During the fgds they tested out the different prototypes and were able to get opinions about the different products and their packaging. The use of focus groups in social science research focus groups originated in sociology merton and kendall 1946 were primarily used by market researchers in recent years templeton 1987 and. Advantages, disadvantages, and lessons learned in conducting telephone focus groups to discuss biospecimen research concerns of individuals genetically at risk for cancer abstract advances in telecommunication technology allow biomedical researchers to explore new, inexpensive opportunities for conducting focus group research. Naturalness of the answers is greater in a focus group, because the questions are directed at a group rather than individuals. We now frequently employ digital methods to conduct research, but we still also use traditional methods. Also the recruitment of participants can be time consuming. Mini focus groups this format uses smaller groups of only 45 participants. Focus groups group of people with a moderator to discuss a particular topic, concept or product is called focus group. The needs of each organization can vary widely, even when they operate within the same industry. Remember that focus groups shouldnt be a oneanddone activity.
Introduction and history 3 participants are encouraged to talk to each other instead of answering the moderators questions. Online focus groups, also referred to as internetbased focus groups, electronic focus groups, chatbased focus groups, or virtual panel discussions, are one of these internetbased research methods. Online focus groups ofgs are increasingly used as a method of data collection. What are the pros and cons of using focus groups to get an. Used with all of the above, a focus group is an integral part of gauging public perceptions. Sampled information is valuable, but is not always 100% accurate. Mar 26, 2017 advantages and disadvantages of focus groups sarah daly. The internet is increasingly being used as a medium for collecting data for scientific research 14. Overcoming the limitations of focus groups team consulting.
Online focus groups have become a popular alternative to the traditional focus group. We investigated ofg participants preference for participation in an ofg or a facetoface focus group ftf, as well as their perceptions of the advantages of both methods. Participants are typically a group who are similar in some way, such as income, education, or career. Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups latest mata.
There are however issues with focus groups that people should be aware of. Feel free to watch the video below undertitled in english where our founder, dr. The selfselecting process and voluntary participation may not be representative. Hence, the moderators primarily aim to facilitate discussion, rather than to direct it. The aim of focus groups in social science research is to understand. It is a brainstorming tool used by marketing or tech companies as well. There can be focus groups for about anything product focus groups, customer improvement focus groups or merely idea generation. However, such a widespread use of fg seems to have become a fashionable research technique. This book gives considerable attention to analyzing and reporting focus group results. For example, those looking to gain the widest range of views possible may not be able to do so with a small sample which may not be representative. Case to be able to gather information, microsave decided to use focus group discussions. It requires a lot of planning and training to encourage participation and focus the discussion. Following are the main disadvantages of focus group discussion in research. The term focus group was created by ernest dichter, a famous market expert and psychologist.
Focus group discussions are a common qualitative research strategy. The focus groups are the groups of intellectuals, professionals who come together to form an opinion for the new product in the company. Advantages of asynchronous online focus groups and faceto. Disadvantages of asynchronous online focus groups misunderstanding of questions with a facetoface focus group the moderator can ask a question, and if participants dont understand it the moderator can immediately rephrase or explain it. Online focus groups, also referred to as internetbased focus groups, electronic focus groups, chatbased focus groups, or virtual panel discussions, are. Even though great care may be taken to create a diverse group that represents several different components of a demographic, the group itself is just a small sample. As long as the disadvantages are equally weighed with the advantages that focus groups provide, the.
In this lesson, youll learn about focus groups, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. Focus groups provide rich and detailed information about feelings, thoughts and underlying emotional motivation from people in their own words. A growing literature on the setting up and running of focus groups for social. A good focus group moderator will keep the group focused the clue is in the name. Online versus inperson focus groups interq research. The primary disadvantage is that a focus group still tends to be a subsection of a demographics views.
