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The Issue of Bias in Using Qualitative Methods in Market Research

Social science researchers should have a critical appreciation of contemporary society as well as the social issues that exist based on a foundation of both social theory and research methodology. Thomas and Magilvy (2011) argue that to conduct social science research, researchers require an understanding of a wide range of social research methods and styles and adopt the most appropriate one. Social research can either be qualitative or quantitative, or primary or secondary research. However, every research ought to involve explicit, disciplined, and systemic approaches which lead to the most appropriate, valid, and reliable findings (Cope, 2014). Qualitative research methods are inductive in nature and the aim of researchers is generally to explore the meanings and insights from a given situation.  Different careers and professions have relied on the use of qualitative research in the quest to collect data and explore different subjects and topics. One of those careers is market research. In specific, market researchers use qualitative methods to collect data from case studies, observations, and individual interviews among other methods (Babin & Zikmund, 2015). Additionally, telephone and skype interviews as well as analysis of diaries have been used to collect data in market research using qualitative methods. However, various issues which have arisen out of the use of qualitative methods in market research include research bias as well as the lack of scientific rigor. This paper provides a discussion of the issue of bias that arises form the use of qualitative methods in market research. In specific, the impacts of research bias on the aspects of validity and reliability of the findings in market research will be discussed.

Qualitative Methods

            Qualitative research is a naturalistic inquiry that is used t gain an in-depth understanding of social phenomena in a natural setting. The focus of qualitative research is on the why as opposed to the what of social phenomena (Lietz & Zayas, 2010). As such, it relies on the direct and immediate experiences of human beings who are seen as meaning-making agents. When used in social science research, qualitative research collects and works with non-numerical data in the quest to interpret meaning from such data and help researchers understand social life through the study of defined populations and social aspects (Mayan, 2016). Some of the methods used in qualitative research include open-ended interviews, participant observations, grounded theory, focus groups and biographies. Additionally, logic, ethnography, discourse analyses, introspection, and historical research have been used as qualitative methods in a qualitative research (Katz, 2015). The methods when used lead to an understanding of the manner in which people interpret and make sense of their daily experiences and hence their understanding of social reality. Moreover, qualitative research in the social domain has been used to explore human behaviors, emotions, attitudes, and experiences. The paradigms used in this research type include interpretivist, positivists, and critical paradigms (Lietz & Zayas, 2010). The use of such theory is to establish the perspectives, feelings, experiences, and even the behavior of people. The interests of qualitative research are on what people believe, experience, and the meaning systems that they attach to their perspectives. As opposed to quantitative methods, qualitative methods do not lead to any empirical calculations or statistical analyses.  With qualitative methods, researchers are able to describe and interpret issues systematically from the perspective of an individual or population that is the subject of the study.

Market Research

Market research is an effort by researchers meant to gather information ether about their customers or the target markets. For business organizations to stay ahead of their competitors, they ought to conduct a market research to understand the performance of their products and services and hence areas where they need to improve (Babin & Zikmund, 2015). Through market research, companies can get vital information which helps them in the identification and analysis of the needs of the market as well as the market size and the level of competition. Some of the information gained from market research include the levels of satisfaction of the customer with the products and services offered, the reaction of the customers to any decision to change the price of a product, and the opinions of the customers on what needs to be improved in the product of service in question (Smith & Albaum, 2012). Moreover, organizations use market research to identify the various responses to competition that will bring them success in a given market. The crux of a market research is on the customer, the company, and the competition. Notably, business organizations must respond to the needs of the customers. However, according to Babin and Zikmund (2015), the relationship between the company and consumers is affected by competitors and how their products are fairing in the market. Some of the qualitative methods used in market research include market description surveys, and market profiling and segmentation surveys. The aims of such surveys are to establish the customer intentions, customer expectations and attitudes, create customer loyalty, and assess the habits and product use patterns of the clients. However, the subjective nature of qualitative methods in market research results in the issue of bias.

