Research Methods for the Service Sector

This document explores various research methods used in the service sector, including qualitative and quantitative approaches. It covers topics such as interview checklists, participant observation, visual methodologies, interview coding, and research proposals. The content provides insights into the factors that promote tourism in an attraction site in the UK, as well as perceptions and experiences related to travel and car ownership. The document is relevant for students studying research methods in the service sector.

TLH251 Assessment Research Methods for
the Service Sector

Table of Contents
Qualitative Portfolio.........................................................................................................................1
Part 1: Interview Checklist...............................................................................................................1
Part 2: Participant Observation........................................................................................................2
Research diary Extract................................................................................................................2
Short Commentary......................................................................................................................2
Part 3: Visual methodologies...........................................................................................................3
Part 4: Interview Coding..................................................................................................................4
Part 5: Research proposal.................................................................................................................7
Introduction.................................................................................................................................7
Rationale.....................................................................................................................................7
Research aim and objectives.......................................................................................................7
Research methodology................................................................................................................7
Research analysis........................................................................................................................8
Quantitative Portfolio.....................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

Qualitative Portfolio
Part 1: Interview Checklist
Research project: Evaluating the factor that promote tourism in an Attraction site in UK
Introduction
Demographic  Age
 Gender
 Occupation
Favorite holidays place  Dream place to go
 Recently visited
 Trip do they prefer?
Motivation for visit  Sight seeing
 Vacation or holidays
 Business conventions
Best experience  What
 When
 Best place to visit? why
Importance value of destination
attributes
 Personal safety
 Are variety of cultural events and attractions
 Like Quality of overall tourism?
 Like to visit historical and cultural attractors
 Find any communicator facility and lifestyle
similarity.
Traveling rate  How they choose source of information for
choose a place?
 Average length to stay
 Number of travels last 3 years
1

Part 2: Participant Observation
Research diary Extract
The place of observation is train station and the length of entire observation is around 3
hours. The main purpose of this observation is to analyze the routine of all people sitting in the
train station and to observe people who belongs to different culture. Railway station is that
platform where people come across from different part of the country in different fashion and
colors. I saw a long queue in front of booking window and everyone seemed to be big hurry.
Then suddenly a passenger pocket was picked but that man was caught red-handed and then he
handed over to the police. The overall scene was very interesting and some were sitting on
benches or reading newspaper. A few were pacing up and down the platform, while vendor were
having a busy time. There was a rush at tea- stall. On the other side, coolies in red handed
uniform were sitting in a line.
Then a train stamped in. there was a noise and disturbance everywhere such that the
whole platform was full of noise. I observe that there was no interaction between people because
all belongs to different culture. Suddenly I saw an old age couple was suddenly fell down due to
slippery floors. I rush towards them and helped. Then I sit beside them till their train was not
come. Then couple start talking with me and I observe that they belongs to different culture.
Such that their language and dress-ups is quite different from others. As a result, I was unable to
understand their words. Then in sign language, I try to make them understand that I am unable to
understand their words. Then, they start using the same sign language and said that their train
was 2 and half hour late so will you please stay with us till then. I immediately nodded my head
and leave platform after their train arrival. It was such a great moment where I spend most of my
time to old couple who belongs to totally different culture.
Short Commentary
Yes, I participate somewhere in between during the whole observation when a old couple
fell down on a floor. But it does not have any negative impact upon my data, rather this
experience creates a positive impression upon my life where I learn how to interact with people
who belongs to totally another culture and I also learn and enhance my knowledge while talking
with them. The setting of the research project is open because I totally observe the entire
scenario where people were in great hurry and many of them got down and many more got in.
yes, many part were inaccessible because I am bounded with time and due to shortage of time I
2