Collabito offers an easy and costefficient solution not only for market researchers. John reynard managing director, creative medical research. Let each group drive itself, deciding if it needs to meet more than once and what next steps should be. Members of the focus groups are chosen on the basis of their expertise on the topicconceptproduct. When used as a survey method, the focus group approach presents various pros, strengths and. The focus group fg technique has been recently rediscovered by social scientists. Advantages and limitations of focus groups howstuffworks. Aug 16, 2011 the value of the information gathered is dependent on defined objectives and the preparation done prior to conducting the focus group interviews. The researcher has trouble controlling discussion and managing the process in comparison to individual interview. The hidden advantages of focus group interviews in. There are pros and cons to exchanging your traditional research methods for. Qualitative research, like most things in modern life, has adapted to the times. The amount of data collected would be overwhelming and complex to be analyzed.
Online focus groups vs traditional focus groups remesh blog. Focus group interviews are more interesting than standard interviews, what cause longer and more revealing answers. First, it attempts to define focus group research in the field of education. International journal of methodology, springer, vol.
Focus groups concentrate on a clearly defined topic, and efforts are made to gather information and opinions from group members. Focus group brings interaction between participants highlights their view of the world. Multiple uses are described for the focusgroup approach, it may, for example, as a method in its own right and as a precursor to other methodological approaches. There are various market research techniques that are appropriate for each phase of device development and in this article we focus on the use of qualitative research, in the form of focus groups. Second, it presents the disadvantages and advantages of focus group research, and finally, it provides methodological guidance to administrators who are interested in using focus group research as a way to gather information about the performance of a school system. Although their advantages for research have repeatedly been described, participants opinions about ofgs have seldom been studied. The staff of vf uganda mobilized groups of about 12 people in the areas where they were already operating. We now frequently employ digital methods to conduct research, but we still also use traditional methods, such as inperson focus groups, inperson oneonone interviews indepth interviews, and phone interviews. Focus groups are forums used to gather qualitative data on the customer experience. Focus groups are used in business research all the time. In a focus group discussion, the interviewer talks to a group of people about their thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a topic. The pro is that you spend a long time with customers in your target market and get to ask many questions. Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups as a research method are frequently considered. What are the advantages and disadvantages of focus group.
Focus groups typically involve a moderatorled group discussion with between eight and 10 people. The paper examines some methodological issues associated with the use and analysis of focus groups in social science research. Focus groups look at b2c concepts primarily because it is challenging to bring business representatives into the same room to present a product. One of the few books that applies focus groups to evaluation research. This is a widely used marketing tool which helps organizations develop products and services that are. Disadvantages of focus groups include all of the following except.
Critical thinking use this information to consider what are and are not advantages and disadvantages to focus groups. Nov 30, 2015 disadvantages of focus groups marketing research assignment and online homework help the disadvantages of focus groups may be summarized by the five ms. Disadvantages of focus groups the quality of information gathered during focus groups depends heavily on the group moderators skill, and focus groups can only complement other research because they provide qualitative, not quantitative data. Focus group usually refer to a group of 10 or fewer volunteers who gather to discuss a particular product or idea. A proposal for the analysis of the relational dimension in the interview techniques. Differences between online and face to face focus groups, viewed through two. In short, focus groups focus on attitude and affect. The use of focus groups in social science research focus groups originated in sociology merton and kendall 1946 were primarily used by market researchers in recent years templeton 1987 and are increasingly being used as a research tool in the social sciences. Focus groups are a way to discover demographicrelevant information through an interactive group sessions that is run by a facilitator.
Advantages and disadvantages the research in management, especially in marketing, frequently considers focus group and other qualitative methods as exploratory tools, its results needing to be verified by a quantitative study, in a representative sample. Advantages and disadvantages of online focus groups. Students should learn to understand their own conditions to choose the best research method for their study. Disadvantages of focus groups marketing research assignment. If not, we will recommend a suitable alternative from current qualitative research tools. When used as a survey method, the focus group approach presents various pros, strengths and benefits, as well as cons, weaknesses and drawbacks. On the downside, focus groups can be very expensive and customers who participate may or may not represent the broader market but the bigge. Whilst focus groups have a number of benefits for market research, they arent always the most suitable answer for everyone. Although focus groups are very effective, finding enough people to participate in the exercise can be difficult to come by sometimes. What is the purpose and advantages of focus group interviews. The first is synchronous, which means realtime or live groups, conducted via video or chat.