The Issue of Bias

Bias; in qualitative research, not only distorts the truth but also slants and skews data and hence affecting the validity and reliability of the findings. Mayan (2016) defines bias as a form of prejudice or inclination for or against one person or another, especially in a manner that is deemed unfair. The issue of bias in qualitative research is important for several reasons. One of those is that it must exist in market research and reducing it is key. Additionally, bias can occur in any of the stages of the research process (Petty, Thomson, & Stew, 2012). Moreover, qualitative research bias can have adverse effects on the validity and reliability of the findings and thus a misinterpretation of data which can result in drastic consequences in decision making. Some of the categories of bias in the use of qualitative research methods include biased questions, moderator bias, biased answers, bias in sampling, and bias in the reporting of the results (Mayan, 2016). In specific, in a survey or face-to-face interviews, when the moderator asks a biased question, it influences the answer/response provided by the respondent. The manner in which a question is asked can cause bias. For instance, when an interviewer/moderator asks a question such as “some people argue that our products are bad for you; what do you think?” Such a question is a leading one as it puts words in the mouth of the respondents and the slants their answers. As such, the responses provided will be skewed and affected by the nature of the question (Thomas & Magilvy, 2011). When the questions asked are not neutral, then the words as well as the context and different interpretations can cause misunderstanding and result in biased responses.

Moderator bias is another form of bias in qualitative research methods in market research. Notably, the moderator is the person collecting the data in the market research and has a huge influence on the quality of data. For instance, according to Petty, Thomson, and Stew (2012), in the case of an interview, the interviewers’ body languages including their facial expression, dressing, and style of language may introduce bias in a qualitative research. Moreover, the age of the interviewers, their social status, race, and gender can be vital grounds for bias. When the interviewer does not remain neutral in his/her dress code, tone, and body language, then he/she may have opinions while interviewing which might skew the responses provided and hence biased findings (Smith & Albaum, 2012). Biased responses/answers are also evident in the qualitative research. Notably, a biased answer is that response which is either entirely untrue of partially true. The respondents can either provide untrue statements intentionally or unintentionally. Biased answers; in qualitative research, might arise from consistency bias, dominant bias or error bias. In specific, the respondents may try to appear consistent in their answers based on previous statements. Additionally, the respondents may not always be right and sometimes they may make mistakes due to their memories fading or outrightly forgetting (Petty, Thomson, & Stew, 2012). Bias in qualitative research may also come from the sampling type and size. When the sample of respondents does not represent the study population (when a study is done on the wrong people) then a bias witnessed. Finally, biased reporting happens when the moderators and analysts distort the results ether because of their views, state of mind, error, beliefs, experiences, and attitudes.

Impacts of Bias on Qualitative Market Research

When a qualitative research method is subject to bias it impacts the results of a market research. In specific, there arises a systematic difference between the biased results from a study and the actual /true state of affairs. In the case of market research, bias in a study can lead to misinformed decisions because companies will most likely act on the findings. However; generally, the bias will affect the validity and the reliability of the findings and hence have implications for the companies engaging in the market research.

Impact on Validity

            Although some researchers have rejected the use of the term validity in qualitative studies, others have underscored the usefulness of this concepts and the manner in which it is affected by bias. Cope (2014) opines that validity is all about the truth in the quality of the results achieved as well as the search for objectivity in the construction of knowledge. The unintended and intended biases that are caused by the researcher as well as the limitations in access to adequate data and the complexity and limitation of the human minds threaten the quality of the research results (Noble & Smith, 2015). Some of the validity forms affected by bias in qualitative research method include descriptive validity, interpretive validity, theoretical validity, and valuation validity. Notably, descriptive validity in qualitative research involves the research embellishing/distorting the information as well as situations and facts reported compared to how they are seen or heard (Toma, 2011; Thomas & Magilvy, 2011). In such a case, bias implies that the results of the market research will be distorted and thus lead to the wrong findings. Interpretive validity, on the other hand, refers to the sensitivity of the researcher as well as the mental processes which guide the capturing and interpretation and construction of the meaning of the behaviors of people who are involved in the market research. The aspects of bias which include the hidden intentions as well as beliefs, concepts, and values of the participants, affect the validity of the results as the findings will be distorted (Cope, 2014; Drost, 2011). Theoretical validity refers to the extent of theorical explanation done through research analysis and consistent with the data collected. With bias in the research methods, the data collected will not be consistent with theoretical explanations and thus wrong conclusions and interpretations.