was not able to access many parts. No, researcher did not have to negotiate access to the field
because I only observe the things and when the incident of pocket picked happen, I did not
participate and negotiate with others. Yes, accessibility have implications upon the researcher
because it helps to me to determine the trend of people in train station. Also, it assist me to
identify the cultural creates impact upon the people movements. It is so because when old people
fell down, I realized that due to language barrier (cultural difference) I was not able to
understand the words.
During the participant observation, I feel good because it was a good experience where I
learn how to interact with others cultural people and also learn new things. This feeling affect the
project in positive manner such that it motivate me to be a multiliguistic and study on cultural
differences so that it will help to enhance knowledge as well.
Part 3: Visual methodologies
The visual image represents that it is the place which attract those people who want to
stay comfortable in the luxurious place, where individual feel like a home because it provide
exactly those facilities which a person desire to be in their dream house. The same is provided by
Moxy who is a sub- brand of Marriott. Further, the image shows that recently, Moxy introduce
room concert within a place which was not happened before on 15th July. The ambiance and
furniture are so attractive. Overall the image reflect that it is a place where an individual may
have fun with their partner and live comfortably.
Moxy hotel use basically social media to communicate the message to the people In
which they use Facebook, Twitter. On the other side, company also set a hoarding in a public
place so that people may easily come to know about new service. Company post image and then
comment interested people please share your number for contact. Therefore, through this way,
company come to know about whether the message is conveyed to range of public or not.
Moreover, the message is conveyed through a You tube, TV and its own application which
attract customers.
This visual representation is intended for the customers and youngsters whose age is in
between 20 to 35 who want to enjoy live room concert in Moxy. The prime audience for this
advertisement are Youngsters, couples and high class families who may easily afford and enjoy
the place. These target audience also assist to maintain the decorum and live comfortably.
3

There is a positive impact of this advertisement upon the audience because the image
clearly represent that there is a live room concert in Moxy where singing lover people may enjoy
the place. On the other hand, another image represents that people may have fun because Moxy
provide a luxurious home environment to the customers. Also, the designs of furniture is so
attractive as it looks in picture that attract customers to at least stay for a night. Even another
image reflect that the customer service quality is up to the mark which also surprised people.
Yes, signs may also be used for this image. Even signs represent more better rather than
these images such that for live concert, company may also use Headphones, sound system set
that helps to easy understand about the motive.
Two types of human activity is presented in this image i.e. a girl enjoying a music under
which a not is written of room concert that was held in Moxy. Another, a boy and a girl fully
enjoy and have fun because hotel provide range of fun activities for their customers. Thus, this
image helps to attract families who have children so that they may enjoy at Moxy. Moreover,
Another image of girl who reflect her surprising expression that also signifies that Moxy have
outstanding building which makes people surprised. Therefore, this human activities clearly
show or signifies that hotel provides range of facilities such that parties, bar, room concerts and
fun activities which attract customers and also, force them to visit once in the place in order to
enjoy the facilities.
Part 4: Interview Coding
Theme 1: Reasons of owing VW Capmervan
 Comfortable journey
 Portable Campervan
 Easy to talk
Theme 2: Prefer to use different cars
 Retirement van
 VW Campervan
 Car
Theme 3: Idea of Camping
 from family
 Because of wife convincing
 From school
4

Theme 4: Perception of boy and girl during outing
 Girls do not enjoy outing while boys do
 Boy want to be dirty and like to getting in a mess but girls do not.
 Girls want relaxed holiday atmosphere
Theme 5: Experience related to tour
 Relaxing
 Relaxing for others not for me
 Relaxing but its full of responsibility for me
Theme 6: Experience related to car
 Quite negative for a car when purchased
 then fall in love with it.
 Helps me to bought range of things for my home.
Theme 7: Things like about the VW Campervan
 Beautiful car
 its design attract everyone
 provide me a comfortable journey because I have a 7 week old child
Theme 8: Mood while driving
 Relaxing
 Ridiculous
 Nightmare.
Theme 9: Affection for a car
 Like only bike
 No, don't like it
Theme 10: people perception for owing a car
 Freedom, comfort and style
 if other have it then I must buy a car
Theme 11: Stick with the idea of traveling
 yes
 No
Theme 12: hard decision to sell
5