Advantages and disadvantages the focus group fg technique has been recently rediscovered by social scientists. The pros and cons of focus groups show that there can be a lot of valuable information gathered from this type of survey method. A great moderator of focus groups can understand people and their nonconscious body cues. Focus groups can be misused and abused by considering the results as conclu. Download scientific diagram advantages and disadvantages of the focus group. The value of the information gathered is dependent on defined objectives and the preparation done prior to conducting the focus group interviews. Nov 14, 2018 i was recently asked to provide the definition of a focus group, how to conduct a focus group interview and what is the purpose of focus group interviews. The focus group is the collaboration of people who come together to make an opinion, put forth their belief and perspective for the product or service initiate, in the company.
Apr 11, 2016 qualitative research, like most things in modern life, has adapted to the times. Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups advantages. It is argued that what distinguishes this methodology from other. They can help you gain deeper insight into employee perceptions, needs, and wants. Face validity, criterion related, content, and construct. Focus group brings interaction between participants highlights their. The difference between quality data and data with bias depends on how people are screened and the data is treated.
Advantages, disadvantages, and lessons learned in conducting. View or download all content the institution has subscribed to. The impression is that fg is often adopted without any prior consideration of whether it. Focus group is an important research method, here we list the advantages and disadvantages of such research method. Merton, a sociologist and the associate director of the bureau of applied social research headed the first focus groups in the united states. The disadvantages of focus groups whilst focus groups have a number of benefits for market research, they arent always the most suitable answer for everyone. Teleconference or online focus groups these formats use conference calling, chat rooms or other online means to conduct the focus group to allow for better outreach to participants. Successful medical device developers understand that as well as being a regulatory necessity, market research is essential for testing the market appeal, safety and usability of their concepts and designs.
A few individuals could possibly be introverts while others take control of the debate and impact the end result, or possibly even introduce bias. Tfg interviews research staff downloaded the audio recordings as an mp3 file from the. Disadvantages of focus groups include all of the following. Marketing researchers employ a variety of tools, including oneonone interviews, written surveys and polling to track consumer opinion.
Although focus groups have good attributes, they also have their negative effect. They raised the question whether comparable results could. Weve seen how focus groups can deliver invaluable insights, but its important to mention that their effects are largely determined by the moderator. Online focus group advantages and disadvantages mrqual. The second is asynchronous, which means not in realtime. The findings cannot be projected and the results dependent upon interaction. Beside that primary data can be obtained through focus groups, panels and unobtrusive measures. It has become the subject of important methodological discussions and it is now considered a very innovative research method. I was recently asked to provide the definition of a focus group, how to conduct a focus group interview and what is the purpose of focus group interviews. The key is to make sure you know what you want and identify your goals as specifically as possible. Methodological aspects of focus groups in health research. They raised the question whether comparable results could have been achieved using less costly methods.
To evaluate and critique reports in the nursing literature in the period 19901999 of the use of focus groups as a research method. A focus group is usually expensive to organize and its also cost intensive. Detailed examples will be helpful to those who are just getting started in focus groups. In this article, we look at online focus group advantages and disadvantages compared with facetoface focus groups. Download citation the focus groups in social research. Disadvantages of focus groups marketing research assignment and online homework help the disadvantages of focus groups may be summarized by the five ms. Differences between online and face to face focus groups. Maturation people are continually growing and changing whether they are in an experiment or not. Oct 19, 2016 mini focus groups this format uses smaller groups of only 45 participants.
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