Understanding Qualitative Research and Consumer Behavior
Qualitative Research:
Qualitative research refers to data obtained in investigations that are not subject to quantitative analysis. It can be applied to learn about attitudes, feelings, and motivations. This approach emerged in the mid-seventeenth century, pioneered by researcher Giambattista Vico.
Advantages:
– Often cheaper than quantitative research.
– Appropriate for understanding deep motivations and feelings of consumers.
– Can enhance the effectiveness of quantitative research.
Limitations:
– Cannot distinguish small differences as quantitative research can.
– Not necessarily representative of the population of interest.
Group Sessions:
Group sessions were derived from group therapy used by psychiatrists. A group session typically consists of 8-12 participants and is led by a moderator who guides the conversation into a deep discussion on a particular theme or concept. These sessions are much more than simple question-and-answer interviews.
Interaction:
This is the reason for conducting group sessions rather than individual investigations. The response of one person encourages others, creating a richer mix of responses than if the same number of people contributed independently.
Consumer Behavior:
All factors that influence and eventually materialize in the form of decisions made by individuals when purchasing certain goods for consumption.
Consumer Factors:
– Social (groups, family, social role, and position)
– Cultural (culture, subculture, and social class)
– Personal (age, occupation, economic status, lifestyle, and personality)
– Psychological (motivation, perception, learning, and beliefs).
Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow):
1. Self-actualization (self-satisfaction)
2. Ego (prestige, status, self-esteem)
3. Social (affection, friendship, belonging)
4. Security and Peace of Mind (protection, order, stability).
Maslow identifies five basic levels, listed in order of importance, from low (biogenic) to high-level (psychogenic). It postulates that individuals try to satisfy their lower needs before addressing higher ones. Dissatisfaction is what motivates behavior.
Trend:
A propensity or inclination in individuals and things towards certain purposes, including religious, economic, political, and artistic ideas, oriented in a specific direction (Royal Spanish Academy).
Market Segmentation:
Benefits:
– Identifies market opportunities
– Anticipates competition
– Generates barriers to entry
– Creates competitive advantages
– Allows for differentiation.
Importance:
To serve customers better by adding value with adequate benefits, improving sales in flat markets, reacting to the mass market, reducing brand cannibalization, and responding to the search for diversity.
Effective Segmentation:
– Measurable
– Substantial
– Accessible
– Actionable
– Differentiated.
Positioning:
The place a brand, product, or service occupies in the minds of consumers, including its attributes and the perceived rewards for users.
15 Quantitative Techniques:
1. Media Analysis
2. Evaluation of Promotions
3. Competitive Analysis
4. Evaluation of New Products
5. Evaluation of Advertising Campaigns
6. Market Share Analysis
7. Identifying Customer Profiles and Origins
8. Studies of Usage Patterns, Habits, and Attitudes
9. Evaluation of Service and Customer Satisfaction
10. Segmentation Studies and Establishment of Niche Markets
11. Price Monitors
12. Market Potential Analysis
13. Source Analysis
14. Environmental Census
15. Feasibility Studies for Opening.
Theories of Learning:
– Behaviorist
– Classical Conditioning (Pavlov): stimulus-response
– Instrumental Conditioning (Skinner)
– Observation
– Observing Behavior: opinion leaders
– Cognitive: application of mental activity to the resolution of problems.