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5.6.6 Personal interviews - semi-structured and structured interviews

Researchers indicate that data collected through personal interviews are
more comprehensive and reliable than from a mail survey (Doole and

Lowe, 2008; Miller, 1991; Churchill, 1995). These authors state that the
most important advantage of the interview (semi structured, face-to-face

interview) is that it allows both sides to clarify the meaning of the
questions and the answers involved. As in any research approach, there
are disadvantages associated with the personal interview. It is the most

expensive method of obtaining information, and is time consuming (Aaker
et al., 1995). Interviewers may be influenced by the respondents; it is

difficult to communicate with a respondent who is tired, bored or nervous.
There are other disadvantages such as interviewer bias and response bias
(Easterby-Smith et al., 1991). In contrast, the value of a structured

interview (rather than a semi-structured face-to-face interview) lies in its
ability to allow the researcher to standardise the questioning to such an

extent that a more numerate, statistically based analysis is possible. It also
permits the testing of hypotheses more explicitly, always assuming that
the situation permits. Oppenheim (1992) suggests that telephone

interviews are an alternative to personal interviews. However, others
argue that the difficulty with telephone interviews is listening and note-

taking at the same time. Kervin (1992) indicates that it could be possible
to develop shorthand and keep the questions as closed as possible. The
advantage of telephone interviews according to Sekaran (1992) is that a

larger geographical area can be used for the study. Telephone interviews
allow the respondent and the interviewer the opportunity to be more

comfortable and disclose information. However, telephone interviewers
cannot observe the non-verbal responses of the respondents. Alternative

to the approaches highlighted above is to conduct a mail survey.

5.6.7 Mail survey

Researchers prefer mail questionnaires because they are an appropriate
way to collect a large amount of data from respondents within a short
period of time (Doole and Lowe, 2008; Sekaran, 1992; Howard and Sharp,

1983). Mail questionnaires provide the lowest costs in administration and