Slide 11.

Collecting primary data using questionnaires

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.2

Use of questionnaires (1)

Definition of Questionnaires Techniques of data collection in which each person is asked to respond to the same set of questions in a predetermined order

Adapted from deVaus (2002)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.3

Use of questionnaires (2)

When to use questionnaires
For explanatory or descriptive research Linked with other methods in a multiple-methods research design To collect responses from a large sample prior to quantitative analysis

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.4

Use of questionnaires (3)

Types of questionnaire

Saunders et al. (2009) Figure 11.1 Types of questionnaire

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.5

Types of questionnaire
The design of a questionnaire differs according to how it is administered and in particular, the amount of contact you have with respondents [Figure 11.1]. Self-administered questionnaires are usually completed by respondents. Such questionnaires are administered electronically using the internet [Internet-mediated questionnaires] or intranet [intranet-mediated questionnaires], posted to respondents who return them by post after completion [postal or mail questionnaire], or delivered by hand to each respondent and collected later [delivery and collection questionnaire].
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.6

Continued
Responses to interviewer-administered questionnaires are recorded by the interviewer on the basis of each respondents answers. Questionnaires administered using the telephone are known as telephone questionnaires. The final category, structured interviews [sometimes known as interview schedules], refers to those questionnaires where interviewers physically meet respondents and ask the question face to face. These differ from semi-structured and unstructured [in-depth] interviews [Section 10.2], as there is a defined schedule of questions, from which interviewers should not deviate.
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.7

Choice of questionnaire
Related factors
Characteristics of the respondents and access
Respondents answers not being contaminated or distorted Size of sample required for analysis Type and number of questions required Available resources including use of computer software
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.8

Data collection
Key factors
Precisely defined questions
Representative and accurate sampling

An understanding of the organisational context

Relationships between variables dependent, independent and extraneous Types of variable
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.9

Ensuring essential data are collected

Data requirements table

Saunders et al. (2009) Table 11.2 Data requirements table

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.10

Designing the questionnaire (1)

Stages that must occur if a question is to be valid and reliable

Source: developed from Foddy (1994) Figure 11.2 Stages that must occur if a question is to be valid and reliable
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.11

Designing the questionnaire (2)

Assessing validity
Internal

Content
Criterion related (predictive) Construct

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.12

Designing the questionnaire (3)

Testing for reliability- the 3 stage process
Test re-test

Internal consistency
Alternative form
Mitchell (1996)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.13

Examples of question types (1)

Open questions
6 Please list up to three things you like about your job

1 2 3
Saunders et al. (2009)
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.14

Examples of question types (2)

List questions
7 What is your religion? Please tick the appropriate box
None Other

Buddhist Christian Hindu Jewish Muslim Sikh

Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.15

Examples of question types (3)

Category questions
8 How often do you visit the shopping centre?

Interviewer: listen to the respondents answer and tick as appropriate

First visit Once a week Less than fortnightly to once a month 2 or more times a week Less than once a week to fortnightly Less often
Saunders et al. (2009)
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.16

Examples of question types (4)

Ranking questions 9 Please number each of the factors listed below in order of importance to you in choosing a new car. Number the most important 1, the next 2 and so on. If a factor has no importance at all, please leave blank. Importance [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Adapted from Saunders et al. (2009)
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Factor Carbon dioxide emissions Boot size Depreciation Price

Slide 11.17

Examples of question types (5)

Rating questions 10 For the following statement please tick the box that matches your view most closely
Agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Disagree I feel employees views have influenced the decisions taken by management

Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.18

Examples of question types (6)

Quantity questions
14 What is your year of birth?
1 9

(For example, for 1988 write: )

1 9 8 8

Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.19

Designing individual questions (1)

Other considerations
Adopting or adapting existing questions remember to check copyright Question wording Translating questions into other languages Question coding
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.20

Designing individual questions (2)

Checklist Box 11.11

Complete the Checklist in Box 11.11 to help you with the wording of your questions

Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.21

Constructing the questionnaire

Main considerations Order and flow of questions

Questionnaire layout

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.22

Explaining the purpose and testing

Key points The covering letter

Introducing and closing the questionnaire

Pilot testing and assessing validity

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.23

Administering the questionnaire

Points to consider
Internet and intranet-mediated responses
Postal questionnaires Delivery and Collection Telephone questionnaires Structured interviews
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.24

Summary: Chapter 11
Questionnaires are often used to collect descriptive and explanatory data Five main types of questionnaire are Internet- or intra-net mediated, postal, delivery and collection, telephone and interview schedule Precise data that meet the research objectives can be produced by using a data requirements table

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.25

Summary: Chapter 11
Data validity and reliability and response rate depend on design, structure and rigorous pilot testing Wording and order of questions and question types are important considerations Closed questions should be pre-coded to facilitate data input and analysis

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 11.26

Summary: Chapter 11
Important design features are a clear layout, a logical order and flow of questions and easily completed responses

Questionnaires should be carefully introduced and pilot tested prior to administration

Administration needs to be appropriate to the type of questionnaire

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009