RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
(Research Methods/Design/Technique)

29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

Communicating with
Respondents
Personal interviews
Door-to-door
Shopping mall intercepts

Telephone interviews
Self-administered questionnaires

29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

Good Afternoon, my name is

_________. I am with _________
survey research company. We
are conducting a survey
on_________

29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

Door-to-Door Personal Interview

Advantages
The opportunity for feed back
Probing complex answers
Length of interview
Complete questionnaire
High participation

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Door-to-Door Personal Interview

Disadvantages:
Confidential matters
Cost

29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

Mall Intercept Personal Interview

Advantages:
Easy access to the respondents
Low cost
Disadvantages:
Refusal

29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

Telephone Surveys

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Advantages and Disadvantages of

Telephone Interview

Speed
Cost
Absence of face to face contact
Cooperation (Stranger, answering machine, caller Id)
Callbacks
Duration

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Self-Administered Questionnaires
Self-Administered
Self-Administered
Questionnaires
Questionnaires

Printed
Printed Questionnaires
Questionnaires

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Electronic
Electronic Questionnaires
Questionnaires

Mail
Mail

E-Mail
E-Mail

In-Person
In-Person Drop-Off
Drop-Off

Internet
Internet Website
Website

Fax
Fax

Interactive
Interactive Kiosk
Kiosk

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

Self-Administered Questionnaires

Self-administered questionnaires are those questionnaires that are filled in

by the respondent independently, i.e. without the direct interaction with an
interviewer

There are many ways for distributing self-administered questionnaires, for

example, by mailing or faxing questionnaires to people, by posting them on
websites, by distributing them at certain locations and places (airline flights,
resteraunts, hotels etc.), by including them as inserts in magazines and so
forth

Researchers who have to interpret self-administered questionnaires have to

be skillful at trying to understand what is being conveyed to them in written
or electronic - rather than verbal - form

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10

Mail Surveys

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Mail Surveys

A mail survey is a self-administered questionnaire dispatched to

respondents through the mail

Mail surveys have several advantages and disadvantages:

29 August 2005

Geographic Flexibility
cost
respondent convenience
interviewers absence
time factor
length of the questionnaire

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Mail Surveys: Advantages (1)

Geographic Flexibility Mail questionnaires can be distributed

over a geographically wide area simultaneously and quickly,
including to respondents who may live in remote or not so cheaply
accessible areas, and respondents who may not be easy to reach
due to extensive comittments, such as executives. Mail
questionaires can also be easily and quickly distributed at meetings
or to employees in an organization, along with basic guidelines for
filling in the questionnaire

Cost Mail questionnaires are comparatively cheaper to conduct

than personal interviews and telephone surveys, but can still be
quite costly because of the costs of printing and mailing
questionnaires, and possible follow-up actions

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Mail Surveys: Advantages (2)

Responent Convenience Questionnaires can be filled out at the

respondents convenience. The respondent has time to think about his or her
answer which may provide more accurate data and information to the
interviewer than would be possible in the case of personal interviews or
telephone surveys

Interviewer Absence Respondents may be willing to disclose sensitive

information in a mail survey which they may not be willing to do if being
interviewed personally

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Mail Surveys: Disadvantages (1)

Interviewer Absence Respondents may attach a different subjective

meaning to questionnaires, which are outside the control or influence of the
interviewer who cannot be consulted or queried. Respondents may thus
misunderstand certain questions or aspects of the survey

Time Factor Mail surveys may be inappropriate if time is very limited and
information is needed quickly. Usually, it can take a few weeks before
completed mail questionnaires are received, follow-up action initiated and
the information analyzed

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Mail Surveys: Disadvantages (2)

Length of Mail Questionnaire If the questionnaire is quite long (usually >

6 pages), respondents must give considerable effort and may not be willing
to invest the effort. Sometimes, this reluctance can be overcome by using
incentives

Wrong Respondents Questionnaires may not be answered by the target

respondents (e.g. senior executives), instead, the task of filling up the
questionnaire is delegated to subordinates

Social Factors The response rate is dependent on social and economic

factors such as the education level of the respondent and his or her
economic status. More educated and well-to-do respondents, and those with
more interest in the subject of the survey, tend to reply more to
questionnaires than respondents with lessor education and of lessor
economic means

