The Purpose of Survey Research: Understanding Population Descriptions and Testing Hypotheses
Survey research serves two primary purposes:
- Describing a population – Understanding the characteristics, opinions, and behaviors of a group.
- Testing hypotheses – Evaluating relationships or patterns between different variables.
Describing a Population
When you need to describe a small population, it's possible to ask every individual within that population a set of relevant questions. These questions might explore demographic information (age, education, gender, etc.), attitudes toward products or services, or opinions on industry trends. Since everyone is surveyed, the results accurately reflect the population with no sampling error.
However, for large populations, such as customers across multiple regions or organizations in various industries, it's not feasible to survey everyone. Instead, probability sampling is used to select a representative sample. By surveying a smaller group and extrapolating results, companies can estimate the characteristics, preferences, and behaviors of the broader population.
Example: If you're a marketing manager interested in understanding how many companies prefer in-house training versus outsourcing, you can survey a sample of organizations and apply the findings to the entire industry.
The Role of Census Data
Census data, collected by national governments, is another valuable resource for understanding a population. In the United States, a census is conducted every 10 years to gather information about the population and key characteristics. Many other countries perform similar national censuses, and their data can serve as a starting point for understanding demographics relevant to your business.
Example Census Sources:
- Canada: StatCan
- India: Census India
- Japan: Statistics Bureau of Japan
- Mexico: INEGI
- Thailand: NSO Thailand
- United Kingdom: UK Office for National Statistics
- United States: US Census Bureau
Sample Surveys: A Powerful Tool for Marketing Insights
Even with a comprehensive census, sample surveys are often necessary for capturing more specific or timely insights.
In the business world, sample surveys are frequently conducted to:
- Track customer satisfaction across different regions or product lines.
- Evaluate brand perception and identify changes in consumer sentiment.
- Test marketing messages and advertising effectiveness before full-scale campaigns.
Example: A sample size of just 1,000 individuals can reliably represent the opinions of an entire population if selected correctly. This makes surveys an efficient and cost-effective tool for guiding marketing decisions.
Concepts: The Building Blocks of Survey Research
In survey research, concepts refer to ideas or characteristics that researchers are interested in studying, such as brand loyalty, customer satisfaction, product preferences, or attitudes toward advertising. These are turned into measurable questions through a process called operationalization.
Example:
Concept: Perceived Social Status
Question: “Which social status best describes you?”
- Upper Class
- Middle Class
- Working Class
- Lower Class
Testing Hypotheses: Exploring Relationships Between Variables
Survey research helps identify relationships between variables. A variable is a concept that can take on multiple values or attributes. For example:
Variable: Gender
Attributes: Male, Female, Other/Prefer Not to Say
To test a hypothesis, researchers examine how changes in one variable affect another.
Example Hypothesis:
Hypothesis: Higher perceived social status is associated with a preference for foreign cars over domestic models.
Independent Variable: Social Status
Dependent Variable: Type of Car Purchased
Considering Third Variables: Fine-Tuning Your Insights
It's important to account for third variables that may influence the relationship between two main variables. This is called controlling for confounding factors.
Example: If gender influences car purchase decisions, the relationship between social status and car type may differ for men and women. Including gender as a third variable improves analysis accuracy.
Why Survey Research is Essential for Marketers
For marketing teams in medium-to-large-sized companies, survey research offers a powerful tool to:
- Understand target audiences and their evolving needs.
- Test product-market fit before launching new offerings.
- Refine marketing strategies through data-driven insights.
Without carefully designed surveys and proper sampling methods, businesses risk making decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information. When executed effectively, survey research empowers marketing teams to make confident, informed decisions that drive business growth.
Ready to harness the power of surveys to gain a competitive edge? Start designing your next survey today and uncover the insights that will fuel your marketing success.