There are so many advantages of Focus groups along with data collection techniques. These are described below-
- Synergism
Putting a group of people together can generate a wide range of information and ideas than individuals. Focus groups can provide clear insight into the response
2. Snowballing
It is a bandwagon effect. It operates in a group interviews means that one person comments focus on chain reaction from the respondents.
3. Simulation
The participant ready to express their ideas after an introductory period. the respondents expose their feeling over the topic discussed in the groups.
4. Security
Although the respondents feelings are similar to the other participants, they feel comfortable and willingly express their ideas and feelings
5. Spontaneity
It is not necessary to answer only specific question. The respondents have the proper right to response spontaneously and share their accurate feelings .
6. Serendipity
Various types of answer may come out in the group interview rather than individual interview.
7. Specialization
Simultaneous involvement of participant needs high trained and expensive interviewers.
8. Scientific scrutiny
It allows close scrutiny of the data collection process. The observer can eye witness of he event and record for further analysis.
9. Structure
It allows flexibility in the topics covered and the depth analysis which they are treated.
10.Speed
At a same time , Several number of respondents are interviewed , data collection and analysis made quickly.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of focus groups are described below
- Misuse
Sometimes , focus groups may e misused or abused if they considered the as conclusive rather than exploratory.
2. Misjudge
Focus groups results can be easily misjudged than others. That’s because focus groups are susceptible to clients and researchers biases.
3. Moderation
It is difficult to moderate. Because, moderators with various skills are very are to found. Besides, the quality of the results highly depends on the moderators.
4. Messy
Sometimes, it makes some unstructured nature of resonse that is very difficult to interpret. Besides, it’s data end to be messy.
5. Misrepresentation
it is not projectable to the egeneral people. The results of focus groups are no representative a all along with it is not sole basis for decision making .
focus groups have various application if properly used and conducted.
Applications of Focus groups
- understand consumers perceptions, preference and behavior
- obtain impressions of new product
- produce new ideas about old products
- develop creative concepts for advertisements
- secure price impressions
- obtain primary customer reactions
The methodological applications of focus groups are :-
- define a problem precisely
- generate alternative courses of action
- develop an approach to a problem
- obtain useful information
- generate hypothesis
- interpret previously obtain qualitative results.
