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DATA COLLECTION METHODS 223

Secondary data can be used, among other things, for forecasting sales by con-
structing models based on past sales figures, and through extrapolation.
There are several sources of secondary data, including books and periodicals,
government publications of economic indicators, census data, Statistical
Abstracts, data bases (as discussed in Chapter 4), the media, annual reports of
companies, etc. Case studies, and other archival records—sources of secondary
data—provide a lot of information for research and problem solving. Such data
are, as we have seen, mostly qualitative in nature. Also included in secondary
sources are schedules maintained for or by key personnel in organizations, the
desk calendar of executives, and speeches delivered by them. Much of such
internal data, though, could be proprietary and not accessible to all.
Financial databases readily available for research are also secondary data
sources. The Compustat Database contains information on thousands of compa-
nies organized by industry, and information on global companies is also avail-
able through Compustat.
The advantage of seeking secondary data sources is savings in time and costs
of acquiring information. However, secondary data as the sole source of infor-
mation has the drawback of becoming obsolete, and not meeting the specific
needs of the particular situation or setting. Hence, it is important to refer to
sources that offer current and up-to-date information.
Having examined the various sources of data, let us now look into the data
collection methods.

DATA COLLECTION METHODS

Data collection methods are an integral part of research design as shown in the
shaded portion in the figure. There are several data collection methods, each
with its own advantages and disadvantages. Problems researched with the use of
appropriate methods greatly enhance the value of the research.
Data can be collected in a variety of ways, in different settings—field or
lab—and from different sources, as we have just discussed. Data collection
methods include interviews—face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews,
computer-assisted interviews, and interviews through the electronic media;
questionnaires that are either personally administered, sent through the mail,
or electronically administered; observation of individuals and events with or
without videotaping or audio recording; and a variety of other motivational
techniques such as projective tests.
Interviewing, administering questionnaires, and observing people and phe-
nomena are the three main data collection methods in survey research. Projec-
tive tests and other motivational techniques are also sometimes used to tap
variables. In such cases, respondents are usually asked to write a story, com-
plete a sentence, or offer their reactions to ambiguous cues such as inkblots or
unlabeled pictures. It is assumed that the respondents project into the responses
their own thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and expectations, all of which can be
interpreted by trained psychologists.