Market Research Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Market Research Methodology - Essay Example 'Typically focus groups are used as a means of testing concepts new products and messages. A focus group is qualitative research which means that you do not obtain results with percentages, statistical testing or tables .instead this methodology is less structured than surveys or other quantitative research and tends to be more exploratory as well. Rather than providing quantifiable responses to a specific question obtained from a large sampling of the population, focus group participants provide a flow of input and interaction related to the topic or group of topics that the group is centered around. While they appear to be less formal than a survey, focus groups do provide an important source of information for making business decisions. It is important how ever to ensure that persons using the results of such a qualitative study understand how to correctly interpret the resulting information'. 1 The composition of a focus group is usually based on the homogeneity or similarity of the group members. Bringing people with common interests or experiences together makes it easier for them to carry on a productive discussion. Often a research project will use different groups to get differing views. For example, an organization is planning a major restructuring. It would be desirable to have three separate focus groups - union members, nonunion employees, and managers. Each of these groups would represent a potentially different perspective on the changes facing the organization. Imagine the potential problems in bringing together union members and management. Neither would feel free to speak spontaneously and, depending on the anxiety level, the discussion might possibly spiral out of control. Demographic characteristics are another way to determine focus group composition: A political candidate might consider holding separate focus groups with both men and women or younger and older voters. A company testing a new product might conduct focus groups in different geographical regions. Organizational decision makers might find it useful to have separate focus groups for those who favor and those who oppose a particular issue. One caution-remember that with a focus group, it is not possible to compare the results from different groups in a strict quantitative sense, because they lack representative ness. Each group may be characterized as augmenting the information of the others - in an effort to look for as many different explanations or interpretations as

Media Framing - Looking at the Occupy Movement Literature review

Media Framing - Looking at the Occupy Movement - Literature review Example The study revealed that the depiction of the Occupy Movement by the various media sources differed in treatment of the phenomenon, and that the differences were largely attributed to the type of media sources broadcasting the related news. The mass media, for instance, was generally dismissive in its portrayal of the movement and described it as lacking an impact or purpose. The reviews were generally found to be in favour of the administration rather than the public. The alternative media on the other hand actively portrayed the movement as revolutionary and was more positive in its approach. In conclusion, the study revealed the manner in which different types of media sources influence the public opinion either against or in favour of the news being broadcasted and the impact and implications of the media framing in the information age. Sr. # Topic Pg. # I Introduction i.i. Aims, objectives and justification i.ii. Research questions i.iii. Methods and sources i.iv Structural overv iew 1 Media framing & Social Movements 1.1. Introduction 1.2. Defining and explaining media frames 1.3. Media framing and social movements 1.4. Conclusions 2 Occupy and the media 2.1. Mainstream media 2.2. Alternative media 3. Analysis Bibliography I. Introduction: â€Å"The media conglomerates are not the only industry whose owners have become monopolistic in the American economy. But media products are unique in one vital respect. They do not manufacture nuts and bolts: they manufacture a social and political world.† Ben Bagdikian, The New Media Monopoly The mass media plays a key role as a powerful platform for broadcasting significant events and relaying messages to the public. Such power and control commanded by the medium helps determine the course of actions and manipulates the manner in which a given incident is perceived by the audience (Nabi and Oliver, 2009: p.20). However in recent times due to the rapid advancement in technology various digital modes of communica tion have emerged, dramatically altering the realm of mass communication and redefining the way messages are communicated to the public. Regardless of the channel of communication the information transferred to the recipients are framed in order to achieve the desired objectives of the sources that relay such messages. This phenomenon referred to as ‘media framing’ was observed in the case of one of the most prominent social occurrences in recent times – The Occupy Movement. i. Aims, Objectives, and Justification: Aims: To explore the concept of media framing and its influence on social movements To understand the manner in which a certain event is framed by the media and discuss the common types of media frames used by them. To investigate the manner in which the Occupy movement was framed by the U.S. media Objectives: To examine the various types of frames used to by the media in depicting similar events To observe the shift in use of frames over time i.e. past to present as well as with regard to the timeline of the event in question To explore and analyse the variation in frames used among different media outlets within the mass media as well as those used by the alternative media (such as generic blogs vs. mainstream newspapers) Justification: The study of media framing is of extreme significance