08 Malhotra Mr7e Im 08
08 Malhotra Mr7e Im 08
08 Malhotra Mr7e Im 08
Figures
Figure 8.1 An Illustration of Primary Scales of Measurement
Figure 8.2 A Classification of Scaling Techniques
Figure 8.3 Obtaining Shampoo Preferences Using Paired Comparisons
Figure 8.4 Preference for Toothpaste Brands Using Rank Order Scaling
Figure 8.5 Importance of Toilet Soap Attributes Using a Constant Sum Scale
Tables
Table 8.1 Primary Scales of Measurement
Table 8.2 Illustration of Primary Scales of Measurement
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
8.1. Introduce the concepts of measurement and scaling and show how scaling may be
considered an extension of measurement.
8.2. Explain the characteristics of description, order, distance, and origin and how they define
the level of measurement of a scale.
8.3. Discuss the primary scales of measurement and differentiate nominal, ordinal, interval,
and ratio scales.
The discussion of scaling techniques is much more extensive when compared to competing texts.
Two chapters are devoted to covering in detail the type of scales used in marketing research.
Examples, including instructions for administering these scales, have been provided.
This chapter could be taught by focusing on the chapter objectives, sequentially. Discuss the
concepts of measurement and scaling (Chapter Objective 1), the characteristics of description,
order, distance, and origin (Chapter Objective 2), the primary scales of measurement (Chapter
Objective 3), and the comparative scaling techniques (Chapter Objective 4). The material on
conducting international marketing research (Chapter Objective 5), social media research
(Chapter Objective 6), Mobile marketing research (Chapter Objective 7), ethical considerations
(Chapter Objective 8), and Internet and computers should also be covered.
1. Objectives
2. Overview
3. Measurement and Scaling
4. Primary Scales of Measurement
Chapter Objective 1
Distinguish the two concepts by noting that measurement precedes scaling in test
construction. Measurement is the assignment of numbers or other symbols to
characteristics of objects according to certain prespecified rules. Scaling is an extension
of measurement where it involves the generation of a continuum upon which measured
See Question 1.
Chapter Objective 2
● Discuss characteristics of description, order, distance, and origin, and how they define the
level of measurement of a scale.
There are four basic characteristics: description, order, distance and origin, and together
they define the level of measurement of a scale. The level of measurement denotes what
properties of an object the scale is measuring or not measuring.
By description we mean the unique labels or descriptors that are used to designate each
value of the scale, e.g., 1. Female, 2. Male. It is important to remember that all scales possess
this characteristic of description. Thus, all scales have unique labels or descriptors that are used
to define the scale values or response options.
By order we mean the relative sizes or positions of the descriptors. There are no absolute
values associated with order, only relative values. Order is denoted by descriptors such as
greater than, less than, and equal to. All scales do not possess the order characteristic. In the
gender scale (1. Female, 2. Male) considered earlier, we have no way of determining whether a
female is greater than or less than a male. Thus, the gender scale does not possess order.
Notice, that a scale that has distance also has order. We know that a five-person household is
greater than the four-person household in terms of the number of persons living in the household.
Likewise, a three-person household is less than a four-person household. Thus, distance implies
order but the reverse may not be true.
The origin characteristic means that the scale has a unique or fixed beginning or true zero
point. Thus, an exact measurement of income by a scale such as:
has a fixed origin or a true a zero point. An answer of zero would mean that the household has
no income at all. A scale that has origin also has distance (and order and description). Many
scales used in marketing research do not have a fixed origin or true zero point, as in the disagree-
agree scale considered here. Such a scale is defined as 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 =
Neither agree nor disagree, 4 = agree, and 5 = Strongly agree. However, 1 is an arbitrary origin
or starting point. This scale could just as easily have been defined as 0 = Strongly disagree, 1 =
Disagree, 2 = Neither agree nor disagree, 3 = agree, and 4 = Strongly agree, with 0 as the origin.
Both these forms of the agree-disagree scale, with the origin at 1 or 0 are equivalent. Thus, this
scale does not have a fixed origin or a true zero point and consequently does not possess the
characteristic of origin.
1. Nominal scale. This is used only as a labeling scheme where numbers serve only
as labels or tags for identifying and classifying objects. The numbers in a nominal
scale do not reflect the amount of a characteristic possessed by the objects, rather
they are used only for identification. For example, numbers on baseball players
uniforms, street names, or social security numbers.
2. Ordinal scale. This is a ranking scale in which numbers are assigned to objects to
indicate the relative extent to which some characteristic is possessed. It is then
possible to determine whether an object has more or less of a characteristic than
some other object. For example, rankings of teams for the NCAA Basketball
tournament, socioeconomic status, and quality rankings.
