What is observation research, and how is it used in marketing research? What is ethnography, and why is it so popular? Observation research has exploded on the Internet and social media. Why? Why is online observation research so controversial? What are the machines that can be used in observation research, and what kind of data do they produce? We will answer these questions in chapter 7. | Chapter Seven 7-1 The systematic process of recording patterns of occurrences or behaviors without normally communicating with the people involved. The needed information must be either observable or inferable The behavior should be repetitive, frequent, or in some manner predictable The behavior must be relatively short in duration Observation Research: Conditions for Using Observation: What is Observation Research? 7-2 Key Terms & Definitions Approaches to Observation Research 7-3 Key Terms & Definitions Natural vs. Contrived: Is the setting made up by the researcher or are you observing a naturally occurring event? Open vs. Disguised: Does the subject know the purpose of the research? Human vs. Machine: Can a machine better capture data – or not? Structured vs. Unstructured: Is the researcher taking detailed notes or is the researcher making more general observations? Direct vs. Indirect – Example “Garbologist”: Going through one’s garbage – or “stuff” to analyze consumption . | Chapter Seven 7-1 The systematic process of recording patterns of occurrences or behaviors without normally communicating with the people involved. The needed information must be either observable or inferable The behavior should be repetitive, frequent, or in some manner predictable The behavior must be relatively short in duration Observation Research: Conditions for Using Observation: What is Observation Research? 7-2 Key Terms & Definitions Approaches to Observation Research 7-3 Key Terms & Definitions Natural vs. Contrived: Is the setting made up by the researcher or are you observing a naturally occurring event? Open vs. Disguised: Does the subject know the purpose of the research? Human vs. Machine: Can a machine better capture data – or not? Structured vs. Unstructured: Is the researcher taking detailed notes or is the researcher making more general observations? Direct vs. Indirect – Example “Garbologist”: Going through one’s garbage – or “stuff” to analyze consumption patterns. The Nature of Observation Research 7-4 Key Terms & Definitions You see what people actually do - rather than what they say they do Firsthand information is less prone to biases The observational data can be executed quickly and relatively accurately Electronic collection such as scanners is more efficient than manual counts Clients can also observe their customers along with the researcher Advantages of Observation Research 7-5 Key Terms & Definitions Only physical or behavior can be measured Can’t measure attitudes, beliefs, intentions, or feelings Not always a good representation of the general population Interpretation is somewhat subjective depending on observation type Data analysis is generally more qualitative than quantitative It can be expensive and time consuming if subjects not readily available Data can be time sensitive making predictive analysis tricky Disadvantages of Observation Research 7-6 Key Terms & Definitions Ethnographic Research- the study of human .
