Mixed methods for understanding consumer behaviour: Interviews and survey in the context of consumer upcycling in the UK.

Kyungeun Sung, Sustainable Consumption Research Group, College of Art, Architecture, Design and Humanities
Kyungeun Sung
Supervised by Tim Cooper & Sarah Kettley
Sustainable Consumption Research Group
College of Art, Architecture, Design and Humanities
Research Methods (MA + MSc Product Design) Lecture 25/10/2016
Research Methods guest lecture

Questionnaire results: Research experience in general (n=22)
yes
86%
no
14%
Resarch experience
yes
73%
no
27%
Undergraduate research module
yes
82%
no
18%
Research for design projects in university
yes
27%
no
73%
Research for professional
design projects in industry
yes
9%
no
91%
Professional research
projects with staff members
in university
yes
18%
no
82%
Professional research
projects in industry

Questionnaire results: Research methods experience (n=22)
yes
68%
no
32%
One-to-one interviews
yes
77%
no
23%
Survey
yes
64%
no
36%
Observation
yes
64%
no
36%
Document analysis
yes
59%
no
41%
Experiments
yes
36%
no
64%
FG

Questionnaire results: Expectations
 Various research methods (n=4)
 New research techniques (4)
 Experiments (3)
 Observation (2)
 Miscellaneous: document analysis / analysing products / IDEO style
research / professional way / online research / real time data analysis
/ where to start and stop

Kyungeun Sung
Supervised by Tim Cooper & Sarah Kettley
Sustainable Consumption Research Group
College of Art, Architecture, Design and Humanities
Mixed methods for understanding consumer
behaviour: Interviews and survey in the context of
consumer upcycling in the UK
Research Methods (MA + MSc Product Design) Lecture 25/10/2016
Research Methods lecture

Table of contents
 Introduction
 Interviews
 Survey

Introduction

Introduction: Aim and objectives in the PhD research
 Aim: develop actionable strategies for upscaling upcycling in
households (and beyond) to contribute ultimately to the reduction of
GHGs
 Objectives:
1. Gain insights into upcycling in the UK
2. Identify UK-specific key behavioural factors for upcycling
3. Formulate design and policy interventions for upscaling upcycling

Introduction: Research questions in the PhD research
1. Gain insights into upcycling in
the UK
2. Identify UK-specific key
behavioural factors for
upcycling
3. Formulate design and
policy interventions for
upscaling upcycling
1. What could be drivers or
facilitators for upcycling? What
could be barriers to upcycling?
2. When, where, with whom, or
how often do they upcycle?
3. What materials do they use for
upcycling? How or where to get
them? How to choose particular
materials? What do they do with
end products?
1. Which behaviour factors
explain the variance in
upcycling frequency as key
drivers, facilitators or
barriers?
2. Which behaviour factors
shape the intention for
upcycling as key motivators?
1. What policy and design
interventions can be
generated for scaling up
upcycling?
2. What policy and design
interventions might be
more effective and feasible
in scaling up upcycling for
short term and long term?

Introduction: Research methods in the PhD research
Objective Question Method
1. Gain insights into
upcycling in the UK
1. What could be drivers or facilitators for upcycling? What could be
barriers to upcycling?
Interview
2. When, where, with whom, or how often do they upcycle? Observation
Interview
3. What materials do they use for upcycling? How or where to get
them? How to choose particular materials? What do they do with
end products?
Observation
Interview
2. Identify UK-specific
key behavioural
factors for upcycling
1. Which behaviour factors explain the variance in upcycling
frequency as key drivers, facilitators or barriers?
Survey
2. Which behaviour factors shape the intention for upcycling as key
motivators?
Survey

Introduction: Mixed methods
 “the class of research where the researcher mixes or combines
quantitative and qualitative research techniques, methods, approaches,
concepts or language into a single study” (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie 2004, p.17).
 Strengths: triangulation / answering different research questions/
offsetting weaknesses and providing stronger inferences / completeness /
ability to deal with complex phenomena and situations / explaining
findings / illustration of data / refining research questions / instrument
development and testing (Robson 2011, p.167)
 Weaknesses: skills and training / cost / time-consuming (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie
2004, Robson 2011)

 Technique
 Sampling
 Validity and reliability
 Data analysis
 Procedure
 Instrument
Introduction: Research design

