The Hindu Business Line : Group discussion and qualitative research

Qualitative research is used when the requirement is not for numerical data but for an in-depth insight into the consumer’s mind, motivations and choice criteria. Quantitative research, the other discipline of MR, lends numerical and statistical validity to a study and can help identify the rational motivations and choice criteria for consumer behaviour. But it does not provide insight into the underlying motivations.

For instance, if a housewife is asked why she gives Horlicks to her children, she may say — in a quantitative structured interview — that Horlicks is good for health and she wants the best for her children. Qualitative probing into her motivations may throw up an additional finding — that her mother used to give her Horlicks when she was a child, and that ever since she has associated it with being a caring mother. This example explains why qualitative research is sought by marketers.

Group discussions involve between seven and nine respondents participating for about an hour-and-a-half; the discussions are moderated by a researcher / moderator, whose role is to ensure that the discussions stay on track, and to probe deeper where relevant. The moderator uses a discussion guide rather than a questionnaire to ensure that the information coverage is complete.

Today, the domestic research industry often uses freelance moderators on account of logistical and language constraints. While many moderators are skilled, some merely read out the questions noted down. This affects the quality of the results which is a function of the quality of moderation.

One of the reasons why GDs work better than one-to-one interviews is that the interaction between the respondents throws up fresh insight; if the moderator is not skilled, she would be unable to take advantage of the group dynamics.

A highly skilled moderator can also take full advantage of a range of questioning techniques known as projective techniques. Projective techniques elicit the underlying reasons and opinions, sometimes not known to the respondents themselves on a conscious level.

For these techniques to work well, the primary requirement, apart from a skilled moderator, is that the respondents are in a relaxed frame of mind and feel comfortable enough to open up and talk freely. If the respondents do not ease up, the same techniques tend to look frivolous and invite derision. Some of the projective techniques used in traditional research include sentence completion, word association and association with a film-star or colour or animal.

All the leading market research agencies in the country — Nielsen, IMRB, TNS and Hansa — have specialist teams of qualitative researchers.

Though the qualitative research industry in India has shown good growth, it is beset with recruitment problems. Recruitment executives are finding it increasingly hard to persuade people — especially working professionals — to take time off to attend a group discussion. This sometimes affects quality. The industry needs to get together and evolve strategies to solve such problems.

(Contributed by Ashok R. Sankethi, CEO, Kaybase, a business consulting firm. Mail: ashok@kaybase.com)

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