DATA COLLECTION

Data collection methods, sampling

techniques, analysis tools in business
research activities

Dr. Boniface E. Mwalukasa

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 Data Collection
Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring
information on variables of interest, in an established
systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research
questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes.
Data is required to make decision in any business situation or
in finding solutions to research problems.
Data are raw, unorganized facts that need to be processed.
Data can be something simple and seemingly random and
useless until it is organized.
When data is processed, organized, structured or presented in
a given context so as to make it useful, it is called information.
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 Data Collection
Research data can be defined as the recorded facts,
observations or experiences used to validate research findings
e.g. sales data, crime rates.
Data may be numerical, descriptive, oral or visual.
Data collection is one of the most important stages in
conducting a research. You can have the best research design
in the world but if you cannot collect the required data you will
not be able to complete your project.
Data collection is a very demanding job which needs thorough
planning, hard work, patience, perseverance and more to be
able to complete the task successfully.

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 Characteristics of Data Quality
The quality of data is important as it directly affects the strategic
decision making and can drain time and money.
• Accuracy - data should not have erroneous elements such as
outdated information, redundancies, and typos and must
convey the correct message without being misleading.
Example: if you have the wrong email address, your message won’t
reach the right potential customer.
• Reliability - data should be consistent. A piece of information
should not contradict another piece of information in a different
source or system and makes job more confusing and costly to
the firm money and reputational.
• Example: patient’s birthday is January 1, 1985 in one system, June
13,1980 in another.
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 Characteristics of Data Quality
• Timeliness - data must be available for the intended use at the
appropriate time. Data collected too soon or too late could
misrepresent a situation and drive inaccurate decisions.
• Relevance is the extent to which data answers the questions
of the individual user. Data to be applicable to what you’re
trying to do. Gathering a lot of irrelevant (useless data)
information is wastage of time and energy.
• Completeness refers to how comprehensive the information
is, no missing data e.g. middle name of the customer.
• Availability - all of the data should be available and accessed
by those in need.
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 Type of Data
Data can be organized into two broad categories namely qualitative and
quantitative.
Qualitative data Quantitative data
Data collected are often in the form of Data collected are numerical in
words and sentences. Such data nature and can be mathematically
captures feelings, emotions, or computed. Based on meanings
subjective perceptions of something. derived from numbers.
Collection results in non-standardized Collection results in numerical and
data requiring classification into standardized data.
categories.
Analysis conducted through the use Analysis conducted through the use of
conceptualization. diagrams and statistics
Qualitative questions are open-ended. Use closed ended questions rely on
random sampling and structured data
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Type of Data Cont..
Qualitative data Quantitative data
Qualitative methods mostly used employ methods such as surveys
include interviews. using questionnaire.

Expensive and time consuming to they are cheaper to implement, are

implement. Data are accurately, and standardized so comparisons can
systematically obtained using field be easily made, the size of the effect
notes, sketches, audiotapes, can be measured.
photographs etc.
The findings cannot be generalized to They produce results that are easy
participants outside of the program to summarize, compare, and
generalize.

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 Types of Data
Data can be classified into two categories namely primary and secondary
data as summarized in the Table below.
Primary Data Secondary Data
Data which are collected afresh and Data that have already been collected
for the first time, and thus happen to by someone else and which have already
be original in character. been passed through the statistical
Examples: process. Examples:
• data gathered to finding out the • data obtained from government reports
attitudes of a community towards e.g. census data to obtain information
health services. on the age-sex structure of a
• determining the job satisfaction of population.
the employees of an organization. • collection of data from sources e.g.
• ascertaining the quality of service articles, journals, magazines, books
provided by a worker. and periodicals to obtain historical
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 Data Collection Methods
1) Experiments : require an artificial or natural setting in which to
perform logical study to collect data.
Experiments are more suitable for medicine, psychological
studies, nutrition and for other scientific studies.
2) Survey is most commonly used method in social sciences,
management, marketing and psychology to some extent. Surveys
can be conducted using different techniques such as
questionnaire, interview guide.
3) Observation is a purposeful and selective way of watching and
recording an interaction or phenomena as it occurs. can be done
while letting the observing person know that s/he is being
observed
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 Data Collection Instruments
a) Questionnaire – is a list of questions either open-ended, close-
ended or scale items for which the respondents give answers.
Questionnaire can be conducted via telephone, mail, live in a
public area, electronic mail.
• closed questions or forced-choice questions allow the
respondent to choose from two or more fixed alternatives e.g.
‘yes/no’ or ‘agree/disagree’, ‘undecided’ or ‘don’t know’.
• Open-ended items: The respondents are free to answer
anything to the questions offered to them. The answers may be a
short note or short essay depending on the nature of question.
No restraints are imposed on their answer to the question.
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Data Collection Instruments Cont..
Scale items is a set of verbal items to which the respondent
answers by indicating degrees of agreement or disagreement.
Individual responses are located on a scale of fixed alternatives,
for example: ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’.