Interviews

Interviews: Techniques
Technique Characteristics
Structured For fixed design / content analysis
Semi-structured Freedom in sequencing, wording, time, attention
Unstructured Non-standardised / open-ended / in-depth
Non-directive Control by interviewees / for therapeutic settings
Focused An observation study (as situational analysis) prerequisite
Telephone Quicker, cheaper / short / no visual cues
Internet-based No travel, hire, transcription / missing non-verbal cues
FG Structured to unstructured / efficient / no extreme views /
confidentiality problem
(Robson 2011, pp.285-295)

Interviews: Sampling methods
 Probability sampling vs. non-probability sampling
Method Description
Quota A quota of each category (e.g. PhD/masters/bachelors) / market research
Dimensional An extension of quota sampling (e.g. study level*gender)
Convenience Nearest and most convenient
Purposive Satisfying specific needs in a project
Snowball Participants becoming informants to identify other potential participants
(Robson 2011, pp.274-276)

Interviews: Sample sizes
 Theoretical saturation: successive interviews have reached the point
where new data no longer stimulate new theoretical understanding or
new dimensions of the principal theoretical categories (Bryman 2012, Charmaz 2006)
 A rule of thumb: the broader the scope and the more comparisons
required, the bigger sample should be (Warren 2002)
 Approximation: 6 to 12 (Thomas and Pollio 2002); 5 to 25 (Polkinghorne 2005); 20 to 30
(Warren 2002); 30 (meta-analysis by Thomson 2011)

Interviews: Sampling in the PhD research
 Purposive sampling (+ snowball)
 Target population: UK-based consumers with practical upcycling
experience
 Sampling area: UK
 Approach: recruiting advertisement on Hackspace fora
 Sample size: 23

Interviews: Validity and reliability
 Validity: “the integrity of the conclusions that are generated from a piece
of research” (Bryman 2012, p.47); “being accurate, or correct or true” (Robson 2011,
p.156)
 Reliability: “whether the results of a study are repeatable” (Bryman 2012, p.46)

Interviews: Validity and reliability in the PhD research
 Description: (accuracy and completeness of data) full audio record
 Interpretation: themes emerge from the ground
 Theory: open to alternative theories
 Common pitfalls: equipment failure, environmental distraction,
transcription errors
 A full record of the activities as audit trails
 Pilot study (interview schedule, procedure, answers)

Interviews: Data analysis approaches
Approach Characteristics
Quasi-statistical Content analysis
Grounded theory Develop a theory ‘grounded’ in the data
Thematic A general approach not linked to a particular theoretical perspective
Narrative Sensitive to the sense of temporal sequence (e.g. life history research)
(Bryman 2012, Robson 2011)

Interviews: Procedure in the PhD research
 Building quick rapport
 Introduction: general purpose + rules + procedure and duration +
informed consent form + QnA (10 mins)
 Demographic information
 Topic 1: Current upcycling behaviour (20 mins)
 Topic 2: Behaviour-influencing factors (20 mins)
 Closing

Interviews: Instrument example from the PhD research
Category Question
Upcycling frequency How often do you upcycle items?
Upcycling materials What kinds of materials do you use for upcycling?
Ways of material acquisition Where or how do you get those materials?
Material selection criteria How or why do you choose particular materials?
End product usage What do you do with the end products after upcycling?
When When do you usually upcycle items?
Where Where do you usually upcycle items?
With whom
Do you upcycle items by yourself or with others? If with others,
who are they? What is the occasion?

Interviews: Thematic coding analysis in the PhD research
 Thematic analysis with QSR Nvivo 10
 Step1: familiarise yourself with the data
 Step2: categorise into manageable chunks
 Step3: generate initial codes
 Step4: identify themes
 Step5: fine-tune the codes and themes
 Step6: produce a report with integration and interpretation

Interviews: Result example from the PhD research
Category Theme Code Quote
Roles Occupational
role
Work-
related
F01: “I don't think I have to use any of it in my work. But you know things like
choosing colours and things I do in XXX [employer company], choosing colours and
choosing finishing, choosing shapes, so they are kind of design aspect and starting
of things. I think it’s relevant.”
M11: “I think that comes down to work because again work doesn't want you to
spend so much money. You then have to think about… ok, sometimes easier way to
solve a problem is to throw money on the problem, whereas you have to maybe
think about it in a different way. Through my work, you don't just […] throw a
computer away. If I can actually repair or upgrade it, and then it doesn't have to be
thrown away.”
Student-
role
M01: “As a student, um, yes, because there’s no way of doing this otherwise. I guess
you could buy all the parts but it would costs a lot of money, and… take a lot
longer.”
M13: “I think, as a student, yes, because it’s kind of like you want to do new things,
doing new cultures.”

