Secondary and Primary Data Collection

1
Secondary and Primary Data Collection

• Secondary
• Published information available from other
  sources that has already been gathered. This
  information is relevant to the problem at hand.
  Either internal or external to an organisation.
  Start by collecting this type.
• Primary
• Data collected for the first time, by a method
  other than secondary research, to answer specific
  questions. Primary data comes from the
  researcher for the purpose of the specific
  purpose it hand.

2
Group Task 1

• In groups of 5 or 6 identify the advantages and
  disadvantages of using secondary and primary
  research.
• Be prepared to report you findings to the group.

3
Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Research

• Advantages
• Inexpensive
• Easily accessible
• Immediately available
• Will provide essential background and help to
  clarify or refine research problem essential
  for literature review
• Secondary data sources will provide research
  method alternatives.
• Will also alert the researcher to any potential
  difficulties.

4
Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Research

• Disadvantages
• Frequently outdated e.g. census data
• Potentially unreliable not always sure where
  information has come from
• May not be applicable may not totally answer
  your research questions
• Lack of availability i.e. no data available or
  very difficult to obtain

5
Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Research

• Advantages
• Applicable and usable if done right
• Accurate and reliable can answer your direct
  research questions
• Up-to-date as you have collected the data

6
Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Research

• Disadvantages
• Expensive
• Not immediately available takes time to define
  problem, sampling frame, method and analysis.
• Not as readily accessible

7
Primary Research Methods Techniques
Primary Research
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data

• Surveys
• Personal interview (intercepts)
• Mail
• In-house, self-administered
• Telephone, fax, e-mail, Web

Experiments
Focus groups
Individual depth interviews
Mechanical observation
Human observation
Simulation
Case studies
8
Primary Research Methods

• Experimental (e.g. test marketing)
• Observational (human and mechanical)
• Survey (mail, telephone, personal interview,
  in-house self-administered, online)
• Focus groups (groups of 8 to 12 people with
  moderator trying to reach a consensus of
  opinions)

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Group Task 2

• Make a list of the advantages disadvantages of
  the following research methods as applied to the
  leisure/travel and tourism sectors
• Personal Interviews
• Mail Surveys
• Telephone Surveys
• In-House, Self-Administered Surveys
• Online Surveys
• Focus groups

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Personal Interviews (including focus groups)

• Advantages
• High response rate
• Great flexibility (ability to adapt/explain
  questions)
• Can show or demonstrate items
• Fuller explanations can be given
• Very timely data
• Body language can emphasize responses

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Personal Interviews

• Disadvantages
• Relatively expensive
• Possibility of interviewer and interviewee bias
• Personal nature of questions (e.g., age or
  income)
• Respondents not relaxed (put on the spot)
• Time may not be convenient for respondents

12
Mail Surveys

• Advantages
• Relatively inexpensive
• No interviewer bias
• Consistent questions (for all respondents)
• Large number of respondents can be included
• Anonymity
• Respondents can choose the most convenient time
  to answer

13
Mail Surveys

• Disadvantages
• Low response rates (relative to other survey
  types)
• Junk mail syndrome
• Impersonal nature

14
Telephone Surveys

• Advantages
• More flexibility compared to mail surveys
• Quicker but will cost you some money (telephone
  bill)
• High response rates
• Disadvantages
• Interviews tend to be a lot shorter
• More obtrusive than mail
• Greater difficulties in rapport building -
  Researchers cannot study behaviour or body
  language
• Long-distance calls are expensive

15
In-House, Self-Administered Surveys

• Advantages
• Completed on-sight by customers within the
  premises of a leisure and travel organisation
• Convenient
• Disadvantages
• Generate low response rates

16
Online Surveys

• Advantages
• Relative speed and flexibility
• Large and growing audience
• Relatively inexpensive
• Uses graphics and visual aids
• Disadvantages
• Technical skills and time required to develop and
  analyse questionnaires
• May deter visitors from your website.

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Sources of Secondary Research Information for
Leisure and Travel External

• Library books, journals, newspapers, CD-roms,
  directories.
• Internet on-line computer searches e.g. Data
  bases, periodicals (Emerald) and newsletters,
  demographic data (GIS). (URLs and Search
  engines)
• Trade associations and societies (also available
  on internet).
• Census also government data on internet
• Published company accounts

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Sources of Secondary Research Information for
Leisure and Travel Internal

• Sales invoices e.g. memberships or flights sold
• Usage figures e.g. leisure centre
• Personnel records e.g. staff turnover
• Sales people e.g. expense accounts, call reports

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Task 3 Collecting Secondary Data/Information

• Group 1 - Log on to the internet and collect
  data/information from the worksheet provided.
• Group 2 Go to the library and collect
  data/information from the worksheet provided
  (once you have found the data/information please
  put the source back in its original place).