3. Interval scale. Numbers are used to rank objects such that numerically equal
distances on the scale represent equal distances in the characteristic being
measured. Examples include time and temperature.
4. Ratio scale. This is used to identify or classify objects, rank order the objects,
and compare intervals and differences. For example, height, age, and income.
Figures 8.1 and 8.2, Tables 8.1 and 8.2 provide a framework and examples for explaining
scaling.
Chapter Objective 4
Begin by recalling that all comparative scaling techniques involve a direct comparison of
stimulus objects with one another. This should be highlighted as each of the scales are
discussed in turn.
Chapter Objective 5
From the viewpoint of the respondents, nominal scales are the simplest to use, whereas
ratio scales are the most complex. Respondents in many developed countries, due to
higher education and consumer sophistication levels, are quite used to providing
responses on interval and ratio scales. However, such is not the case in less developed
countries. Preferences can, therefore, be best measured by using ordinal scales in less
developed countries. In particular, the use of binary scales (e.g., preferred/not preferred)
is recommended.
EXAMPLE: While measuring preferences for jeans in the United States, Levi Strauss &
Co. could ask consumers to rate their preferences for wearing jeans on specified
occasions using a seven-point interval scale. However, consumers in Papua, New Guinea,
could be shown a pair of jeans and simply asked whether or not they would prefer to
wear it for a specific occasion (e.g., when shopping, working, relaxing on a holiday, etc.).
Chapter Objective 6
● Discuss how social media can be used to implement measurement and scaling.
All the primary scales and all the comparative scales that we have discussed in this
chapter can be easily implemented in social media. Social media impose no additional
requirements. The principles underlying scaling and measurement and the comparative
scaling techniques also remain the same. An analysis of social media content can shed
Chapter Objective 7
All the primary scales can be implemented in mobile marketing research (MMR).
comparative scaling. For example, rank order scaling of many brands may be confusing
as respondents would have to scroll vertically and may not be able to see all the brands
on the screen simultaneously. This limitation would also apply to constant sum scaling.
Likewise, with a large number of brands, the number of paired comparisons increases
Chapter Objective 8
The researcher has the responsibility to use the appropriate type of scales to get the data
needed to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses. For example, if
personality characteristics are measured using ordinal scales, these data cannot be easily
used in multivariate analysis. To examine differences in the personality characteristics
and relate them to other consumer behavior variables, interval scale data are needed.
All the primary scales of measurement can be implemented on the Internet. The same is
true for the commonly used comparative scales. Paired comparisons involving verbal,
visual, or auditory comparisons can be implemented with ease. However, taste, smell,
and touch comparisons are difficult to implement. The process of implementing
comparative scales may be facilitated by searching the Internet for similar scales that
have been implemented by other researchers.
Database managers allow researchers to develop and test several different scales to
determine their appropriateness for a particular application. Microcomputers have been
used to administer paired comparison scales in taste tests. EzPair by Barry Cohen can
design paired comparison scales and paired comparison product tests using statistical
quality control techniques. It allows for testing to end early, without compromising test
reliability, if one product is clearly winning.
ACTIVE RESEARCH
It should be noted that a variety of answers are appropriate. The ones given here are merely
illustrative. DM denotes decision maker and MR denotes marketing researcher.
Marketing Strategies:
o Seasonal Promotions
o Use the power of Internet to reach out to customers
o Target families as they are the biggest consumers of the products offered by
Wal-Mart
o Use local media such as local newspapers to advertise
MR: Wal-Mart
Nominal scales can be used to assign numbers to the stores for identification purposes.
Ordinal scales can be used to rank order the stores based on customer satisfaction.
Various characteristics need to be measured to get a holistic picture. An initial study
needs to be conducted to identify the characteristics that need to be measured based on
their relevance to customer satisfaction.
MR: Coach
Consumer preferences for leather good are determined by factors such as finish,
durability, comfort, brand name, price, etc.
The use of intervals would be a good idea since preferences can be rated from, say 1 to 5
where 1 implies very poor and 5 imply excellence. Ratio scales that measure the amount
of money spent on leather goods during a specified time period can also be used.
DM: Coach
MR: Lexus
Purchase Intentions for luxury car are determined by factors such as:
o Social Status
o Comfort
o Daily Commute
o Convenience
o Security
o Rank order scaling or constant sum scaling are two comparative scaling
techniques which could be used.
o Constant sum scaling gives a precise and holistic picture of preferences, their
relative values and order.
o Rank order scaling gives a relative comparison but fails to reveal the value of
each quality. It just gives a preference order.
o But rank order scaling is easier for the customer to fill in and so response rates
might be better.
Coke or Pepsi?
This exercise is designed to give students experience in conducting an actual taste test.
The answers will likely vary from student to student or group to group.