 No, it was not that hard
 could not afford another
Theme 13: Prefer to travel again in future
 yes, but when George will grow only
 Only use VW Caravan for traveling
Theme 14: Factor that provide memorable experience of traveling
 Children (George)
 positive environment
 one wrong incident
Theme 16: Reason of not attending VW meetings and festivals
 Time constraints
 to stay In countryside and chill & relaxing
 spending a hour in festival is waste rather than going for a trip is better.
Theme 17: Parental duties which will be done at 55
 lose the aesthetic qualities with a house
 fulfilled basic need
 free from imagination world.
Theme 18: Reasons to like VW campervan
 own control
 helps to solve the problems in crisis
Theme 19: worst experience in a van
 all around midge flies
 have to stay for a whole night because of midge flies
 Wrong weather
Part 5: Research proposal
Topic: “To determine the perception and factors that attract tourism to visit London Eye”
Introduction
Tourism plays an important role in the growth of UK economy that is why, it is quite
important to determine their perception with regards to specific destination. UK is well known
for having natural and attractive tourist destination such that London Eye, Science Museum, and
6

Tower of London, Kew Garden etc. Moreover, the current research proposal also helps to
determine the factors that affect tourist mindset while visiting London Eye (Garau-Vadell,
Gutierrez-Taño and Diaz-Armas, 2018.).
Rationale
The rationale behind this topic is such that by analyzing the mindset of tourist,
government take action in order to enhance tourism more. Further, the study also assist to
determine different perception and factor which affect tourist to choose destination by their own.
Or else, study on this particular topic will assist researcher to raise knowledge as well.
Research aim and objectives
Aim:
To determine different factors that affect the perception of tourism to choose destination:
A case study on UK attraction point, London Eye,
Objectives:
 To identify the perception of tourist while choosing tourist destination
 To determine the factor that change mindset of tourist.
 To ascertain the positive and negative impact of factor upon the tourist decision while
visiting London Eye.
Research methodology
Research type: In order to conduct the research, researcher chooses qualitative research
method in which researcher gather observation using non- numerical data. Through this type,
researcher also identify the views of selected respondents so that it will help to meet the defined
aim and objectives as well (Schabenberger and Gotway, 2017). This method helps researcher to
provide in-depth detail and creates openness as compared to quantitative data type, however it is
critically analyzed that this is not a statistical representation form of data collection in which
result may varies.
Research Philosophy: For this, researcher will chooses Interpretivism research
philosophy which help researcher to interpret the element of the study and it also integrate
human interest into study (Edson, Henning and Sankaran, 2016). Then this method also
determine the factors that affect the perception of tourism to choose destination. On contrary, its
disadvantages is to replicate the results and sometimes creates misleading conclusion.
7

Data Collection: In this current report, researcher will chooses both primary and
secondary data collection method. Such that in primary data collection method, researcher uses
survey under which questionnaire is used that helps to determine the mindset of selected
respondents that assist to determine the factors that affect the perception of tourism to choose
destination (Glesne, 2016). For secondary research, researcher also uses books, articles and
Journals under secondary data collection method in which researcher uses different author's point
of view related to topic.
Sampling: In this current report, researcher uses simple random sampling method in
which 30 travelers are chosen to identify their perception and assist to conduct research in more
precise manner (Etikan, Musa and Alkassim, 2016). Simple random sampling method is less
consuming which leads to exact information, while chances of bias creates difficulties for
researcher.
In order to ensure the research is done fairly, researcher collect information from books
(published in 5 years) related to topic only and through primary data collection method,
researcher also come to identify the views related to topic. Further research is conduct in the
premises of University. Therefore, by using valid and reliable sources, researcher meet
objectives and also make sure that without any bias, researcher will reach to exact conclusion
and also attain the defined aim and objectives.
Research analysis