish whether all the planned respondents were actually interviewed. To control the quality of the survey, management can organize repeated test calls to previously interviewed respondents.
5. A telephone interview from a specially equipped room in which several interviewers work in parallel, to whose phones controllers can be connected. In addition to good opportunities for quality control of the work of interviewers, this method, in comparison with the traditional telephone interview, provides a reduction in costs due to the pooling of resources (logistics, software, etc.).
6. Telephone interview using a computer. Many consumer survey companies have specially equipped telephone interview rooms equipped with a special computer technology. This technique automatically dials the telephone numbers of respondents, then an introductory text appears on the monitor, and then - sequentially asked questions with possible options answers. The interviewer reads the questions to the respondent and, using the code, fixes the named answer option. In this case, the next question is formulated depending on the answer to the previous question. This technology facilitates the work of the interviewer, speeds up the conduct of surveys and reduces the number of possible errors. The computer database of responses and their statistical processing are carried out automatically in real time. In some cases, the analysis of only part of the answers allows you to make certain decisions and stop further survey, saving time and resources.
7. Fully computerized interview. In this case, in addition to the previously described method, the respondent answers questions by pressing the buttons on his phone, or the questions appear on his computer monitor, and the respondent enters answers using a normal computer keyboard.
8. Group self-completion of questionnaires. This approach is used for the convenience and cost of interviewing. For example, twenty or thirty members of the group are shown a commercial, after which they individually answer the questions of the questionnaire regarding the rating of this commercial. Group members can be schoolchildren of the same class, students of the same study group, vacationers of any rest home, etc. Possible Feedback with the interviewer.
9. Self-filling of the left questionnaires. It is a survey option based on self-completion of questionnaires. After a preliminary oral explanation of the goals and objectives of the survey, the questionnaire is left with the respondent. After a certain time, the completed questionnaire is either taken from the respondent, or he sends it by mail in an envelope with a paid response. This method is used when conducting surveys in a limited area that does not require the interviewer to move around a lot. This method is characterized by a high degree of return of answers, minimal influence of the interviewer on the respondents, relative cheapness and good control over the formation of a group of respondents. Employees of one organization, hotel residents, store visitors, etc. can be selected as respondents.
10. Mail survey. Questions and answers are sent by mail. The advantages of this method are due to the fact that it is not necessary to hire interviewers, the ease of forming groups of target respondents, and its low cost. This method has the same disadvantages as self-completion of questionnaires without the participation of the interviewer. They have been discussed above. In addition, this method is characterized by a low percentage of responses returned, it is aimed mainly at fairly literate people living in countries with effective postal system. There is a possibility of distorting the results due to the fact that the respondent respondents in their own way social position, attitude to a particular product, advertising, etc. differ from those who did not answer the questionnaire (self-selection of respondents).

In table. Table 3 provides data characterizing the advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used interviewing methods.

Table 3

Advantages and disadvantages of the three main interviewing methods

8. Choice of specific survey methods

The choice of specific survey methods is based on the following groups of factors: goals and resources of the researcher; characteristics of respondents; characteristics of the questions asked by the researcher. Let us briefly characterize these three groups of factors.

The objectives of data collection follow from the objectives of the ongoing marketing research. Their definition is based on the requirements for obtaining information of the desired quality. The latter is determined by the allotted time for making a decision and the available resources.

Among the most quickly implemented methods are telephone surveys and interviews with visitors to large stores. Much more time is required for the implementation of personal interviews, surveys by mail.

Lack of sufficient funds also influences the choice of data collection method. For example, if a researcher wants a sample of 1,000 respondents and $5,000 is allotted for these studies, then it seems impossible to hire interviewers at $20 per interview, because in this case the interviewers would have to pay $20,000. In this example, you will have to use cheaper methods, such as a telephone interview.

The quality of the collected data is assessed by many parameters, which will be discussed in sufficient detail in subsequent sections of the book. Here, only two aspects of the concept of “quality of collected data” will be noted: the ability to extend the conclusions obtained from the collection of information for a certain sample to the entire population as a whole and the completeness of the information received from each respondent. These criteria, for example, are met to a much greater extent by information obtained from a face-to-face meeting between an interviewer and a respondent than from telephone interviews.

At least four characteristics of the target group of respondents should be considered influencing the choice of data collection method:

1. The coverage rate (incidence rate) characterizes the percentage of respondents with the required characteristics in the total population of respondents. For example, if the concept of low calorie microwaved food is being tested, the target respondents should be housewives who own microwave ovens and have purchased low calorie foods in the last six months. Only about 5% of housewives who meet these requirements meet this qualification. The coverage rate in this case means that only one out of twenty housewives randomly interviewed meets the objectives of the survey.

