LEARNING OUTCOMES
                     LEARNING OUTCOMES
                     LEARNING OUTCOMES
                     LEARNING OUTCOMES
      After studying this chapter, you should be able to
      1.  Define surveys and explain their advantages
      1.   Define surveys and explain their advantages
      2.  Describe the type of information that may be gathered 
      2.   Describe the type of information that may be gathered 
          in a survey
           in a survey
      3.  Identify sources of error in survey research
      3.   Identify sources of error in survey research
      4.  Distinguish among the various categories of surveys
      4.   Distinguish among the various categories of surveys
      5.  Discuss the importance of survey research to total 
      5.   Discuss the importance of survey research to total 
          quality management programs
           quality management programs
      © 2010 South-Western/Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.  May not 
     be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible 
     website, in whole or in part.                                        9–2
      Survey Research
      Survey Research
      • Respondents
        Respondents
         People who verbally answer an interviewer’s 
           People who verbally answer an interviewer’s 
           questions or provide answers to written questions.
           questions or provide answers to written questions.
      • Sample Survey
        Sample Survey
         A survey that emphasizes contacting respondents 
           A survey that emphasizes contacting respondents 
           who are a representative sample of the target 
           who are a representative sample of the target 
           population.
           population.
      © 2010 South-Western/Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.  May not 
     be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible 
     website, in whole or in part.                                        9–3
      Using Surveys
      Using Surveys
      • Survey Objectives
        Survey Objectives
         Surveys attempt to describe what is happening, what 
            Surveys attempt to describe what is happening, what 
            people believe, what they are like, or to learn the 
            people believe, what they are like, or to learn the 
            reasons for a particular business activity.
            reasons for a particular business activity.
         Survey research is descriptive research:
            Survey research is descriptive research:
             Identifying characteristics of target markets
               Identifying characteristics of target markets
             Measuring consumer attitudes
               Measuring consumer attitudes
             Identifying information regarding activities that could make 
               Identifying information regarding activities that could make 
               the company more “green”
               the company more “green”
         Surveys can be both quantitative and qualitative.
            Surveys can be both quantitative and qualitative.
       © 2010 South-Western/Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.  May not 
      be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible 
      website, in whole or in part.                                             9–4
       Advantages of Surveys
       Advantages of Surveys
       • Advantages of Surveys
         Advantages of Surveys
          Gathering information via surveys is:
             Gathering information via surveys is:
              Quick
                Quick
              Inexpensive
                Inexpensive
              Efficient
                Efficient
              Accurate
                Accurate
       © 2010 South-Western/Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.  May not 
      be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible 
      website, in whole or in part.                                                  9–5
      Errors in Survey Research
      Errors in Survey Research
      • Random Sampling Error
        Random Sampling Error
         A statistical fluctuation that occurs because of chance 
           A statistical fluctuation that occurs because of chance 
           variation in the elements selected for a sample.
           variation in the elements selected for a sample.
      • Systematic Error
        Systematic Error
         Error resulting from some imperfect aspect of the 
           Error resulting from some imperfect aspect of the 
           research design that causes respondent error or from 
           research design that causes respondent error or from 
           a mistake in the execution of the research.
           a mistake in the execution of the research.
      • Sample Bias
        Sample Bias
         A persistent tendency for the results of a sample to 
           A persistent tendency for the results of a sample to 
           deviate in one direction from the true value of the 
           deviate in one direction from the true value of the 
           population parameter.
           population parameter.
      © 2010 South-Western/Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.  May not 
     be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible 
     website, in whole or in part.                                        9–6