Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups todays market researcher has an embarrassment of tools available to them, yet one research option has stood the test of time the focus group. The sample for a focus group has individuals with characteristics of the overall population and can contribute to helping the research gain a greater understanding of the topic. The strengths and weaknesses of focus group research. The analysis of focus groups in health care research might also require special procedures because the focus group method is used to answer not only sociological research questions e. A great moderator of focus groups can understand people and their nonconscious body cues. The advantages and disadvantages in the use of focus groups as a method of data collection. Focus groups provide some distinct advantages to businesses and researchers. Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups in research. The disadvantages of focus groups whilst focus groups have a number of benefits for market research, they arent always the most suitable answer for everyone.
There are certain indepth interviews that are conducted by phone and are considered flexible and costeffective too. We now frequently employ digital methods to conduct research, but we still also use traditional methods, such as inperson focus groups, inperson oneonone interviews indepth interviews, and phone interviews. It has become the subject of important methodological discussions and it is now considered a very innovative research method. Advantages of asynchronous online focus groups and faceto. The researcher acts as a moderator to aid discussion by using probes to collect. The aim of focus groups in social science research is to understand. The final study design will be carefully crafted to maximize the type of data and discussions that will further the goal of the project. During a focus group, a group of individualsusually 612 peopleis brought together in a room to engage in a. Have you ever tried to get 8 or 10 busy professionals around one table outside of business hours. Advantages, disadvantages, and lessons learned in conducting telephone focus groups to discuss biospecimen research concerns of individuals genetically at risk for cancer abstract advances in telecommunication technology allow biomedical researchers to explore new, inexpensive opportunities for conducting focus group research. Mar 26, 2017 advantages and disadvantages of focus groups sarah daly. The feasibility and effectiveness of online focus groups ofgs have been clearly demonstrated for various age groups 2, 5 9, although a. The impression is that fg is often adopted without any prior consideration of whether it.
Our main goal in qualitative research is to have real conversations with real customers. However, such a widespread use of fg seems to have become a fashionable research technique. It requires a lot of planning and training to encourage participation and focus the. Examples of possible uses examples of actual uses reported in media to conduct needs assessment to determine what technology training teachers believe is most important to address during inservice offerings to determine what staff, faculty. Never gossip about the focus groups after the study. Methodological aspects of focus groups in health research. While using focus groups can be an effective qualitative research method, these types of interviews are not conducive for all types of research generation. The disadvantages of focus groups include that responses are unstructured, so their coding and analysis is more difficult. When used as a survey method, the focus group approach presents various pros, strengths and. The moderators control the discussion as per his or her experience. In depth interview advantages and disadvantages wisestep.
Explain the framework of focus groups know how demographics factor into focus groups. Focus groups have become a regularly used research method within the health and social care arena webb and kevern 2001. Focus groups generally utilize convenience sampling. The focus group fg technique has been recently rediscovered by social scientists. Whatever the setting, the role of the moderator is key to make people speak and interact. Introduction and history 3 participants are encouraged to talk to each other instead of answering the moderators questions.
Focus group research has also some disadvantages, making different qualitative research techniques more effective. The term focus group was created by ernest dichter, a famous market expert and psychologist. The selfselecting process and voluntary participation may not be representative. Focus group discussion is perceived to be a costeffective and promising. During a focus group, a group of individualsusually 612 peopleis brought together in a room to engage in a guided discussion of a topic. By matching people to the right group, it can become easier to cope with life. Figure 1 advantages and disadvantages of the focus group. Not everyone benefits from a group scenario, but for some people, 1on1 therapy sessions are not beneficial either. Advantages and limitations of focus groups howstuffworks. Apr 11, 2016 ultimately, the study design either online focus groups or inperson focus groups will depend on the particular research question and participant sample that a company has. As long as the disadvantages are equally weighed with the advantages that focus groups provide, the. Provide a broader range of information offer opportunity to seek clarification suggest potential solutions to problems identified deeply understand the phenomena studied.
Important skills that a group moderator should possess 3. Qualitative research, like most things in modern life, has adapted to the times. The use of focus groups in social science research focus groups originated in sociology merton and kendall 1946 were primarily used by market researchers in recent years templeton 1987 and are increasingly being used as a research tool in the social sciences. Advantages, disadvantages, and lessons learned in conducting. Online versus inperson focus groups interq research. By applying multiage philosophies to classrooms and implementing differentiated. Disadvantages of focus group interviews are the technique can be misused by poorly trained researchers. Focus groups have been widely used in health research in recent years to explore the perspectives of patients and other groups in the health care system e. Hence, the moderators primarily aim to facilitate discussion, rather than to direct it. Naturalness of the answers is greater in a focus group, because the questions are directed at a group rather than individuals. It is an inexpensive and fast method of acquiring valuable data. A growing literature on the setting up and running of focus groups for social.