The data collection process in this example, followed by high costs money and time to find respondents with the required characteristics may require more time and money than the interview itself. Perhaps a mail-in survey should be used, using the principle of self-selection, according to which only respondents who meet the qualifications given in the questionnaire answer the questions.

2. Willingness to participate in the survey. The researcher is always concerned about the high degree of refusal of respondents to participate in the survey. There are two types of reasons for not wanting to take part in any survey. The first is due to some generalized feelings of suspicion and the desire not to let anyone into their personal lives: a certain category of people simply does not want to take part in any survey. The second is due to the specific circumstances of a particular survey. For example, some respondents are reluctant to discuss certain topics. The survey method chosen affects the degree of willingness to participate in the survey. So people find it more difficult to refuse to participate in a personal interview than in a mail survey. Commonly used various methods stimulating the desire to take part in the survey: cash payment, small gifts (pens, lighters, etc.), etc.

3. Opportunity to participate in the survey. Even if a potential respondent satisfies the above two requirements, for one reason or another, he may not take part in the survey (business trip, illness, unexpected family circumstances, forgetfulness, etc.). Typically, face-to-face contact with potential respondents increases the likelihood of their participation in the survey, while mail-in surveys do not have such a socially stimulating effect.

4. Respondent diversity refers to the extent to which prospective respondents share some key traits. For example, if only a small part of the target population visits large department stores, then a survey of shoppers in such stores will not provide representative results. The more varied is target group, the more personal approach to ensure participation in the survey of the right respondents should be used by researchers.

The choice of data collection methods is largely determined by the nature of the questions. Here, first of all, it is necessary to highlight the level of complexity of the tasks that are set for the respondents. For example, testing the palatability of a food product or testing a television advertisement requires quite complex preparation, special equipment, separate rooms, and strict control over the procedures for their implementation.

Further, it should be noted that the amount of information requested from respondents varies greatly from one survey to another. For example, one study aims to obtain a variety of information about the product and its brand, about the lifestyle of buyers and their demographic characteristics.

While the other is only trying to find out what the store visitor remembered from the advertisement at the entrance to this store.

Traditionally, telephone surveys are the shortest, while face-to-face interviews are quite lengthy.

All other methods of data collection fall in between. Often, several methods of data collection are used in combination. For example, after a short telephone interview, a postal survey is conducted.

The choice of data collection method is significantly influenced by the degree of sensitivity of the topic being studied, that is, the degree of involvement of personal interests, views, moral and ethical aspects (blood donation, racial problems, personal hygiene, donations for charitable purposes, etc.). The experience of studying these problems suggests that personal interviews are the least suitable here, and telephone interviews or interviews using a computer are most often used.

The choice of the appropriate method should be based on taking into account all of these factors at the same time, which is extremely difficult and sometimes gives conflicting results. The final choice largely depends on the qualifications and experience of the researchers, the depth of their knowledge of individual methods of data collection. IN general plan when choosing a survey method, one should be guided by the answers to the following question: “Which method of data collection will provide the most complete representative information within the allotted time and money?”

Questions to check

1. Define quantitative and qualitative marketing research; indicate how they differ from each other?
2. What is the method of observation? What is observed and what is recorded in the process of its implementation?
3. Describe at least three different uses for the focus group method.
4. How is the composition of the focus group formed?
5. Should focus group members be similar or different, and why?
6. Should the manager marketing service act as facilitator during the focus group?
7. What does the definition "projective" mean in the name "projection method"?
8. The marketing manager of a distillery is concerned about the low consumption of liqueurs compared to the distillery's other alcoholic products. Help him choose two projection methods for investigating this problem and justify the possibility of their application in this case.
9. Outline the main advantages and disadvantages of survey methods compared to qualitative methods.
10. What are the most attractive features of the computer-assisted survey method?
11. What is common and what is the difference between home, shop and office interviews?
12. Why are phone surveys so popular?
13. What are the three resource factors that influence the choice of survey method?
14. The burglar alarm manufacturer chooses the method of asking apartment owners about the proposed alarm system. In the event of a thief entering the apartment, an audible signal is activated and the barking of a guard dog is imitated. The firm would like to know how many potential customers are aware of the existence of this system, what they think about it and whether they are going to buy it in next year. Which of the considered survey methods is most suitable in this case and why?

Literature

1. Burns Alvin C., Bush Ronald F. Marketing Research. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1995.

2. Hague Paul, Jackson Peter. Marketing Research in Practice. 1992.

3. Kotler Philip. Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, and Control. Seventh Ed. Prentice Hall, 1991.