Survey

Survey : Approaches
Postal
questionnaire
Internet survey Face-to-face
interview
Telephone
interview
Cost Low Very low High Low/medium
Data collection time Long Short Medium/long Short
Sample distribution May be wide May be wide Must be clustered May be wide
Questionnaire
complexity
Must be simple May be complex may be complex May be complex
Question complexity Simple to moderate Simple to moderate May be complex Short and simple
Use of personal records Very good Very good Good Fair
Response rate Poor/medium Poor/medium Medium/very high Medium/high
Response bias Medium/high Medium/high Low Low
(Robson 2011, pp.244-245)

Survey : Sample sizes
 Depending on: a) need for precision; b) constraints of time and cost (Bryman
2012, Robson 2011)
 A rule of thumb: the bigger the sample, the more representative it is likely
to be (+ offering more precision)
 Approximation: 100 for major subgroupings and 20 to 50 for minor
subgroupings (Borg and Gall 1984); 1000 (Bryman 2012)

 Purposive sampling
 Target population: UK-based consumers (interested in making)
 Sampling area: UK
 Approach: using websites identified from the interviewees
 Sample size: 122
Survey : Sampling in the PhD research

 Tested and proven measures + construct validity (based on relevant
theory) face validity (for new measures)
 Participant bias: no detailed context of the study
 Observer error: SPSS-entered data double checked
 observer bias: no further inference beyond the statistical analysis
 A full record of the activities as audit trails
 Pilot study (Cronbach’s Alpha >0.7) + pre-tests
Survey : Validity and reliability in the PhD research

 Google forms
 Topic description + incentive for respondents
 Survey questions based on Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour and Theory
of Planned Behaviour
 Socio-demographic information
Survey : Procedure in the PhD research

Behaviour factor Item (scale)
Attitude
To me, taking part in upcycling is…
(1: unpleasant – 7: pleasant; 1: bad – 7: good; 1: worthless – 7: worthwhile; 1: harmful
– 7: beneficial; 1: unenjoyable – 7: enjoyable)
Subjective norm
How much do you agree or disagree with the following sentences? Please read the
wording very carefully.
(1) Most people who are important to me think that I OUGHT TO upcycle things; (2)
Most people who are important to me EXPECT me to upcycle things; (3) Most people
who are important to me WOULD APPROVE of me upcycling
(1: strongly disagree – 7: strongly agree)
Survey : Instrument example from the PhD research

Survey : Data analysis in the PhD research
 Statistical analysis with SPSS version 22.0.
 Descriptive statistics (min., max., mean, SD)
 Correlation analysis (Spearman’s correlation)
 Logistic regression
 Non-parametric statistics for group comparisons (Mann-Whitney U Test
+ Kruskal-Wallis H Test)

1. List up all the questions
2. Find the questionnaire items and scales
3. Identify the nature of each variable (e.g. categorical, ordinal, continuous)
4. Draw a diagram for each research question
5. Decide whether a parametric or a non-parametric statistical technique is
appropriate
6. Make the final decision (Pallant 2013)
Survey : Six steps to choose the right statistical test

Survey : Result example from the PhD research
Perceived benefit
Descriptive statistics
Min. Max. Mean SD
Save money 1.0 7.0 5.39 1.35
Reduce environmental impact 1.0 7.0 5.82 1.19
Be fun 1.0 7.0 6.03 1.02
Allow me to personalise products 2.0 7.0 6.04 0.98
Offer learning experiences 1.0 7.0 6.05 1.06
Result in a high quality product 1.0 7.0 4.67 1.28
Result in a high value product 1.0 7.0 5.17 1.20
Provide me with extra income opportunities 1.0 7.0 4.17 1.68
Allow me to get recognition and appreciation 1.0 7.0 4.66 1.35

Kyungeun Sung, Sustainable Consumption Research Group, College of Art, Architecture, Design and HumanitiesImage sources: http://image.slidesharecdn.com/clapresentation-talisopenday-march14-140328085008-phpapp01/95/cla-presentation-talis-open-day-march-14-14-638.jpg?cb=1395996639
Thank you! Any question?
Kyungeun.sung2013@my.ntu.ac.uk
http://kyungeunsung.com
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kyungeun_Sung

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