Marketing Research

GSM5210

Lecture 6

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 Marketing Research Process
Step 1: Problem Definition
Step 2: Development of an Approach to the Problem
Step 3: Research Design Formulation
Step 4: Fieldwork or Data Collection
Step 5: Data Preparation and Analysis
Step 6: Report Preparation and Presentation
 Components of a Research Design
• Define the information needed
• Design the exploratory, descriptive, and/or
causal phases of the research
• Specify the measurement and scaling
procedures
• Construct and pretest a questionnaire
(interviewing form) or an appropriate form for
data collection
• Specify the sampling process and sample size
• Develop a plan of data analysis
 Sample Vs. Census
Table 11.1
Conditions Favoring the Use of
Type of Study Sample Census

1. Budget Small Large

2. Time available Short Long

3. Population size Large Small

4. Variance in the characteristic Small Large

5. Cost of sampling errors Low High

6. Cost of nonsampling errors High Low

7. Nature of measurement Destructive Nondestructive

8. Attention
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 The Sampling Design Process
Fig. 11.1

Define the Population

Determine the Sampling Frame

Select Sampling Technique(s)

Determine the Sample Size

Execute the Sampling Process

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 Define the Target Population
The target population is the collection of elements or objects
that possess the information sought by the researcher and about
which inferences are to be made. The target population should
be defined in terms of elements, sampling units, extent, and
time.

– An element is the object about which or from which the

information is desired, e.g., the respondent.
– A sampling unit is an element, or a unit containing the
element, that is available for selection at some stage of the
sampling process.
– Extent refers to the geographical boundaries.
– Time is the time period under consideration.

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 Factors determining the sample size
– the importance of the decision
– the nature of the research
– the number of variables
– the nature of the analysis
– sample sizes used in similar studies
– incidence rates
– completion rates
– resource constraints

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 Sample Sizes Used in Marketing
Research Studies
Type of Study Minimum Size Typical Range

Problem identification research 500 1,000-2,500

(e.g. market potential)
Problem-solving research (e.g. 200 300-500
pricing)

Product tests 200 300-500

Test marketing studies 200 300-500

TV, radio, or print advertising (per 150 200-300

commercial or ad tested)
Test-market audits 10 stores 10-20 stores

Focus groups 2 groups 6-15 groups

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 Classification of Sampling Techniques

Sampling Techniques

Nonprobability Probability
Sampling Techniques Sampling Techniques

Convenience Judgmental Quota Snowball

Sampling Sampling Sampling Sampling

Simple Random Systematic Stratified Cluster Other Sampling

Sampling Sampling Sampling Sampling Techniques
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 Choosing Nonprobability Vs.
Probability Sampling
Conditions Favoring the Use of
Factors Nonprobability Probability
sampling sampling

Nature of research Exploratory Conclusive

Relative magnitude of sampling Nonsampling Sampling

and nonsampling errors errors are errors are
larger larger

Variability in the population Homogeneous Heterogeneous

(low) (high)

Statistical considerations Unfavorable Favorable

Operational considerations Favorable Unfavorable

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 Convenience Sampling
Convenience sampling attempts to obtain a sample of
convenient elements. Often, respondents are selected
because they happen to be in the right place at the right time.

– use of students, and members of social organizations

– mall intercept interviews without qualifying the
respondents
– department stores using charge account lists
– “people on the street” interviews

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 Judgmental Sampling
Judgmental sampling is a form of convenience sampling in which
the population elements are selected based on the judgment of the
researcher.

– test markets
– purchase engineers selected in industrial marketing research
– bellwether precincts selected in voting behavior research
– expert witnesses used in court

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 Quota Sampling
Quota sampling may be viewed as two-stage restricted judgmental
sampling.

– The first stage consists of developing control categories, or quotas, of

population elements.
– In the second stage, sample elements are selected based on
convenience or judgment.

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 Snowball Sampling
In snowball sampling, an initial group of respondents is
selected, usually at random.

– After being interviewed, these respondents are asked to

identify others who belong to the target population of
interest.

– Subsequent respondents are selected based on the

referrals.

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 Simple Random Sampling
• Each element in the population has a known
and equal probability of selection.

• Each possible sample of a given size (n) has a

known and equal probability of being the
sample actually selected.

• This implies that every element is selected

independently of every other element.
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 Simple Random Sampling

1. Select a suitable sampling frame

2. Each element is assigned a number from 1 to N
(pop. size)
3. Generate n (sample size) different random numbers
between 1 and N
4. The numbers generated denote the elements that
should be included in the sample

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 Systematic Sampling
• The sample is chosen by selecting a random
starting point and then picking every ith element
in succession from the sampling frame.

• The sampling interval, i, is determined by dividing

the population size N by the sample size n and
rounding to the nearest integer.

• When the ordering of the elements is related to

the characteristic of interest, systematic sampling
increases the representativeness of the sample.