Whereas focus groups are easy to organize with consumers, they are much more challenging in a b2b context. The focus group practice involves a number of participants having an open discussion on a specific topic, set by a researcher. Advantages focus group brings interaction between participants highlights their view of the world. Using focus groups in schools sage publications inc. Focus groups have long been used in marketing, urban planning, and other social sciences. Students should learn to understand their own conditions to choose the best research method for their study. What are the advantages and disadvantages of focus group. The advantages and disadvantages of multiage classrooms in. Dec 11, 2012 naturalness of the answers is greater in a focus group, because the questions are directed at a group rather than individuals.
The purpose of this article is to outline the potential advantages and disadvantages of focus groups as a research method. Preparing focus group question is a complicated task. Used with all of the above, a focus group is an integral part of gauging public perceptions. Nov 30, 2015 disadvantages of online focus groups only people that have and know how to use a computer can be surveyed online. In this way, the return of investment is considered high when compared to focus groups. The process of focus group interviews is illustrated by the authors own. Disadvantages of focus groups marketing research assignment. Online focus group advantages and disadvantages mrqual. How to set up focus groups having decided that focus groups are suited to your research needs for advantages and disadvantages of focus groups, see table 2 first, consider your timing e. Isrc, merrick school of business, university of baltimore.
The amount of data collected would be overwhelming and complex to be analyzed. Compared to individual interviews, focus groups are not as efficient in covering maximum depth on a particular issue. A focus group is most effective with 712 participants. The advantages and disadvantages of multiage classrooms. Oct 05, 2017 advantages and disadvantages of focus groups todays market researcher has an embarrassment of tools available to them, yet one research option has stood the test of time the focus group. The focus group fg is one of the qualitative research methods to be utilized in the search for answers to such questions. Focus groups typically involve a moderatorled group discussion with between eight and 10 people. The difference between quality data and data with bias depends on how people are screened and the data is treated. Dos and donts of a positive focus group experience 5. If the focus groups provide advantages, it also provides some of the disadvantages.
Disadvantages of online focus groups only people that have and know how to use a computer can be surveyed online. Challenges associated with focus groups are most often attributed to two main factors. They have been defined as simply a discussion in which a small group of people under the guidance of a facilitator or moderator, talk about topics selected for discussion macleod clark et al 1996. Coworkers and friends are more comfortable in voicing views in each others company than on their own with the researcher. For example, those looking to gain the widest range of views possible may not be able to do so with a small sample which may not be representative. Since the name of an individual on the internet is often private, actually verifying that a respondent is a member of a target group is difficult. As said the discussions are controlled by the moderator.
There are however issues with focus groups that people should be aware of. Focus group is an important research method, here we list the advantages and disadvantages of such research method. Disadvantages difficulty to assess practice of personal or sensitive behaviors in groups, may only learn about behavior that people will admit in front of others individual behavior when its unique will be subsumed by group behavior transcription is time consuming, difficult to. Focus groups are a prominent method of enquiry, regularly used within the field of social science and in particular, qualitative research. The budget is mainly utilized to collect data from respondents than to cover incidental costs for presenting focus groups. Online focus groups, also referred to as internetbased focus groups, electronic focus groups, chatbased focus groups, or virtual panel discussions, are one of these internetbased research methods. So, above are some of the advantages of the focus groups. The advantages and disadvantages of group therapy must be addressed on an individualized level for them to be effective. The strengths and weaknesses of focus group research bartleby. Marketing researchers employ a variety of tools, including oneonone interviews, written surveys and polling to track consumer opinion. Focus groups are most productive when used to determine information on new proposals or programs, determine the strengths and weaknesses of a program, assessing whether a program is working and in the evaluation or success of a program greenbaum, 1993. Disadvantages difficulty to assess practice of personal or sensitive behaviors in groups, may only learn about behavior that people will admit in front of others individual behavior when its unique will be subsumed by group behavior transcription is time consuming, difficult to identify speakers, analytic challenge.
Focus group weaknesses as with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses. The second is asynchronous, which means not in realtime. A particular disadvantage of a focus group is the possibility that the members. In this article, we look at online focus group advantages and disadvantages compared with facetoface focus groups. Focus groups can help clarify such perplexing information. The pros and cons of focus groups show that there can be a lot of valuable information gathered from this type of survey method. Merton, a sociologist and the associate director of the bureau of applied social research headed the first focus groups in the united states. The first is synchronous, which means realtime or live groups, conducted via video or chat. When used as a survey method, the focus group approach presents various pros, strengths and benefits, as well as cons, weaknesses and drawbacks. What are the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups. Focus groups typically involve a moderatorled group. Focus groups are a form of qualitative research that is commonly used in product marketing and marketing research, but it is a popular method within sociology as well. Following are the main advantages of focus group discussion in research. Focus groups can give you both a broad and indepth overview of reactions to the product, services, or organizational.
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