The following answers occurred in an actual taste test conducted in a marketing research class.
Responses would likely vary across classes.
An execution technique that worked well was this: using different colored board markers to put
the same colored dot on Dixie cups holding the same contents. Every person in the class then
lined up, and took four Dixie cups back to their seats containing the sample for Pepsi, Coke, the
redundant sample of Pepsi or Coke, and bottled water.
Then, votes were taken as to which colored cup corresponded to which cola brand.
Which cola drink would be the most popular among your friends in a taste test? Develop a
script for testing for preference between two cola drinks: Coke and Pepsi. Make sure the drinks
are chilled to the same temperature, and poured in three groups of identical cups. Each person
will select a cup from the first group, taste the cola, eat a cracker, and take a swallow of water.
This will be repeated for each person when tasting from the second, and the third groups, also.
(The first group might be Pepsi, the second group Coke, and the third group Pepsi). After tasting
from each of the three cola sample groups, have the respondents complete the survey form you
created. To avoid a biasing effect from the order of presentation of the samples, it will be
important for half of the respondents to have a rotated order of presentation: (The first group
Coke, the second group Pepsi, and the third group Coke).
Answer: Coke by a 2:1 margin. Note the respondents loyal to Coke were seeking this
taste because they knew Coke was one of the tested samples.
3. Of those who correctly identified the two identical samples of cola, how many had no
preference between Coke and Pepsi?
Answer: About 20 %.
4. In sum, who would you say is the winner in your taste test: Coke or Pepsi? Or is it too
close to tell?
Answer: Coke, because loyal Coke drinkers were actively seeking Coke. In hindsight, not
disclosing which brands would be sampled, and then having respondents take the test would
likely bring different results.
All the primary scales (nominal, ordinal, interval and ration) can be constructed using
Qualtrics. Students should be able to identify all the primary scales (nominal, ordinal,
interval and ration).
EXERCISES
Questions
Problems
1. The URLs of several marketing research firms are given in Table 1.2. The students
should be encouraged to find examples of the four primary scales discussed in this
chapter.
2. It is important that the students relate the scales to the marketing research context
(problem) and the managerial context (management decision problem).
3. This exercise is designed to give students first-hand experience in constructing an actual
ranking scale. According to Statista, the leading snack brand in the United Kingdom
(UK) in 2017 was Pringles (£182 million in sales). The top ten, in order of sales, were
Pringles, Walkers Doritos, Own Label, Hula Hoops, Walkers Quavers, Jacobs Mini
Cheddars, Walkers Wotsits, Walkers Sunbites, Walkers Squares, and Walkers Monster
Munch.
4. The Marshalls and Wal-Mart Web sites can be visited at www.marshalls.com and
www.walmart.com. The characteristics identified should be similar to those given in
Chapter 2, in the section on relevant characteristics: quality of merchandise, variety and
assortment of merchandise, returns and adjustment policy, service of store personnel,
prices, convenience of location, layout of store, and credit and billing policies. One
paired comparison is needed for each characteristic.
Role Playing
Q1. You are a marketing research analyst with the Coca-Cola Company. After missing the
mark in changing the formulation of Coke, management has become wary of taste tests.
You are asked to write a technical report on the uses and limitations of taste tests and
make a recommendation about whether taste tests should be used in the future research
conducted by the Coca-Cola Company. Present your report to a group of students
representing Coca-Cola management.
Taste tests offer a contribution to product planning, but they must be constructed to solve
the problem that has been specified. If they are improperly structured, misleading results
can emerge.
Fieldwork
Q1. Develop three comparative (paired comparison, rank order, and constant sum) scales to
measure attitudes toward the top ten popular brands of soft drinks (you should carry out
research to identify the global top ten sellers). Administer each scale to five students. No
student should be administered more than one scale. Note the time it takes each student to
respond. Which scale was the easiest to administer? Which scale took the shortest time?
Coca-Cola—$70bn
Diet Coke (including Light and Zero)—$13.8bn
Red Bull—$11.4bn
Pepsi—$10.8bn
Nescafé—$6.3bn
Tropicana—$6bn
Fanta—$6bn
Sprite—$5.3bn
Nespresso—$5.2bn
Gatorade—$4.7bn
Q2. Develop a constant sum scale to determine preferences for places to buy food and drink
in or near your college or university. Administer this scale to a pilot sample of 20
students to determine their preferences for some of the popular places to eat or drink.
Based on your pilot study, which restaurant is most preferred?
A2. The purpose of this exercise is similar to Question 1 above; however, the student is also
given the task of analyzing the results from a constant sum scale.
Group Discussion
Q1 “A brand could receive the highest median rank on a rank order scale of all the brands
considered and still have poor sales.” Discuss.
Note: Answers to the Running Case on HP are provided in the case solutions