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 Systematic Sampling
• If the ordering of the elements produces a cyclical
pattern, systematic sampling may decrease the
representativeness of the sample.

For example, there are 100,000 elements in the

population and a sample of 1,000 is desired. In
this case the sampling interval, i, is 100. A
random number between 1 and 100 is selected.
If, for example, this number is 23, the sample
consists of elements 23, 123, 223, 323, 423, 523,
and so on.

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 Systematic Sampling

1. Select a suitable sampling frame

2. Each element is assigned a number from 1 to N (pop. size)
3. Determine the sampling interval i:i=N/n. If i is a fraction,
round to the nearest integer
4. Select a random number, r, between 1 and i, as explained in
simple random sampling
5. The elements with the following numbers will comprise the
systematic random sample: r, r+i,r+2i,r+3i,r+4i,...,r+(n-1)i

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 Stratified Sampling
• A two-step process in which the population is partitioned
into subpopulations, or strata.

• The strata should be mutually exclusive and collectively

exhaustive in that every population element should be
assigned to one and only one stratum and no population
elements should be omitted.

• Next, elements are selected from each stratum by a

random procedure, usually SRS.

• A major objective of stratified sampling is to increase

precision without increasing cost.

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 Stratified Sampling
• The elements within a stratum should be as
homogeneous as possible, but the elements in
different strata should be as heterogeneous as
possible.

• The stratification variables should also be closely

related to the characteristic of interest.

• Finally, the variables should decrease the cost of

the stratification process by being easy to
measure and apply.

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 Stratified Sampling
• In proportionate stratified sampling, the size of
the sample drawn from each stratum is
proportionate to the relative size of that stratum
in the total population.

• In disproportionate stratified sampling, the size

of the sample from each stratum is proportionate
to the relative size of that stratum and to the
standard deviation of the distribution of the
characteristic of interest among all the elements
in that stratum.

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 Stratified Sampling

1. Select a suitable frame

2. Select the stratification variable(s) and the number of strata, H
3. Divide the entire population into H strata. Based on the
classification variable, each element of the population is assigned
to one of the H strata
4. In each stratum, number the elements from 1 to Nh (the pop.
size of stratum h)
5. Determine the sample size of each stratum, nh, based on
proportionate or disproportionate stratified sampling
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In each stratum, select a simple random sample of size nh 23
 Cluster Sampling
• The target population is first divided into mutually
exclusive and collectively exhaustive subpopulations,
or clusters.

• Then a random sample of clusters is selected, based on

a probability sampling technique such as SRS.

• For each selected cluster, either all the elements are

included in the sample (one-stage) or a sample of
elements is drawn probabilistically (two-stage).

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 Cluster Sampling
• Elements within a cluster should be as heterogeneous
as possible, but clusters themselves should be as
homogeneous as possible. Ideally, each cluster should
be a small-scale representation of the population.

• In probability proportionate to size sampling, the

clusters are sampled with probability proportional to
size. In the second stage, the probability of selecting a
sampling unit in a selected cluster varies inversely with
the size of the cluster.

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 Cluster Sampling

1. Assign a number from 1 to N to each element in the population

2. Divide the population into C clusters of which c will be included in
the sample
3. Calculate the sampling interval i, i=N/c (round to nearest integer)
4. Select a random number r between 1 and i, as explained in simple
random sampling
5. Identify elements with the following numbers:
r,r+i,r+2i,... r+(c-1)i
6. Select the clusters that contain the identified elements
7. Select sampling units within each selected cluster based on SRS
or systematic sampling
8. Remove clusters exceeding sampling interval i. Calculate new
population size N*, number of clusters to be selected C*= C-1,
and new sampling interval i*.
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 Strengths and Weaknesses of
Basic Sampling Techniques
Technique Strengths Weaknesses
Nonprobability Sampling Least expensive, least Selection bias, sample not
Convenience sampling time-consuming, most representative, not recommended for
convenient descriptive or causal research
Judgmental sampling Low cost, convenient, Does not allow generalization,
not time-consuming subjective
Quota sampling Sample can be controlled Selection bias, no assurance of
for certain characteristics representativeness
Snowball sampling Can estimate rare Time-consuming
characteristics

Probability sampling Easily understood, Difficult to construct sampling

Simple random sampling results projectable frame, expensive, lower precision,
(SRS) no assurance of representativeness.
Systematic sampling Can increase Can decrease representativeness
representativeness,
easier to implement than
SRS, sampling frame not
necessary
Stratified sampling Include all important Difficult to select relevant
subpopulations, stratification variables, not feasible to
precision stratify on many variables, expensive
Cluster sampling Easy to implement, cost Imprecise, difficult to compute and
effective interpret results
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 Research Proposal
• Executive Summary
• Background
• Problem Definition/Objectives of the Research
• Approach to the Problem
• Research Design
• Fieldwork/Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• Reporting
• Cost and Time
• Appendices

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