Fused (Hybrid) Research Methodology: Qual & Quant in same study/sample....Pros & Cons??
Clarification added October 6, 2009:
...my question is focused on web-based research only. And thanks to those who have already answered!
Answers (6)
Agnieszka G.
Marketing research expert, Central & Eastern Europe
Best Answers in: Market Research and Definition (5), Business Development (2), Advertising (1), Business Analytics (1), Starting Up (1)
I'm definitely pro. Why not contact survey participants for additional insights? Why not carry out a structured interview with participants of a large qual study?
I think the problem is in specialisation - moderators hate numbers, quant people have little passion for verbatims... O/Es are regarded as a nuisance instead of being a rich source of inspiration and insight.
At the con side - it's usually cost or time or both.
But in many cases, mixed research design would yield richer data with little incremental costs (or less, if compared to independent quant and qual projects)
best :)
Mary Jo M.
Market researcher with a passion for asking the right questions of the right people at the right time.
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I agree with Agnieszka. Why not? And, in b-to-b work, when response rates are challenging, getting the "textural" data adds a great deal to understanding.
In an online environment, there is a synergy to combining quant and qual in terms of analyzing the data together and tapping recruiting streams from ongoing tracking studies. The survey provides structure and a way to categorize qualitative responses (e.g., satisfied versus dissatisfied customers), while a true qual stimulates depth and uncovers new issues. We recently launched an online research solution, OpinionPond(tm), that enhances a survey with a social media platform, allowing continuous probing on issues as respondents come out of the survey "stream" and into the "pond" where researchers and managers can engage consumers.
Links:
Connie C.
Consumer Behavior Strategist at Right Brain Discovery
Best Answers in: Market Research and Definition (3), Internet Marketing (1), Professional Organizations (1)
Pro...pro...pro. :) Qual & Quant can indeed go hand-in-hand and if you structure your collection and study appropriately you'll get enhanced insights. I've used a mix of methodologies for the past few years, gathering quant data on a larger population and digging deeper with a select few with excellent results. Doing a combo study also allows you to satisfy various gatekeepers on the client side: some who crave qualitative insights and others who live in the world of quantitative analysis. Presenting and researching the two together brings depth, clarity, certainty, and attention either methodology alone can not often achieve.
Best Wishes,
Connie
www.rightbraindiscovery.com
Anand M G.
Helping companies in designing Digital Marketing Strategy through social media research and Listening platform analytics
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It is a nice way to gather intelligence of how and why than just what. Only cons that I see the characteristics or interview methodology of interviewer. if you want to use the same interviewer as moderator then you need a speciality person that has probing skills and ofcourse questionaire pattern is different.
What I do normally add few questions in quant that are descriptive. Sometimes we get respondents who have interest (overinterest) in providing opinions / information. they can provide you this additional info which you can use in your analysis.
Anand
