Measurement in Marketing Research

Ch 10 2

Basic Question-Response Formats

• Open-ended

• Closed-ended

• Scaled-response

Ch 10 3

Basic Question-Response FormatsOpen-Ended

• Open-ended question presents no response options to the respondent.

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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.

Ch 10 6

Basic Question-Response FormatsClosed-Ended

• Closed-ended question provides options on the questionnaire that can be answered quickly and easily.

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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.

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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.

Ch 10 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.

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 18

Levels of Measurement Scales

Ch 10 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.

Ch 10 20

Examples of Scaling Assumptions

Ch 10 21

Measuring Objective Properties

• Physically verifiable characteristics such as age, gender, number of bottles purchased, etc.

Ch 10 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.

Ch 10 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

Ch 10 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