Marketing Research, 11th Edition

CHAPTER 5Qualitative Research

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Define qualitative research and understand its popularity.
2. Learn about focus groups, how to conduct them, and their advantages and disadvantages.
3. Compare other forms of qualitative research with focus groups.
4. Appreciate the future of qualitative research.

What is qualitative research, and what are the advantages and disadvantages? Why are focus groups popular, and what are the trends in focus group research? What other qualitative tools are available to marketing researchers? These are the areas that will be covered in this chapter.

Nature of Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is a term used loosely to refer to research whose findings are not subject to quantification or quantitative analysis. A quantitative study may determine that a heavy user of a particular brand of tequila is 21 to 35 years of age and has an annual income of $60,000 to $80,000. While quantitative research might be used to find statistically significant differences between heavy and light users, qualitative research could be used to examine the attitudes, feelings, and motivations of the heavy user. Advertising agencies planning a campaign for tequila might employ qualitative techniques to learn how heavy users express themselves and what language they use—essentially, how to communicate with them.

qualitative research

Research whose findings are ...