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Data Collection Instruments Cont..
Questionnaire Advantages
• allows collection of data from large numbers of respondents.
• gives freedom to respondents to answer questions in their own
time – free from bias.
• cost effective method useful for a widely distributed sample.
Questionnaire Disadvantages
• Possible to receive low response rate
• Usually, takes much longer, needs to give respondents
sufficient time to respond
• Not suitable for people with literacy problems
• Not suitable for research with larger numbers of open ended
questions
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 Interview
An interview is a verbal interchange, often face to face, in which an
interviewer tries to elicit information, beliefs, or opinions from another
person.
The interviewer can probe further by asking follow-up questions.
Interviews can be a structured interview, unstructured interview, or
semi-structured interview based on the interview schedule used and
the context.
a) structured interviews the interviewer uses a pre-prepared
questionnaire (an interview schedule) and conducts the interview as
such without much variation.
b) Unstructured Interviews (open-ended interviewing or in-depth
interviewing) takes the form of a conversation between the informant
and the researcher.
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Cont..
There is no standardized list of questions, and it is a free flowing
conversation in a natural setting. The list normally includes broad
and open-ended questions.
c) Semi-structured Interviews makes use of a guide list with
some broad questions or issues, which are to be discussed.
Interview schedule is a list containing a set of structured
questions that have been prepared by the researcher as a guide in
collecting data about a specific topic through personal contact
(interview),
The interviewer is left free to rephrase the questions and to ask
probing questions for added details.
Can be adopted for individuals (individual interviews) and groups
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Semi-structured interview can be adopted for individuals
(individual interviews) and groups (group interviews).
Individual/personal Interviews involve all the individuals in the
locality or randomly selected individuals, the key informants e.g.
telephone interview, face to face interview.
Advantages of telephone interview are, easy to contact
respondents who are geographically dispersed, Can be cheaper
and quicker than face-to-face interview, high completion rate.
Disadvantages are is not appropriate if respondents have no
access to telephone, cannot use visual aids, interview may be
impersonal.
Key informant is an individual, who as a result of knowledge,
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Cont..
Focus group discussion and community interviews, and
interviews with natural groups are useful for planning development
projects.
Focus group discussion or focus group interview is a planned
semi-structured discussion with a small group of homogeneous
people with similar background and experience e.g. shareholders
in an irrigation system, and users of a public service.
A small list of open-ended questions is used to focus the
discussion.
Participants need to study the questions posed by the
interviewers, give their own comments, listen to what others in the
group say, and respond to their observations.
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Cont..
Advantages of Focus Group Interview
 Quick and relatively easy to set up.
 It allows collection of detailed data.
 Allow an opportunity to build a rapport.

Disadvantages of Focus Group Interview

• It is susceptible to moderator’s bias.
• Discussion can be dominated by a few individuals.
• Does not provide valid information at the individual level.

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 Advantages and Disadvantages of Interview method
Advantages
• Can capture emotional behavior of respondents
• Better response rate than questionnaire
• Allow collection of more details
• Allow an opportunity to build a rapport

Disadvantages
• Time consuming and expensive
• Prone to interview bias
• It relies of respondent’s willingness to provide information
• It5/20/2022
relies on what respondents say than what they actually do 18
Cont..
Document review method is the method of collecting data by
reviewing existing documents such as research reports,
newspapers, meeting minutes etc.
Advantages of documentary Review
 Relatively inexpensive
 Good source of background information
 May bring up issues not noted by other means
Disadvantages of documentary Review
 Information may be inapplicable, disorganized, unavailable, or out
of date
 Could be biased because of selective survival of information
 Information may be incomplete or inaccurate
 Can be time consuming to collect, review, and analyze many
documents
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