Funky Internet Business (FIB): Internet Dating Service
The acceptance of the online focus groups by qualitative researches has grown. Most of researches are using sophisticated online research environments. Furthermore, online moderators already developed different styles that will help to produce and gather meaningful information and results. As a result, professional organizations have sprung in order to address their needs of researchers using the online medium (Zinchiak, 2001).
Regarding the problem of the FIB, it is important to use an online qualitative research, because it focuses on its dilemma regarding its Internet dating service, with the use of the web cams as well as audio features. According to Zinchiak (2001), online qualitative research is suited in different topics that are related to the issues regarding the usage of the Internet as well as computer technology.
Marketing research plays important roles in the strategy of the company. the result of the marketing research can be used in the process of the decision-making as well as the process of planning and executing the concept, price, promotion and advertisement as well as the distribution of the ideas, goods as well as services in order to create different exchanges that will help to satisfy the demands of the customers and meet the objectives and goals of the organization (Moiseenko, n.d., p. 2).
In the case of FIB, it is important to consider that the company is offering online dating business, that is why it is important to consider the demands and needed features of the possible customers or users of their websites and services, in order to make sure that it will meet the standards of the end-users.
Due to the fact that marketing research, involves a systematic gathering, recording as well as analyzing of information that are related to the transfer and sale of goods and services from producer to consumer, together with the process of systematic problem analysis, model building and fact finding for in order to improve the decision-making process as well as control in the process of marketing goods and services (Royal Statistical Society, n.d.), can cause many organizations lengthy time and huge budgets in order to gather information regarding the behavior and perspective of the customers to the product or service that can help for marketing process. That is the reason why it is important to use the online focus group in order to save time and money to be spent in gathering information to the respondents.
Gjersen (1996) stated that people were more honest online than they are in the traditional groups (as cited from The University of Texas, n.d.). The product and service choices of the consumers are based on their emotion and sentiments, however Miller (1991) reasoned that, the typical face-to-face settings in the traditional focus groups can create bias to the responses of the participants because it can force them to try to look coherent and purposeful. Thus, Peebles (1996) concluded that those biases can result in a considerably misleading and incorrect result of the focus group that will deal with the different sensitive topics (cited from The University of Texas, n.d.).
In the case of the service that are being offered by the company, the dating service with the use of audio and video features, there are different sensitive issues that are related in the business such as sex and relationship, thus, face-to-face or the traditional focus group method cannot be used. In case of online focus group, it will be able to give the respondents the freedom to answer the questions based on their perspective and experiences without being shy or reluctant about their identities.
Furthermore, the online focus group can also be an effective in the process of stimulating the participants regarding their thinking by significantly releasing the constraints regarding the time and place. Most of the people or respondents are more comfortable in their own homes than they are in a room that is full of strangers as well as strangers that are hiding behind a mirror. The said awkwardness can affect the result of the study. As a result, Gray (2000) said that the removal of the said constraints can make it possible to co-ordinate an international focus group that will allow mixed nationalities (cited from The University of Texas, n.d.).
In the case of the company, due to the fact that it will offer a dating service, there is a big possibility that they will cater to different nationalities and cultures from different part of the globe that are searching for a relationship. The online focus group will enable them to focus on the differences of their respondents in terms of cultures.
References
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Data Collection Methods. The University of Texas. Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://www.ciadv ertising.org/student_account/fall_00/adv391k/jun/Seminar/advantages.htm
Moiseenko, T.F. Importance of Marketing Research. Master of Donetsk National Technical University .Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://master s.donntu.edu.ua/publ2002/fem/moiseenko.pdf.
Pearsons, A. & Seisser, M. (1996). ‘Organizing for Digital Marketing.’ The McKinsey Quarterly, (4), pp. 185 – 190
The Importance of Market Research. Royal Statistical Society. Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://www.rss.org.uk/main.asp?page=2317
Zinchiak, M. (2001, July). Online Focus Group FAQs. Quirks. Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://www.quirks.com/articles/a2001/2001071 2.aspx?searchID=18566910
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment