Business Research Methods

Chapter 6: Collecting Primary data

Emmanuel Fragniere
Neda Javanmardi

September 2010

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 Collecting Primary data

Slides are essentially based on the two following

recommended textbooks for this course:

1. Research methods for business students (fifth edition)

by: Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, Adrian Thornhill

2. Essentials of business research

by: Jonathan Wilson

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Primary data vs. Secondary data
• Primary data: information that is developed or gathered by
the researcher specifically for the research project at hand.

• Secondary data: information that has previously been

gathered by someone other than the researcher and/or for
some other purpose than the research project at hand.

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Primary data collection
“In primary data collection, you collect data yourself using a
range of collection tools such as interviews, observations and
questionnaires, rather than simply reply on existing data
sources.
In another words, the data are unique to your own particular
study. ”

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Primary data Methods:
 Collecting primary data through observations

 Collecting primary data using semi‐structured, in‐depth and

group interviews

 Collecting primary data using questionnaires

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Prior to recording observational data, you need

to be clear on the following points:
• What you are observing and units of analysis.
• When the observation is likely to take place.
• How data will be observed.
• Where data will be observed.

• How the data will be recorded.

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 Collecting Primary data

Definition of interview:

‘An interview is a purposeful discussion between two or

more people’
Kahn and Cannell (1957)

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Interview methods:

• Structured: It is based on rigid set of interview questions.

• Unstructured or in‐depth: In unstructured interview the

interviewer usually begins the interview with a broad
question.

• Semi‐structured: It is a hybrid of the structured and

unstructured approach.

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 Collecting Primary data
Forms of interview

“Observation

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Definition of questionnaire

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)

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When to use questionnaire

 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

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 Collecting Primary data

Types of questionnaire

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Questionnaire: 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 

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 Collecting Primary data
Questionnaire: Key factors

Please list up to three things you like about your job

1…………………………………………

2…………………………………………

3…………………………………………

Saunders et al. (2009)

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 Collecting Primary data
List questions
What is your religion?
Please tick   the appropriate box 

Buddhist  None 
Christian  Other 
Hindu 
Jewish 
Muslim 
Sikh 

Saunders et al. (2009)
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 Collecting Primary data
Category questions
How often do you visit the shopping centre?
Interviewer: listen to the respondent’s 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)
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 Collecting Primary data
Ranking Questions
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.

Factor Importance
Carbon dioxide emissions [     ]
Boot size [     ]
Depreciation [     ]
Price [     ]
Adapted from Saunders et al. (2009)

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 Collecting Primary data
Rating questions
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)
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 Collecting Primary data
Quantity questions
What is your year of birth?

(For example, for 1988 write: )

Saunders et al. (2009)

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How design a questionnaire in internet
www.google.com google docs or google documents

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Create new

Form

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Question type

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Email this form

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When you email the form, you will receive this email:

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Replies will automatically fill in the spreadsheet:

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End

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