| Quantitative research studies (e.g., surveys or medical | | | | the statistical (quantitative) results. |
| trials) and qualitative research studies (e.g., interviews | | | | This is particularly true in scientific communities |
| or focus groups) are powerful tools in the hands of a | | | | (where experimentation and research define the |
| trained marketer. Both forms of research are valid, | | | | discipline), and in manufacturing (where continuous |
| and both provide useful insight into a market space, | | | | improvement is defined in terms of deviation from |
| when properly conducted and appropriately | | | | specifications), and in highly technical environments |
| interpreted. Yet they are as different as oil and | | | | (like IT), and in business environments (where well |
| water. | | | | quantified ideas are more likely to be funded). |
| Some of the differences between these processes | | | | In your case, the stated purpose of the research |
| are obvious, even at first glance. Each approach has | | | | was "to ensure the organization develops services |
| its unique methodologies, its inherent advantages, and | | | | that meet the needs of its markets." And eventually, |
| its limitations. And neither approach works in all | | | | these developments will need to be funded. So, |
| situations. Sometimes, marketers will begin their | | | | when it comes time for you to present your |
| research with exploratory interviews, to uncover | | | | statistical and qualitative findings simultaneously, your |
| issues and develop theories, and then test those | | | | organization's decision-makers may place undue |
| theories with broad, quantitative studies. At other | | | | emphasis on the statistical results, and could even |
| times, empirical research may lead to creative | | | | dismiss the findings of the qualitative research. |
| concepts that must be tested in qualitative studies, | | | | Assumptions of Relative Homogeneity or Diversity |
| like focus groups. But what happens when | | | | When we first presented the case study example, |
| quantitative and qualitative research projects run | | | | we defined the internal managers group as "a highly |
| concurrently? Are there dangers in mixing these very | | | | splintered but politically influential group." The |
| different processes? | | | | splintered nature of the group was also a concern of |
| The short answer is "yes." | | | | the chief executive, who hoped that a broad survey |
| Case Study | | | | of the internal manager population would help "discern |
| Consider the case of a service organization with five | | | | which of the influential splinter groups are |
| distinct stakeholder segments. Let's call them | | | | representative of the majority opinion." |
| customers, prospective customers, delivery partners, | | | | But the decision to approach the internal managers |
| the general public, and internal managers. (The | | | | group with a different methodology based on the |
| "internal managers group" does not refer to a specific | | | | fact that they are diverse inherently implies that the |
| group of people or a job function, but rather to all of | | | | other groups are each homogeneous. And that is a |
| the mid-level managers throughout the organization, | | | | dangerous assumption. |
| who collectively control the content and quality of | | | | In fact, it is likely that one or more of the other |
| the services delivered.) Now imagine you're the | | | | stakeholder groups is as diverse and segmentable as |
| Marketing Director for that organization, and you've | | | | the internal manager group. But the decision to |
| been given the opportunity to hold focus groups with | | | | employ a statistical survey with the internal managers |
| representative members of these five market | | | | group (and not with the remaining groups) will bias |
| segments, to ensure the organization develops | | | | you toward identifying and defining the subgroups of |
| services that meet the needs of its markets. One of | | | | internal managers, while treating the remaining groups |
| the segments, the internal managers - a highly | | | | as individual but homogenous groups who simply |
| splintered but politically influential group - holds the | | | | happen to share concerns. |
| power to define and deliver the very services your | | | | Furthermore, you could easily end up comparing not |
| organization offers. And more than any of the other | | | | five, but six or seven or eight groups, several of |
| groups, the internal managers have the ear of your | | | | which would be subgroups of the internal managers |
| executive leadership. | | | | group. This would give undue influence to the internal |
| Concerned about keeping peace with the internal | | | | managers segment in the final decision-making |
| managers, the chief executive approaches you and | | | | process. |
| asks that you give the internal managers a chance to | | | | Relative Importance of One Group Over Another |
| voice their opinions in a broader survey. A survey | | | | Ultimately, as marketing director in this fictitious |
| methodology will allow all members of this large, | | | | organization, you will need to recommend a course of |
| vocal, and diverse group to express their individual | | | | action. That course of action should give relative |
| opinions. Moreover, the survey responses will enable | | | | weight to the needs and opinions of the groups |
