chapter Q&A
Rock1027
04_Chapter04.pptx4. Focus Groups
CONTENT
What is focus group?
Planning
Moderator
Traditional focus group vs. Online focus group
Focus group vs. In-depth interview
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Focus Groups
Focused discussion of a group of participants led by a moderator
Probably most common in qualitative research
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Source: www.campos.com/focusgs.htm
Viewing room looking into the focus group room
through one-way mirror
Layout of focus group room and
viewing room
One-way mirror
Planning
Participants
Homogeneous on the characteristic(s) of interest
Attitudes
Supporters of Donald Trump vs. Supporters of Hilary Clinton
How many focus groups are needed?
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Planning
Participants
Homogeneous on the characteristic(s) of interest
Demographics & Product Usage
Men and women who do and do not color their hair
How many focus groups are needed?
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Planning (Cont)
Group Size & Duration
Optimal size: 6 - 10
Minimum: 1 hour, Maximum: 2 hours
Timing
Early evening (5:30PM – 7:00PM)
Example: Your client is seeking to expand their market to Gainesville, FL and Ithaca, NY. The client wants to find out any different perceptions about their brand among heavy vs. non-users, in order to develop an effective strategy for a new marketing campaign in the two markets.
How many focus groups are needed?
How many participants are needed?
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Key Qualifications of Moderator
People person
Flexibility
Sensitivity
Kindness with firmness
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Pros of Focus Groups
Generate fresh ideas
Allow clients to observe their participants
May be directed at understanding a wide variety of issues
Allow fairly easy access to special respondent groups
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Source: www.propaganda-mccann.dk, used with permission from GfK Denmark
Cons of Focus Groups
Representativeness of participants
Interpretation sometimes difficult
High cost per participant
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Characteristic Traditional Focus Groups Online Focus Groups
Online vs. Traditional Focus Groups
Group Size
Time Duration
Basic focus group costs
Group composition
Respondent Identity
Respondent attentiveness
Non-verbal Communication
Use of physical stimuli
Unique moderator skills
6-10
1-2 hours
Expensive
Local
Easily verify
Monitored
Observed
Unlimited
Observational
6-10
1-2 hours
Much less expensive
Anywhere in the world
Hard to verify
Can engage in other tasks
Not observed, but
Limited, can’t taste or touch
Typing, computer usage, familiarity with chat room slang
In-Depth Interview
Private, face-to-face conversation
Interviewer and informant
Useful when
Subject matter is confidential
Extensive, detailed probing is required
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In-Depth Interview (Cont)
Laddering
product characteristics -> user characteristics.
Q: Why do you like to travel in wide-body aircrafts?
A: I can have more space.
Q: Why is it importance to have more space?
A: I can get more work done.
Q: Why is it important to get more work done?
A: I accomplish more.
Q: Why is it important to accomplish more?
A: I can feel good about myself.
Wide-body aircraft business-class cabin seating -> sense of accomplishment and higher self-esteem
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In-Depth Interview (Cont)
United Airlines advertising: “You're The Boss.”
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In-Depth Interview (Cont)
Symbolic analysis
Comparing products/services with their opposites
Non-usage of the product
Q: “What would it be like if you could no longer use airplanes?”
A: “Without planes, I would have to rely on e-mails, letters and long-distance calls.”
What do airlines sell?
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Characteristic Focus Groups In-depth Interview
Focus Groups vs. In-depth Interview
Group dynamics
Peer pressure
Probing of individuals
Discussion of sensitive topics
Scheduling of respondents
Yes
Yes
Low
No
Hard
No
No
High
Yes
Easy
End of chapter questions
1. In which business situations are focus groups a relevant research tool?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups, compared with other methods?
5. The Coca Cola Company has asked you to conduct online focus group with worldwide heavy users of soft drinks. Which problems would you foresee with starting up such worldwide online focus groups?
6. Section 4.6 shows how to quantify an excerpt from a focus group discussion. Are there other forms of marketing communication that could be used for quantitative analysis?
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WRAP-UP
Basics of focus group
Comparisons between traditional and online focus groups and between focus groups and in-depth interviews
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