Qualitative Versus Quantitative Data: Survey Objective Matters
It is expedient to consider how you intend to interpret your findings before constructing your survey. A clear objective will determine the type of data to collect for your brand’s endeavor. Whether it be qualitative or quantitative, each serves different purposes.
Baby Boomer entrepreneurs looking to refine, improve, or create new product opportunities, and relish in collecting and analyzing information must become acquainted with both qualitative and quantitative data. While this is central to brand survival, the type of analysis is the quintessence of the survey process. It’s frustrating not to be able to predict emerging trends to stay ahead of the competition. Even so, decoding data using the wrong methodology will thwart the progress of your decision making. Although qualitative analysis offers valuable perspectives, studies indicate many businesses have used a quantitative method to help shape their strategic decisions.
Let’s take a brief look at both approaches so that you can unearth your choice of data collection to achieve your survey objective.
Understanding Qualitative Data
Qualitative “data approximates or characterizes but does not measure the attributes, characteristics, properties, etc., of a thing or phenomenon. Qualitative data describes.” The purpose of the qualitative survey is to gain an understanding of consumers’ attitudes and motives. Such as their perception of a product or service. The data collection is unstructured, and the data interpretation is non-statistical, with a limited sample size of non-representative cases. It’s also important to remember that a qualitative survey is to develop an initial understanding of your research.
Let’s look at this qualitative case study,” McDonald’s social media video campaign, “Our Food, Your Questions” was analyzed to determine how a specific corporation provided content in particular frames to meet consumers’ demand for food-based information. Findings from this study suggest user-generated content helped develop the content for the social media campaign in terms of video topics and specific content addressed.
Understanding Quantitative Data
Quantitative data “can be quantified and verified and is amenable to statistical manipulation. Quantitative data defines.” Unlike qualitative, the purpose of quantitative data is to statistically measure the data and generalize the sample results to the population of interests.
Let’s now glance at this example, “Quantitative Research on Global Functional Water Market (2020-2029) | Nestle, The Coca-Cola Company. This report forecasts revenue growth at a global, regional & country level, and provides an analysis of the market trends in each of the sub-segments from 2020 to 2029 as reported by Loop21.
The data collection is structured, and the analysis of information is statistical, with a larger sample size of representative cases. Studies recommend a final course of action for quantitative data.
Qualitative or Quantitative Data, Which is Best Suited?
The guidelines on which you build your survey will dictate whether your results will be qualitative or quantitative, depending on your objective. So, it is important to know what you plan to obtain from your data. For example, as indicated above, you may need to refine or improve your product; you may also need to identify new product opportunities; here are some questions to ponder:
- How does the market condition influence consumers’ choice towards my product?
- Is there a market for my new product?
- How many people are interested in my products?
- How do I compare my product to that of my competitors?
- How easy is my product to use?
- What are my customers’ opinions about my product?
- Why is my product better than my competitors?
From what you’ve learned so far, are you able to identify the qualitative questions versus the quantitative ones?
If you aim to recognize the issues that consumers have with your product, and you need to get an insight into their emotions and motives to purchase your product, a qualitative approach could be optimal. On the other hand, if you want to analyze industry dynamics and figure out if your company can gain a competitive advantage, you need to get business data and statistical evidence so you can make strategic choices. Hence a quantitative approach is recommended.
Although qualitative information guides the entrepreneur to understand consumer behavior and preferences towards their brand or product, the data might be challenging to interpret. Nonetheless, if you want to continue with a qualitative approach, there are several methods in obtaining the information, such as through focus groups, interviews, or customer visits.
As with quantitative data, while it helps you to predict where your business is heading, let alone, it does not include detailed descriptions of consumers’ behavior, such as opinions and views as with qualitative data. Surveys, observational studies, and experiments can obtain quantitative data.
Conclusion
Knowing the survey needs is key to the decisions you make regarding the data set. While the collection of qualitative data may be crucial to understanding opinions about how to develop a product, statistical analysis is required to compare information and interpret patterns. Companies need to be able to dive into consumer data while creating a new product or offering a unique service to make strategic decisions, and so rely heavily on quantitative information.
Next Step!
To understand your target audience and market dynamics, you will need to evaluate both qualitative and quantitative data with a clear survey objective.
Learn now, how to “develop clear research objectives for your survey research project.”
“The goal is to turn data into information and information into insight.”
– Carly Fiorina, former chief executive officer, Hewlett Packard.
Please take a look at my last article How to Develop an Effective Survey Questionnaire.
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