| the organization's leadership to "segment and size the | | | | based on their strategic priority to the organization. |
| internal manager market," and discern which of the | | | | Working closely with your CEO and applying the |
| influential splinter groups are representative of the | | | | corporate vision to your thinking, you may decide |
| majority opinion. Finally, the executive suggests that | | | | that one group - for example, "existing customers" - |
| the composite viewpoint of the internal manager | | | | should be the focus of your organization's energies. |
| group, as represented by quantitative analysis of the | | | | But when you do set priorities, you will need to |
| survey, be weighed equally against the other four | | | | anticipate a response from the "highly splintered but |
| segments' opinions, as expressed in individual focus | | | | politically influential group [that] holds the power to |
| groups. | | | | define and deliver the very services your organization |
| The executive's approach sounds reasonable enough, | | | | offers." And because you have allowed that group to |
| and even respectful of the science of each | | | | have its own empirical study, that group will be |
| methodology. Yet, it's fraught with perils. | | | | armed with statistics to reinforce their position. |
| Fundamentally Different Processes | | | | Show Me a Way Out! |
| Focus groups are designed to provide a window of | | | | All of these concerns can be abated (or at least |
| insight into issues that might exist more broadly in a | | | | minimized) by conducting the quantitative survey |
| population. Participants are encouraged to answer | | | | after the focus groups are concluded. In this |
| open-ended questions and engage in unfiltered dialog | | | | two-tiered approach, your first study (focus groups) |
| about their perspectives. When professionally | | | | would provide your organization with comparable |
| facilitated, focus groups allow the moderator to | | | | qualitative feedback from all five primary stakeholder |
| probe more deeply into comments made by | | | | groups, and the second study (surveys) would give |
| participants. This provides deeper insight into the | | | | your CEO the insight he needs to understand how |
| feelings and reactions of individual participants. By | | | | large a percentage of the internal managers |
| contrast, quantitative studies (e.g., surveys) probe | | | | population holds each of the conflicting viewpoints. |
| less deeply on individual issues, but provide empirical | | | | What's more, your organization will find three |
| data, which can be projected, with some validity, | | | | additional benefits to the two-tiered approach: |
| from the sample space to the entire population. | | | | - By running the focus groups before the survey |
| Mixed Media, Mixed Messages | | | | study, you will have the opportunity to identify |
| One of the dangers of running quantitative and | | | | (narrow down) the most important issues and discuss |
| qualitative research concurrently, is the potential to | | | | their weighting with your CEO. This will help you |
| confuse the processes. While artists may choose to | | | | phrase the questions for the empirical research, and |
| mix techniques (as a watercolorist would mix | | | | provide a sense of "focus." |
| wet-on-dry and wet-on-wet techniques) to create a | | | | - Further, the questions you develop for the survey |
| beautiful and compelling piece of art, researchers who | | | | could be equally applicable to several audiences. So, |
| run concurrent qualitative and quantitative studies | | | | rather than gathering statistical feedback from |
| often end up with quite a mess. Readers of mixed | | | | internal managers only, you could simultaneously |
| studies, being influenced by projections in the | | | | target multiple audience groups, including customers, |
| quantitative portion of the study, may try to extend | | | | delivery partners, the general public, etc. |
| observations from the qualitative portion of the | | | | - Then, by comparing the survey responses from |
| study, and end up with invalid conclusions. In your | | | | each group, you could clearly see the differences in |
| case, presenting the conclusions of your qualitative | | | | values and needs among your target audiences. This |
| focus group research in the same context as your | | | | would yield valuable "needs profiles" to which you |
| quantitative internal-manager-group survey results | | | | could map message platforms. |
| may encourage those who review the findings to | | | | By separating the surveys from the focus groups, |
| project the opinions expressed in the qualitative | | | | you maintain the integrity of each process, deliver |
| studies (focus groups) statistically, to the larger | | | | clearer and more meaningful results, and enhance the |
| population, and this would be inappropriate. The | | | | ROI of your survey. In the end, your organization |
| resulting, inaccurate view of your market space will | | | | develops a more accurate understanding of its |
| skew the development of your services matrix. | | | | markets, your CEO gains valuable insight into his |
| Non-Comparable Weighting | | | | manager-constituents, and you get to retain your |
| People who look at qualitative and quantitative | | | | sanity. |
| studies side-by-side tend to assign more weight to | | | | See? It's good to be the Marketing Director! |