Bus 3302 Consumer Behavior Paper

University of the People

BUS 3302 Consumer Behavior

Written Assignment Unit 3

Focus group about mass transit in my small town and its outskirts.

I decided to conduct this qualitative research, specifically focus group, on public transportation in the area where I live, it is a small town with population of 35,000. There are three participants: first is male 43 years old, married with two children, employed on a local metal factory as machine operator with an average wage about 2.5 thousand US dollars, second is a female 67 years old, widow, pensioner (not employed) with low income (700 US dollars) from National Security, third member of the group is a male 21 years old student, he is not married living with his parents and partially employed.
In order to be statistically significant, the sample might be of an adequate size, in this case, only 3 participants versus 35 thousand of local citizens are not enough.
Another vital criterion is that the sample might be representative of the population and similar on the most relevant background variables like geography, age, gender, financial status etc. Represented focus group is a good sample of the population in this area.
In order to conduct the research, list of questions was created and the participants were gathered together. Before listing the questions I would like to underline that the small sample of this focus group (only 3 members) cannot provide exact information, which may be a core of the future quantitate research. The questions:
1. Do you using public transport?
2. What kind of public transport do you use bus/train?
3. Is timetable of transportation is suit for your purposes?
4. Is timetable precise?
5. Is the nearest bus station is located far from your home?
6. How do you get to the nearest airport?
7. Are ticket prices are affordable for
you?
The answers received on above questions showed next picture, the first participant (male 43 y.o.) constantly using buses while commuting, he is working in 3 shifts and timetable is precise and suitable for him, to the airport he usually getting by bus and train, ticket prices is not relevant for him because his employer is paying for monthly all transport pass. The second participant is a female pensioner, she is using only bus on occasional basis, the tickets are half price (state discount program), bus station is far from home, timetable is precise, tin order to get to the nearest airport she is using cab and train. The third participant is a male student (21 y.o.) he has a car and because of that using of public transport is quite rare for him, as he explained mostly when his old automobile is broken or need urgent service. The bus station is near his home, timetable is precise, ticket prices are partially subsidized by government, to the nearest airport he is getting with help of a family member, not by public transport.

In conclusion, in my point of view, by conducting this relatively small research I have received an important lesson on how to provide qualitative research using focus group method. In my opinion the information that was collected at the end of this limited qualitative research was valuable in terms of product developing, for primary exploration the data gathered, in this case, may help to understand the underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations of the potential product users by providing insights into possible problem and helping to generate fresh ideas or hypotheses for quantitative research.