data collection
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Secondary DataData gathered and recorded by someone else prior to and for a purpose other than the current project.
Is often:• Historical• Already assembled• Internal to corporation
Advantages of Secondary Data Inexpensive
Obtained Rapidly
Needs no access to respondents (convenient)
Information is not otherwise accessible
Can provide Insights into problem during exploratory phase
Can provide background data on trends etc. which lends credibility to the report
Disadvantages of Secondary Data
Lack of Availability (e.g. new products)
Uncertain Accuracy
Data not Consistent with Needs (not relevant)
Inappropriate Units of Measurement
Time Period Inappropriate (Dated)
Sources of External DataLibraryInternetVendorsProducersBooks and periodicalsGovernmentTrade associationsNewspapers and journals
DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES• Primary Data:-
– Observation Method– Interview Method– Questionnaire Method– Schedule Method– Case Study– Other Methods-
• Warranty cards• Distributor audit• Consumer Panel• Depth Interviews• Using various devices
• Secondary Data:-– Published Data-
• Various Reports• Newspaper, Magazines• Public records & statistics• Journals, newsletters
– Unpublished Data• Diaries & letters• Biographies• Company record• Associations, unions &
other original record
• It is mostly used for studies related to behavioral science.
• In this method the information is sought by way of investigator’s own direct observation without asking from respondent.
• Example• Investigator can see the brand of car used by
the respondent , no need to ask him (respondent) about the brand.
• No subjective biasing, if observation is made accurately.
• The information collated gives the idea which is currently happening.
• Data is not complicated as it do not have any relation with either past or future.
• Method is independent of respondents attitude and intentions.
• Applicable for those respondents who are not capable of giving verbal responses, like animals.
• It is an expensive method.
• Information provided by this method is very limited.
• Some time unforeseen factors may interfere with the observational task.
• In case of rare respondents the method becomes tedious.
Questionnaire method
• A questionnaire is a means of eliciting the feelings, beliefs, experiences, perceptions, or attitudes of some sample of individuals. As a data collecting instrument, it could be structured or unstructured
Two types of questionnaires• Closed or restricted form - calls for a "yes"
or "no" answer, short response, or item checking; is fairly easy to interpret, tabulate, and summarize.
• Open or unrestricted form - calls for free response from the respondent; allows for greater depth of response; is difficult to interpret, tabulate, and summarize.
Interview method
An interview is a direct face-to-face attempt to obtain reliable and valid measures in the form of verbal responses from one or more respondents. It is a conversation in which the roles of the interviewer and the respondent change continually.
Types of Interview: Structured interviews • Rigidly standardized and formal.• The same questions are presented in the same
manner and order to each subject. • The choice of alternative answers is restricted to a
predetermined list.• They are more scientific in nature than
unstructured interviews.• They introduce controls that permit the
formulation of scientific generalizations
Unstructured interviews are flexible.
They have few restrictions.If preplanned questions are asked, they are altered to suit the situation and subjects. Subjects are encouraged to express their thoughts freely. Only a few questions are asked to direct their answers.In some instances, the information is obtained in such a casual manner that the respondents are not aware they are being interviewed
Types of Interview: Unstructured interviews
• Method of collecting information consists in contacting participants on telephone itself.
• Advantages– quickness, cost efficiency
• Disadvantages– limited amount of information, limited
accessibility of people, have to remember response options