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Techniques to Increase Mail Survey

Response Rates
There are several techniques which can be used to increase response rates to
mail surveys. Examples:

Using a stamped return envelope

Designing and formatting attractive, easy-to-understand and interesting questions
Inclusion of a cover letter
Preliminary notification a few days prior to launching the mail survey
Survey sponsorship (nature of organization undertaking the survey)
Miscellaneous innovative techniques (e.g.: colour of questionnaire, mechanics of
conducting mail surveys)

29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

17

Fax Surveys
Fax Survey A survey in which questionnaires are distributed and/or returned
through fax machines
Advantages:
Reduction in printing and postage costs for the researcher and faster
distribution and return than through mail surveys
Disadvantages:
Not all respondents have fax machines and some respondents may not want
to return the fax if transmission cost is high due to geographical distance. As
with mail surveys, respondents with more extreme views, who are interested in
the subject of the survey, will be more likely to respond, thus creating a bias
effect

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eMail Surveys
eMail Survey A survey in which questionnaires are distributed and returned via
eMail. Surveys conducted with eMail are especially suited for time-sensitive issues
Advantages:
Speed of distribution, lower distribution and processing costs, faster turnaround
time, more flexibility, and less handling of paper questionnaire
Disadvantages:
Not all respondents have eMail. There may be concerns on the part of the
respondents about confidentiality, the format of eMails can differ considerably
depending on the programmes used and the settings of the respondents
computer. Moreover, respondents have different skill levels in handling eMails,
especially complicated survey-related ones

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Internet Surveys
Internet Survey An internet survey is a self-administered questionnaire which is
posted on a website. Some major advantages of using the Internet for Conducting
Surveys:

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access to a large (possibly global) audience on 24-hour basis

Real-time data entry and analysis
More accurate data capture if properly programmed
obtaining confidential and cost-effectively
No costs for paper, postage, data entry and administrative costs
Samples can be larger than with interviews and other types of self-administered
questionnaires
Questionnaires can include use of appealing multimedia aids including
photographs or drawings of prototypes
Callbacks are automated (if response incomplete or not given)
eMail can be used to invite respondents to visit the website
Flexible and personalized questioning of respondents

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Internet Surveys
Some major disadvantages of using the internet for conducting
surveys:

Many people in the general population do not have access to the internet
Different levels of technology may be prevalent (broadband or dial-up
connectivity) which may result in some users not being able to access
information as quick as others
Hardware deficiencies and/or software incompatability
Different computer skill levels
Physical incentives (e.g. inclusion of money) is not possible, only the
promise of a future reward
Research on internet surveys is small and so are ideas for improving
response rates

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Other Survey Types

Other types of surveys include
Kiosk Surveys, i.e., surveys conducted with the help of computers are
installed in kiosks in different public locations, such as exhibitions and trade
shows, conferences and conventions, museums and so forth. A
disadvantage of using kiosk surveys is that usually computer-literate
persons and those having the time and interest in the survey subject will
respond
Mixed Surveys, i.e., a combination of personal and telephone interviews,
mail, eMail, fax and internet. Mixed surveys have both advantages (e.g.
better screening of respondents) and disadvantages (waning respondent
interest or non-availability)

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Pretesting
Pretesting is a technique used to improve the quality of questionnaires
with a view to ensuring that respondents understand and do not omit
questions or do not misinterpret instructions given to them for filling out the
questionnaire
Pretesting involves sending questionnaires to a group of respondents for
the purpose of detecting flaws in the questionnaires design or instructions.
Pretesting can, alternatively, rely on asking other research professionals to
do this assignment or asking the manager or client who commissioned the
research (who should always read the questionnaire to ascertain whether
it suits his or her requirement)
Problems typically occur in wording questions, problems with lead
questions, and bias due to the question sequence

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Ethical Issues in Survey Research

Ethical Considerations while undertaking survey
research include:
Avoidance by the researcher of misinformation and
practices that may harm, humiliate or mislead
respondents
Observing respondents right to privacy and
confidentiality
Honesty in collecting data
Objectivity in analysing and interpreting data
29 August 2005

MBA III (Research Methodology)

Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

24

There is no best form of

survey; each has
advantages and
disadvantages.

29 August 2005