Online Focus Groups
TALLINN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
School of Economics and Business Administration
Department of Business Administration
Chair of Marketing
TIX2175 – Marketing Research and Marketing Planning
Maria Maniou, Eleni-Maria Pagoni, Vasiliki Parasyri and Daniela Schneider
ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS
Research paper
Supervisor: Iivi Riivits-Arkonsuo
Tallinn, 29.05.2013
Herewith we declare that this essay is based on our own work. All views, opinions and data from different sources by other authors are used only with a reference to the source. This document has not been submitted for any degree or examination in any other university.
Table of Content Introduction 4 1. Definition 5 2. Types of online focus groups 6 3. How to conduct online focus groups 8 3.1. The role of the moderator 9 3.2. Using Channel M2 to conduct online focus groups 9 3.3. Cost 10 4. Advantages of online focus groups 11 5. Disadvantages of online focus groups 13 Conclusion 14 Bibliography 16
Introduction
The upcoming of the Internet has influenced today´s society tremendously. Many people, especially digital natives, cannot imagine a world without it anymore. The Internet has also made its entry into empirical market and social research as a medium. Simultaneously, an increasing interest in the topic can be noticed as the number of publications about the issue of online marketing research is was published. Whereas early publications dealt with scientific and academic fundamental research, more previous articles focussed on the practical application of online research. However, opinions differ whether the Internet is a definite improvement for the marketing research industry or the exact opposite.
Online marketing research offers a wide range of qualitative survey methods. A recent development in this field of research and also a new means of forming a focus group is the online focus group. Although the process is rather simple and provides a lot of benefits, the
School of Economics and Business Administration
Department of Business Administration
Chair of Marketing
TIX2175 – Marketing Research and Marketing Planning
Maria Maniou, Eleni-Maria Pagoni, Vasiliki Parasyri and Daniela Schneider
ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS
Research paper
Supervisor: Iivi Riivits-Arkonsuo
Tallinn, 29.05.2013
Herewith we declare that this essay is based on our own work. All views, opinions and data from different sources by other authors are used only with a reference to the source. This document has not been submitted for any degree or examination in any other university.
Table of Content Introduction 4 1. Definition 5 2. Types of online focus groups 6 3. How to conduct online focus groups 8 3.1. The role of the moderator 9 3.2. Using Channel M2 to conduct online focus groups 9 3.3. Cost 10 4. Advantages of online focus groups 11 5. Disadvantages of online focus groups 13 Conclusion 14 Bibliography 16
Introduction
The upcoming of the Internet has influenced today´s society tremendously. Many people, especially digital natives, cannot imagine a world without it anymore. The Internet has also made its entry into empirical market and social research as a medium. Simultaneously, an increasing interest in the topic can be noticed as the number of publications about the issue of online marketing research is was published. Whereas early publications dealt with scientific and academic fundamental research, more previous articles focussed on the practical application of online research. However, opinions differ whether the Internet is a definite improvement for the marketing research industry or the exact opposite.
Online marketing research offers a wide range of qualitative survey methods. A recent development in this field of research and also a new means of forming a focus group is the online focus group. Although the process is rather simple and provides a lot of benefits, the
Bibliography: Arndt, R. (2003) Produkt- und Verbraucherpanels online, In: Theobald, A., Dreyer, M., Starsetzki, T., Online-Marktforschung: Theoretische Grundlagen und praktische Erfahrungen, Gabler, Wiesbaden. Daymon, C., Holloway, I. (2011) Qualitative Research Methods in Public Relations and Marketing Communications, Routledge, United States of America, Canada. Henderson, N. R. (2009) Managing moderator stress. (Qualitative Reflections) (focus group moderators), Marketing Research: A Magazine of Management & Applications, Vol.21, Issue 1, pp. 28-36. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (2010) Principles of Marketing, Pearson, New Jersey. Lamb, C.W., Hair, J.F., McDaniel, C. (2012) Essentials of Marketing, South Western Cengage Learning, United States of America. McDaniel, C.D., Gates, R. (1998) Marketing research essentials, South-Western Publishing, United States of America Poynter, R. (2010) The Handbook of Online and Social Media Research: Tools and Techniques for Market Researchers, Wiley & Sons, Chichester. Tates, K., Zwaanswijk, M., Otten, R., van Dulmen, S., Hoogerbrugge, P.M., Kamps, W.A., Bensing, J.M. (2009) Online focus groups as a tool to collect data in hard-to-include populations: examples from paediatric oncology, BMC Medical Research Methodology, 9:15. Wimmer, R.D., Dominick, J.R. (2011) Mass Media Research: An Introduction, Wadsworth, Boston.