Paul Felix Lazarsfeld

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Paul Felix Lazarsfeld
The Art of Asking WHY (in market research)?
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What will we speak about?About determinants of
market behavior...

• Historical (1935) article on formulating market
  research questionaires (metodological theory)?
• Attempt to cross the borders of quantitative
  research methods (?)?
• Three principles underlying the formulation of
  questionaires
• The principle of specification
• The principle of division
• The principle of tacit assumption
• Source Lazarsfeld, P. F., National Marketing
  Review The Art of Asking Why. 1935, vol. 1, no.
  1.

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I. The Principle of Specification- PROBLEM -

• RESPONDENT decides what factor are WE
  interrested in. (coffee)?
• We don't know how respondent understands our WHY
  question
• We need to ascertain what the answer means
• Three purposes in asking questions
• Influences toward action (ads, friends)?
• Attributes of the product (taste, color)?
• Impulses of the purchaser (habit or unique act)?
• EX Why did you buy this coffee?

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I. The Principle of Specification- SOLUTION -

• Not to ask more questions together, resp.
• to ask the actual determinant directly
• EX Why did you change from one brand of
  cigarettes to another? ( two questions)?
• Why stopped using the old one
• Why started smoking another one
• influences (ads, friends)?
• attributes (taste, strength, package)?
• (Depends on purpose of the study Why did you
  BUY THIS BOOK?

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II. The Principle of Division(Enabling the
interwiewee to answer)?

• We need to fit our questions to the actual
  experience of the respondent
• We use tools similar to today's filters
• EX Have you any special reasons for your
  preference?
• YES ask the reasons
• NO (other type of question)?
• I can read more complex example (if you wish)?

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III. The Principle of Tacit Assumption(Ascertaini
ng what the answer means)?

• Aren't you pleased with the fact, that the coat
  you bought has two sleeves instead of three?
  -)?
• When buying shoes, how do you recognize its
  quality? Do you actually try its smell? (tacit
  assumption differs PROBLEM)?
• When asked, people always meassure quality, even
  if it is actually senseless. (stockings)?
• SOLUTION
• Which tacit assumptions are in respondent's head
  (let's try to open it...) or eliminate them in
  advance
• Combination of questionaire and an interview

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Buehler MadisonDeterminants of an action

• They analyzed the structure of action
• Determinants of an action divide in 3 groups
• biological determinants (read one clear example)?
• biographical determinants
• determinants of the first degree
• def The complete motivational set-up of the
  first degree all the determinants of the 1st
  degree which are of significance for our study.
• The questionaire is satisfactory when it secures
  the total motivational set-up of the 1st degree

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Almost finished...

• The main point was to formulate our questions
  in such a way that the different determinants
  really came to light.
• Need to consider the purpose of our questionaire
• Aspecially TABULATION of results depends on the
  purpose of the study
• (No example was given in the article - I would
  appreciate it...)?

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A few points of mine...(We can discuss)?

• The TOTAL motivational set-up of the 1st degree
  is never able to be secured with an questionaire
• 1935 willingnes of respondents to give us their
  time and data was COMPLETELY different.Today
  every question has its (very high) price. The
  less questions, the better instrument.
• Market research today language of MONEY.Stupid
  customer gt stupid research. Important he gives
  us the money.
• When you want to ask WHY questions today, then
  you shall organize a focus group... and then
  possibly develop a questionaire.