MG462 Qualitative Methods

Focus GroupsDr. Meredith Rolfe

Week 9

Airline Customer Survey

How often have you flown in the past 12 months?

32%

28%

32%

2%6%

1 2 3 4 5

1. Once a month or more

2. 6 times3. 3-5 times4. 1-2 times5. Never

How many of these flights were for business?

2% 13%

20%

4%61%

1 2 3 4 5

1. All2. Most3. About half4. A few5. None

On any of your flights, did you fly in First or Business?

1 2

67%

33%

1. Yes2. No

Price is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

35%38%

9%6%

12%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Speed of check-in is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

28%30%

7%

12%

23%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Friendly staff are very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

17%

37%

3%6%

37%1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Waiting times are very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

26%

49%

6%3%

17%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Internet check-in is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

22%25%

6%

11%

36%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Direct flights are very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

58%

28%

3%0%

11%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Timing of flights is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

29%

42%

6%10%

13%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Extra legroom is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

16%

32%

16%

8%

28%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Priority boarding is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

24%

14%

22%

19%

22%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Ability to choose my seat is very important when choosing an airline.

1 2 3 4 5

35%

39%

3%

6%

16%

1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Neutral4. Disagree5. Strongly

Disagree

Introduction to Focus Groups

What is a focus group?

• Who: An invited group of participants (8-12), plus a facilitator (and observers)

• What: Facilitated discussion in which participants share their thoughts, feelings, attitudes and ideas on certain subject

• Instrument/Interview Guide: Loose set of questions or material to be covered in focus group discussion

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What are focus groups used for

• Marketing: Product evaluation; Product development; Advertising development

• Political deliberation/Public opinion: increase community participation; televised during elections

• Employees: getting buy in and increasing involvement

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What happens in the room

• Introduction• Facilitator leads off with a topic• Facilitator may call on people, particular

those who are quiet, tries to encourage discussion

• Facilitator will have a list of topics to cover, will need to keep conversation moving

• Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

GROUP DYNAMICS!MG462, Week 9 19

Focus Group in Action

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuiI7BFhQl4

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Hopes and Realities of Focus Groups

Hopes for Focus Groups

• Recall forgotten details

• Widen range of response

• Reduce inhibition

• Naturalistic setting

Reality of Small Group Discussion

• Only discuss common ground

• Polarization or meet in the middle

• Hierarchy (a few people dominate)

• Strangers in unfamiliar environment

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Understanding self-report (surveys, focus groups, etc)

• Not true attitudes or true feelings• How people self-report their own

preferences, values, etc• Self-report is controlled, impression

management (self, others)• The above is true of all “talk” - not

just focus groups and surveys

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Recruitment

• Other group members matter• Composition of group (marketing)• Homogenous (age, income, interests)

• Composition of group (political)• Heterogeneous

• Paying participants• Difficult to reach groups (high income,

busy professionals)

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Facilitation

• Facilitators matter: A focus group is a discussion between facilitator and group members

• Goal isn’t consensus (common mistake)

• Dealing with group dynamics• Facilitation can be particularly

essential in political deliberation/focus groups

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Interpretation of Data

• Qualitative content analysis• Quantitative content analysis• Both of the above can be

automated/done on the computer• “Gesture” analysis and other intensive

techniques• Process analysis coding (discussion

dynamics)• Identification of knowledge and values

that are shared

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Summary

• Measuring self-presentation and impression management in a group

• May be very important in understanding brand and product appeal or other exploratory and formative evaluations

• Allows for deeper probing into answers and some access to the implicit “system 2” responses

• Excellent for understanding group dynamics• Moderate cost, but need good facilitator

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Airline Customer Focus Group

Focus Group Role Play

• Break into small groups of 6-8• Choose a moderator• Choose an observer/coder/note taker• Remaining group members are participants

from a market segment• Business travelers (imagine your business)• Family holiday travelers• Mixed travel segments

• Use survey questions as a guide

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Focus Group Instrument: Topics for Discussion

• What do you enjoy about flying?• What do you not enjoy?• What is most important to you when

choosing an airline?• What can airlines do to make your

travel more enjoyable?

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Price is very important when choosing an airline.

9%

0%

27%

55%

9%

18%

0%

0%

27%

55%

0%

20%

10%

20%

50%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

0%

Strongly Di...

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Ag...

Once a month or more 6 times 3-5 times 1-2 times Never

MG462, Week 9 Slide 31

Priority boarding is very important when choosing an airline.

7%

0%

14%

14%

64%

29%

33%

29%

10%

0%

Strongly Di...

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Ag...

Yes No

For Reflection

• Were there different pictures painted by the two techniques? Why?

• Introspection: did you think about the same things when answering the survey as when participating in the focus group?

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