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Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is the research of the different behaviour patterns of human beings. What governs consumers to buy a certain product? What moves consumers to change their behaviour towards other products? What motivates consumers to buy new products? These are some of the questions that govern strategic marketing. Management decisions are governed by the moods of the general public and the ability to sustain in the industry given the changes in human behaviour. Collective human behaviour can be gathered with the aid of market research for qualitative research. Market research is conducted with a list of questions that are asked to consumers of the product to analyse several hypotheses and parameters.

These hypotheses and parameters used for qualitative research are based on the origin of a production line of a product and are vital to judge the success or failure or even the moods of the consumers to that product. Qualitative research like market research is mostly conducted by FMCG companies in India to judge the ever changing moods of the Indian people.

Qualitative Research approaches

Qualitative research approaches are different for different types of industries and companies. These qualitative research approaches are different for social sciences and for companies but they are the same in certain senses and can be elaborated below:

- Consumer Behaviour Research: Qualitative research that examines the demand for a certain good or service by companies offering that good or service.

- Business to business market research: Qualitative research that studies the demand for a certain business for other businesses like outsourcing in the market.

- Ethnographic Research: Qualitative research can be conducted based on different races and cultures. This qualitative research approach is significant in countries like India, the UK and the US where the demographics of the population vary. This is a major governing factor for decision making before manufacturing goods or introducing services, to sense the moods of all types of people.
- Critical Social Research: Qualitative research can be conducted based on the communication tools used by people. Particularly important research for mobile companies.

- Historical Research: Qualitative research can be conducted to study the history of the consuming behaviour. Analysing how consumer behaviour evolved over the years towards a particular good. This is particularly important for scientists who are innovating and inventing products to increase competition in the industry.

Apart from the first two approaches, the other approaches are more used by the social scientists to prepare research studies on various topics. Companies normally utilise the first two approaches to conduct surveys and analyse the data using quantitative methods. This data is then used to plan strategies for the company and re-evaluate goals and objectives.

Qualitative Research advantages

Qualitative research advantages are many and they span across industries. Some of the main qualitative research advantages are for companies and social scientists who study human behaviour very closely. One can even say that without qualitative research any form of quantitative research would not exist. Qualitative research can also help the survival of most businesses as they need to constantly keep themselves abreast with the latest trends in consumer demand despite the popularity of their product or service. Companies, big and small, profitable or not, have to conduct periodical market research for judging consumer behaviour.

Market research can be conducted online or door-to-door or even in popular places for people. Almost all companies hire consultants to conduct market research as they do not have the manpower within the company to do so.