Fieldwork and Data Collection Process

The document discusses the fieldwork and data collection process involved in business research. It explains that fieldwork involves collecting data from potential clients and customers outside of the firm, which is referred to as working "in the field." It then describes the various stages of the fieldwork and data collection process, including selecting and training field workers, supervising them, validating their work, and evaluating their performance.

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Shakif Shariar

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Fieldwork and Data Collection Process

Uploaded by

Shakif Shariar

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Fieldwork

and
Data Collection Process
Much of the work of a business researcher
involves data collections with potential clients
or customers outside of the firm. Thus,
researchers must go into far-away, this is
referred to as working “in the field,” or
fieldwork.
Fieldwork and Data Collection
◼ To achieve the research objectives researcher needs to
collect data with potential clients or customers outside of
the firm.
◼ Thus, researchers must go into far-away, this is referred to
as working “in the field,” or fieldwork.
◼ A personal interviewer administering a questionnaire door
to door, a telephone interviewer calling from a central
location, an observer counting pedestrians in a shopping
mall, and others involved in the collection of data –each of
these activities is fieldwork.
◼ An individual who is responsible for gathering data in the
field or the supervision of that process—a fieldworker.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process
▪ The fieldwork and the data-collecting stage is very vital,
because the research project is no better than the data
collected in the field.
▪ So, the researcher must select capable people and trust
them to gather the data.
▪ The data collection activities are rarely carried out by the
person who designs the research project- researcher.
▪ However, much fieldwork is conducted by research
suppliers that specialize in data collection.
▪ The process by which the researchers collect data is called
fieldwork and data collection process.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process

The fieldwork and the data-collecting process

consists of several stages, such as
1. Selecting Field Workers
2. Training Field Workers
3. Supervising Field Workers
4. Validating Fieldwork
5. Evaluating Field Workers
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process

1. Selection of Field Workers

To select field workers, researcher should:
▪ Develop job specifications for the project, taking into
account the mode of data collection.
▪ Decide what characteristics the field workers should
have.
▪ Recruit appropriate individuals.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process
1. Selection of Field Workers: General Qualifications of
Field Workers
▪ Healthy - Field workers must have the stamina required
to do the job.
▪ Outgoing - The interviewers should be able to establish
rapport with the respondents.
▪ Communicative - Effective speaking and listening skills
are a great asset.
▪ Pleasant appearance - If the field workers physical
appearance is unpleasant or unusual, the data collected
may be biased.
▪ Educated - Interviewers must have good reading and
writing skills.
▪ Experienced - Experienced interviewers are likely to do
a better job.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process
2. Training of Field Workers
▪ Making the Initial Contact – Interviewers should be
trained to make opening remarks that will convince potential
respondents that their participation is important.

▪ Asking the Questions

1. Be thoroughly familiar with the questionnaire.
2. Ask the questions in the order in which they appear in
the questionnaire.
3. Use the exact wording given in the questionnaire.
4. Read each question slowly.
5. Repeat questions that are not understood.
6. Ask every applicable question.
7. Follow instructions, skip patterns, probe carefully.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process
2. Training of Field Workers
▪ Probing – Some commonly used probing techniques:
▪ Repeating the question.
▪ Repeating the respondents reply.
▪ Using a pause or silent probe.
▪ Boosting or reassuring the respondent.
▪ Eliciting clarification.
▪ Using objective/neutral questions or comments.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process
2. Training of Field Workers
▪ Recording the Answers – Guidelines for recording
answers to unstructured questions:
▪ Record responses during the interview.
▪ Use the respondents own words.
▪ Do not summarize or paraphrase the respondents
answers.
▪ Include everything that pertains to the question
objectives.
▪ Include all probes and comments.
▪ Repeat the response as it is written down.
▪ Terminating the Interview – The respondent should be
left with a positive feeling about the interview.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process
3. Supervision of Field Workers
▪ Supervision of field workers means making sure that they are
following the procedures and techniques in which they were
trained.
▪ Supervision involves
▪ Quality Control and Editing – This requires checking to
see if the field procedures are being properly
implemented.
▪ Sampling Control – The supervisor attempts to ensure
that the interviewers are strictly following the sampling
plan
▪ Control of Cheating – Cheating can be minimized
through proper training, supervision, and validation.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process

4. Validation of Fieldwork
▪ The supervisors call 10 - 25% of the respondents to
inquire whether the field workers actually conducted
the interviews.
▪ The supervisors ask about the length and quality of the
interview, reaction to the interviewer, and basic
demographic data.
▪ The demographic information is cross-checked against
the information reported by the interviewers on the
questionnaires.
Fieldwork and Data Collection Process

5. Evaluation of Fieldworkers
▪ Cost and Time - The interviewers can be compared in
terms of the total cost (salary and expenses) per completed
interview.
▪ Response Rates - It is important to monitor response rates
on a timely basis so that corrective action can be taken if
these rates are too low.
▪ Quality of Interviewing - To evaluate interviewers on the
quality of interviewing, the supervisor must directly observe
the interviewing process.
▪ Quality of Data - The completed questionnaires of each
interviewer should be evaluated for the quality of data.
Thank You…!!!