Observation method in marketing research

Abstract

In this paper, the key features of observation, as a specific research method that is used to research various social phenomena (including business and marketing), have been considered. The study focuses on the advantages and drawbacks of this method during its application. Also, an observation method is compared to the other methods to collect data, especially to survey which uses recognizable measurement instruments (questionnaire and interview, first of all). This analysis has shown that observation, if it is conducted in a systematic way, may be a more objective method than the survey.

Keywords

• observation
• types of observation
• advantages and drawbacks
• survey