Many marketing researchers have their favorite research approaches or techniques. Some researchers maintain that the only way to really learn about consumers or brands in through qualitative research. Others content that the only defensible form of marketing research uses quantitative measures. Take a position: the best marketing research is quantitative in nature versus the best marketing research is qualitative in nature.
Of the two marketing research, I prefer qualitative over the quantitative. The aim of both the research method is focused on one thing and that is to understand the past and present scenarios and plan for action for future based on these interpretations. One survey choses a more detailed and focused approach while the other uses a wider survey approach.
Reason for choosing Qualitative Survey:
A recent experience that I had in my work, related to a small trial project in Chinchu of Surkhet district, which was launched last year focusing on post-harvest marketing of vegetable products. To explain a little about it, what we did was, we calculated the average rate of a few vegetables from the daily rate in Chinchu and Birendranagar markets of Surkhet district for the past 5 years and represented it with a line graph. Let us take cabbage as an example. The data clearly showed that the price of cabbage would be the lowest in the months of April, May and June and the highest in Nov - Jan. The reason for this was that it was the season for the vegetable harvest and when everyone planted and produced cabbage in those months there was higher supply resulting in decrease in the price. So we proposed for a zero energy storage trial in the village that would store the extra produce for at least 2-3 months gaining more price and reducing stress sale. But what we found in the recent visit in May 2018 was that they had received an unexpected high price in the month of April-May. The reason for it was that most people did not want to plant cabbage with such unattractive price in those months. This led to the program beneficiaries’ harvested cabbage receiving prices as high as Rs. 30/kg. What we can see from this example is that, not understanding the qualitative aspect that included the behavior of the people (competitors) in the area, our quantitative forecast and interpretation of the data came out to be wrong.
Subjective analysis:
Qualitative survey, even though it is a little inductive, it studies behavior, relation and perception of the customers. As we have learned, consumers’ perception greatly affects the behavior for purchase. We should not focus on the need and want but rather on the demand. Even though the quantitative demand can show what the general purchasing habit of the customers are it cannot understand the perceptual and behavioral aspect that has led to the purchase of those items. If our survey is based on quantitative aspect and huge amount of capital is invested based on it, what will happen if the perception or the behavior of the customers change overnight to a totally other side of our analysis? Thus the objective of qualitative research has a more exploring, discovering, constructing, understanding and interpreting social interaction. (Johnson & Christensen, 2008, p. 34) It also focuses and examines the breadth and depth of a phenomenon through wider angles. It is subjective and has multiple realities. (Lichtman, 2006, pp. 7-8)
Data collection:
The data collection is done through questioners, interviews or focus group discussions. They directly converse with the customers and get feedback from them. This helps to get the actual data straight from the source eliminating possibilities of errors as received from secondary data. "It might be objected that ‘using’ a technique is just a manner of speech. But the words people use are the best guide we have to what they mean. Moreover, words shape, as well as express, what people understand, so new researchers who follow guidance to ‘use’ a technique might be less likely to seek to justify the quality of their work in a more robust way. (Salmon, 2003)”
Cost Efficient:
The groups selected are small in this survey and catered to a focused phenomenon. It is cheaper than quantitative where a larger group is required that can need more cost.
These are some of the reasons why I believe qualitative research is better than quantitative method.
Many marketing researchers have their favorite research approaches or techniques. Some researchers maintain that the only way to really learn about consumers or brands in through qualitative research. Others content that the only defensible form of marketing research uses quantitative measures. Take a position: the best marketing research is quantitative in nature versus the best marketing research is qualitative in nature.
Of the two marketing research, I prefer qualitative over the quantitative. The aim of both the research method is focused on one thing and that is to understand the past and present scenarios and plan for action for future based on these interpretations. One survey choses a more detailed and focused approach while the other uses a wider survey approach.
Reason for choosing Qualitative Survey:
A recent experience that I had in my work, related to a small trial project in Chinchu of Surkhet district, which was launched last year focusing on post-harvest marketing of vegetable products. To explain a little about it, what we did was, we calculated the average rate of a few vegetables from the daily rate in Chinchu and Birendranagar markets of Surkhet district for the past 5 years and represented it with a line graph. Let us take cabbage as an example. The data clearly showed that the price of cabbage would be the lowest in the months of April, May and June and the highest in Nov - Jan. The reason for this was that it was the season for the vegetable harvest and when everyone planted and produced cabbage in those months there was higher supply resulting in decrease in the price. So we proposed for a zero energy storage trial in the village that would store the extra produce for at least 2-3 months gaining more price and reducing stress sale. But what we found in the recent visit in May 2018 was that they had received an unexpected high price in the month of April-May. The reason for it was that most people did not want to plant cabbage with such unattractive price in those months. This led to the program beneficiaries’ harvested cabbage receiving prices as high as Rs. 30/kg. What we can see from this example is that, not understanding the qualitative aspect that included the behavior of the people (competitors) in the area, our quantitative forecast and interpretation of the data came out to be wrong.
Subjective analysis:
Qualitative survey, even though it is a little inductive, it studies behavior, relation and perception of the customers. As we have learned, consumers’ perception greatly affects the behavior for purchase. We should not focus on the need and want but rather on the demand. Even though the quantitative demand can show what the general purchasing habit of the customers are it cannot understand the perceptual and behavioral aspect that has led to the purchase of those items. If our survey is based on quantitative aspect and huge amount of capital is invested based on it, what will happen if the perception or the behavior of the customers change overnight to a totally other side of our analysis? Thus the objective of qualitative research has a more exploring, discovering, constructing, understanding and interpreting social interaction. (Johnson & Christensen, 2008, p. 34) It also focuses and examines the breadth and depth of a phenomenon through wider angles. It is subjective and has multiple realities. (Lichtman, 2006, pp. 7-8)
Data collection:
The data collection is done through questioners, interviews or focus group discussions. They directly converse with the customers and get feedback from them. This helps to get the actual data straight from the source eliminating possibilities of errors as received from secondary data. "It might be objected that ‘using’ a technique is just a manner of speech. But the words people use are the best guide we have to what they mean. Moreover, words shape, as well as express, what people understand, so new researchers who follow guidance to ‘use’ a technique might be less likely to seek to justify the quality of their work in a more robust way. (Salmon, 2003)”
Cost Efficient:
The groups selected are small in this survey and catered to a focused phenomenon. It is cheaper than quantitative where a larger group is required that can need more cost.
These are some of the reasons why I believe qualitative research is better than quantitative method.
Reference
Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and. Thousand Oaks , 34.
Lichtman, M. (2006). Qualitative research in education: A user’s guide. Thousand Oaks, 7-8.
Salmon, P. (2003, Jan). How do we recognise good research? Psychologist, p. 4. Retrieved from search.proquest.com/docview/211811...