Measurement in Marketing Research

1. Measurement in Marketing Research

2. Basic Question-Response Formats • Open-ended • Closed-ended • Scaled-response

3. Basic Question-Response FormatsOpen-Ended • Open-ended question presents no response options to the respondent.

4. Basic Question-Response FormatsOpen-Ended: Unprobed • Unprobed format seeks no additional information • Advantage: • Allows respondent to use his or her own words • Disadvantages: • Difficult to code and interpret • Respondents may not give complete answers

5. Basic Question-Response FormatsOpen-Ended: Probed • Probed format includes a response probe instructing the interviewer to ask for additional information • Advantage: • Elicits complete answers • Disadvantage: • Difficult to code and interpret.

6. Basic Question-Response FormatsClosed-Ended • Closed-ended question provides options on the questionnaire that can be answered quickly and easily.

7. Basic Question-Response FormatsClosed-Ended: Dichotomous • Dichotomous has only two response options, such as “yes” or “no” • Advantage: • Simple to administer and code • Disadvantage: • May oversimplify response options

8. Basic Question-Response FormatsClosed-Ended: Multiple Category • Multiple response has more than two options for the response • Advantages: • Allows for broad range of possible responses • Simple to administer and code • Disadvantages: • Must distinguish “pick one” from “pick all that apply” • May alert respondents to response options of which they were unaware

9. Basic Question-Response FormatsScaled-Response • Scaled-response question utilizes a scale developed by the researcher to measure the attributes of some construct under study.

10. Basic Question-Response FormatsScaled-Response: Unlabeled • Unlabeled uses a scale that may be purely numerical or only the endpoints of the scale are identified • Advantages: • Allows for degree of intensity/feelings to be expressed • Simple to administer and code • Disadvantage: • Respondents may not relate well to the scale

11. Basic Question-Response FormatsScaled-Response: Labeled • Labeled uses a scale in which all of the scale positions are identified with some description • Advantages: • Allows for degree of intensity/feelings to be expressed • Simple to administer and code • Respondents can relate to scale • Disadvantage: • Scale may be “forced” or overly detailed

12. Considerations in Choosing a Question-Response Format • The nature of the property being measured • Gender=dichotomous; liking for chocolate=scale • Previous research studies • Use format in previous study if desire to compare

13. Considerations in Choosing a Question-Response Format • The data collection mode • Cannot use some scales on the phone • The ability of the respondent • Kids can’t relate to scaled response • The scale level desired

14. Basic Concepts in Measurement • Measurement: determining how much of a property is possessed by an object • Properties: specific features or characteristics of an object that can be used to distinguish it from another object • Objective properties are physically verifiable • Subjective properties are mental constructs

15. Scale Characteristics Determine the Level of Measurement • Description: the use of a descriptor, or label, to stand for each “unit” on the scale; “yes,” “no,” “male,” “female,” etc. • All levels of measurement have description. • Order: the relative sizes of the descriptors are known allowing us to say one is “greater/less than” the other.

16. Scale Characteristics Determine the Level of Measurement • Distance: the differences between the descriptors are known: there is a $1 difference between $4 and $5. There is a 10 degree difference between 90 and 100 degrees. • Origin: there is a true, natural zero: there is a zero level of dollars, market share, sales.

17. Levels of Measurement Scales • Nominal scales: those that use only labels • Ordinal scales: those with which the researcher can rank-order the respondents or responses • Interval scales: those in which the distance between each descriptor is equal • Ratio scales: ones in which a true zero exists

18. Levels of Measurement Scales

19. Why the Level of a Measurement Scale is Important • The scale affects what may or may not be said about the property being measured. • Examples: • If you wish to calculate an average, you must use an interval or ratio scale. • If you have a nominal or ordinal scale, you must summarize the results with a percentage or frequency distribution.

20. Examples of Scaling Assumptions

21. Measuring Objective Properties • Physically verifiable characteristics such as age, gender, number of bottles purchased, etc.

22. Measuring Subjective Properties • Cannot be directly observed because they are mental constructs such as a person’s attitudes, opinions, or intentions. • For subjective properties, researchers must translate mental constructs onto an intensity continuum.

23. Workhorse Scales Used in Marketing Research • The Modified Likert Scale • The Life-Style Inventory • The Semantic Differential Scale • Halo effect • Other Scaled-Response Question Formats

24. Reliability and Validity • Reliability: respondent responds in the same or a similar manner to an identical or nearly identical measure • Validity: accuracy of responses to a measure • Face validity