Case-Study: Qualitative Data Collection

Case-Study: Qualitative Data Collection
Case-Study: Qualitative Data Collection
Case-Study: Qualitative Data Collection
Module VI Discussion Spend fifteen minutes in a busy environment (mall, park, shopping market, etc.) observing the surroundings. In the role of participant as observer, write your observations from a qualitative data collection perspective. Post your initial response by Wednesday at midnight. Respond to one student by Sunday at midnight. Both responses should be a minimum of 150 words, scholarly written, APA formatted, and referenced. A minimum of 2 references are required (other than your text). Refer to the Grading Rubric for Online Discussion in the Course Resource section.
In the age when “information is power,” how we gather that information should be one of our major concerns, right? Also, which of the many data collection methods is the best for your particular needs?
Whatever the answer to the two questions above, one thing is for sure – whether you’re a business, organization, agency, entrepreneur, researcher, student, or just a curious individual, gathering data needs to be one of your top priorities.
Still, raw information doesn’t always have to be particularly useful. Without proper context and structure, it’s just a set of random facts and figures after all. If you, however, organize, structure, and analyze that data, you’ve got yourself a powerful “fuel” for your decision-making.
So, why do we collect data?
Why Collect Data
is defined as the “process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer queries, stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes.”
There are numerous reasons for data collection, but here I’m going to focus primarily on business and marketing related ones:
It helps you learn more about your customers
It enables you to discover trends in the way people change their opinions and behavior over time or in different circumstances
It lets you segment your audience into different customer groups and direct different marketing strategies at each of the groups based on their individual needs
It facilitates decision making and improves the quality of decisions made
It helps resolve issues and improve the quality of your product or service based on the feedback obtained
Before we dive deeper into different data collection techniques and methods, let’s just briefly make a difference between the two main types of data – quantitative and qualitative.