Advantages of Group Administration Method for Surveys
The methodology of any research that is being conducted is of utmost importance, since it determines the accuracy as well as the validity of the data that is being collected. This particular research utilises the qualitative method of secondary data collection, which helps to gather information from a group of respondents who are regular travellers and indulge in the purchase of conspicuous and luxury goods, both during their domestic and international journeys.
When it comes to administering surveys, there are numerous methods that can be undertaken, such as the group administration, telephone, electronic, postal mail and the one-on-one method. The one-on-one method is a rather time-consuming one, but is useful in yielding important data in cases where qualitative data regarding the feelings, cognitions and behaviours of the participants are necessary (Greenlaw and Brown-Welty, 2009). Postal mail and telephonic methods of data collection are among the oldest and the most taxing ways to collect data for any research purposes.
The survey administration method chosen in this case is that of group administration. The reason why this method has been chosen is because it is one technique that is employable for testing the environment of the respondents as well. The response rate is mostly immediate, and therefore, the participants can easily answer the questions while being in their natural environment. If the survey conducted was with the aim to obtain a psychometric analysis, it would have been necessary to have an increased sample size (Fowler Jr, 2013).
There are a number of advantages that can be attributed to the group administration method that was chosen to collect qualitative data for this particular research, which have been mentioned below:
- The data that shall be gathered from the survey would be a more accurate and better representation of the general characteristics of the groups that are involved in purchasing luxury goods in Australia, since the questionnaire would make it possible to extract data that is highly accurate.
- The costs involved would be low as well, since the only investment would be of that during the production of the questionnaire (De Vaus, 2013). There is hardly any additional cost that would be required in this case.
- Since the respondents would be answering the questionnaire in their own natural environment, there is a high chance that there would be no bias involved, and therefore the results would be more reliable and precise.
However, there are also certain disadvantages that are associated with the group administration method of surveys:
- The survey or questionnaire, once put in motion, cannot be changed by the researcher during the process of data collection. Although this can be perceived as a strength since it would mean a fairer evaluation of the data, it makes the method inflexible and therefore renders it weak (Blair, Czaja and Blair, 2013).
- This method is not ideal for issues that might be controversial (Fink, 2015). This is because it is difficult for the respondents to answer questions that might make it difficult for them to recall the related information. To relieve these inaccuracies and controversies, a face to face or a one-on-one method is more practical.
- Although a questionnaire is always standardised before finalising and handing over to the participants, there still might be a chance that the questions framed would come across as inappropriate. The researcher is thereby forced to create only those questions that might to acceptable to the general population, and this might yield unsatisfactory results.
There are several factors that determine the success rate of the group administration procedure. The population size or the number of respondents is an integral factor that affects the response rate. In case of a successful survey, the rate percentage is usually inversely proportional to the population size (Brace, 2018). However, it must not be linear in nature. The data collected is essentially analysed according to a specific demographic segment, such as the region, cultural habits and so on. If the responses from the sample population are similar, it becomes unnecessary to have a large population for the survey, since the accuracy would then not be affected to any significant extent (Brace, 2018). However, precision is needed to make any concrete decision, which makes it necessary to achieve as much accuracy as possible. The group administration method that was chosen often puts the respondents under pressure, since they have to recall, retrieve and comprehend an answer to respond adequately to the given set of questions. However, the method is significantly less burdensome compared to the other procedures, since the questionnaire can help maintain the motivation required to complete the survey, which makes it a significantly successful method of research and data collection.
Disadvantages of Group Administration Method for Surveys
The success rate of the research depends largely on the quality of the response rate regarding the questionnaire. A high rate of response indicates a larger representation of the total population as far as the collected data is concerned. In order to further improve the group administration procedure that has been implemented, we can consider the following suggestions:
- We can notify the potential respondents regarding the survey and its importance through various media forms such as email or telephone. This will help us get a better reception from the participants and guarantee more accurate results (Brace, 2018).
- It is very important for us to make a good first impression while conducting the survey. For this purpose, we can personally deliver and collect the questionnaires for a more professional and formal approach, especially when conducting it on paper. We can also utilise the electronic means by implementing mobile or email versions of the questionnaire.
- We can provide a cover letter explaining the purpose and intent of the survey, which would help the respondents understand the reason behind their participation in a better way. It is also important to assure them that the information they provide would be strictly confidential and shall not be made public at any point.
In order to administer the questionnaire to a larger group of respondents, there are two things that we should be keeping in mind: the reduction of the burden of the respondents, and the appropriateness of the questions with respect to the general population.
It is no secret that in cases where there are no responses elicited from the respondents, the reason is often the perceived burden of the survey that was being conducted. The number of questions in the questionnaire and the time required to complete it are the two factors that influence this particular perception. The participants tend to think that if the time required to complete the questionnaire is longer, the survey is more burdensome and hence they might shirk from providing their responses. In this case, we could eliminate those questions that are more or less similar in their nature, which would thereby lessen the total time required to complete the entire questionnaire.
Another way to make the questionnaire more suitable for a larger group of respondents would be to generalise the questions to suit the masses. The questions that are finalised should be standardised as to eliminate all scope of controversy and awkwardness, which may put more pressure on us as researchers, but this is important to ensure that the larger sample population can respond adequately to the survey for achieving more accurate results.
The group survey administration process helped me understand the various elements and methods that are involved in the collection of qualitative data for any research purpose. Through the standardisation and selection of the questionnaire for the survey, I have been able to learn the importance for framing only those questions that are appropriate for the sample population, since it is important to avoid controversy and awkwardness when a survey is being conducted. The experience I have gained from this group administration process will help me in my future endeavours as I have become significantly aware of the ways in which the collection of data for any research can be improved, even when the group of respondents is quite large.
Conclusion
The group administration method that has been thus employed for this research is a suitable once, since the sample population consists of a considerable number of respondents, and it is one method that can be tailored to suit the requirements of a larger group as well. The primary things that I have to keep in mind are the length of the questionnaire and the appropriateness of the questions. It is advisable to be sensitive to the culture and practices of the participants, which would further enable me to collect data that is not only valid but also accurate.
Reference List
Blair, J., Czaja, R.F. and Blair, E.A., 2013. Designing surveys: A guide to decisions and procedures. London: Sage Publications.
Brace, I., 2018. Questionnaire design: How to plan, structure and write survey material for effective market research. London: Kogan Page Publishers.
De Vaus, D., 2013. Surveys in social research. New York: Routledge.
Fink, A., 2015. How to conduct surveys: A step-by-step guide. London: Sage Publications.
Fowler Jr, F.J., 2013. Survey research methods. London: Sage publications.
Greenlaw, C. and Brown-Welty, S., 2009. A comparison of web-based and paper-based survey methods: Testing assumptions of survey mode and response cost. Evaluation Review, 33(5), pp.464-480.
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