Validity centers on the trustworthiness as well as the rigor of the market research/survey. Cope (2014) states that research bias has a negative effect on both the trustworthiness of the findings and ultimately the research rigor in market research. Without the rigor as well as the trustworthiness which is thrown out of the window by research bias, then the market research becomes worthless and its findings are taken as fictional. The aspects of credibility, transferability, and dependability are all affected by bias. Noble and Smith (2015) argue that with the lack of validity in research findings, then there cannot be a true examination of the phenomena which is the subject of the study. When market researchers from an organization come up with results which do not pass the test of validity; because they are populated with different types of biases, then it naturally follows that the interpretations made as well as the conclusions reached will be misinformed and ultimately the research will not have helped (Cope, 2014). As a result, bias not only affects the processes for the collection of market research data but goes all the way to negatively affect the validity of the findings and the trustworthiness of the results.

Impact on Reliability

Reliability is term used in reference to the extent to which a study can be able to yield the same results in repeated trials. Although reliability is a concept mostly used for testing as well as the evaluation of quantitative research, the idea is present in all kinds of research. A qualitative study is held to be reliable if it has both internal and external validity. According to Noble and Smith (2015), one of the tests for reliability in a qualitative study; and which is affected by study bias, is the credibility of the study. Some of the aspects measured in the credibility aspect is whether the study measures what it was actually intended to measure. Additionally, the study findings must be congruent with the reality. Though, bias affects the transferability of the research. In specific, Toma (2011) asserts that transferability refers to the extent to which the results of the market research can be applied to other situations and populations. For instance, if a study conducted shows that the sample population does not like the product because of various reasons, transferability implies that the same can be assumed of a popular with similar characteristics as the one studied. Moreover, Mayan (2016) adds that reliability is tested by establishing whether the research proves was dependable. For a qualitative research to be held to be dependable, a future research should be able to repeat the work and assume that the process will produce consistent results. Furthermore, reliability entails the extent to which the qualitative findings in market research can be confirmed. Since the qualitative methods used; such as self-reports, are subjective in nature, it becomes very challenging to ensure the objectivity of the study.

In market research, when the independent observers or the researchers become unable to replicate the research procedures as well as became unable to use the research tools and procedures that will yield consistent results, then it becomes very hard to draw satisfactory conclusions and formulate theories. Additionally, unreliable results due to any type of bias makes it impossible for the market researchers to make any justifiable claims about the generalizability of their research (Toma, 2011). Even in the event that the researchers draw conclusions and make theories from research findings; which are subjected to bias, such conclusions become misinformed and distorted and thus the decisions reached from those conclusions might not bring out the expected objectives (Mayan, 2016; Drost, 2011). For instance, when the findings; that are subjected to bias reveal that the customers prefer a certain product as opposed to the other, then the company might rely on those findings to make changes to their products which may be counterproductive (Noble & Smith, 2015). Additionally, when the market researchers experience bias due to the subjective nature of the qualitative methods they use, they may reach conclusions which may not have any positive impacts. As such, bias in qualitative methods affects the ability of studies to be generalized and ultimately the decisions reached by the companies conducting the market research.

In conclusion, qualitative research methods such as participant observations, focus groups, and case studies among others are used in the collection od data related to social phenomena. In market research, qualitative research methods are vital in ensuring that companies