lecture 9 qualitative research

SchoolofManagement:•Comparingqualitativeandquantitative•QualitativeInterviewing•Focusgroups•Techniquesofdataanalysis•On-lineQualitativeResearch•ReferencesSchoolofManagement•Quantity•Numbers•Selectionofsamples•Controlledchanges•Measurementofvariables•Hypothesestesting•Quasi-experimentation•Numericalrepresentation•Standardisedprocedures•Collectingalldatabeforeanalysis•Analysisismoreabstract•Quality–‘richness’•In-depth-description•Studiedfromtheperspectiveoftherespondent•Inthenaturalsetting•Phenomenacouldnotbestudiedobjectively•Offersamorecompletedescription•Uses‘raw’data•Maydeveloptheory•Involvesorganisinglargevolumesofdataintocategories•IdentifyingrelationshipsbetweenconceptsSchoolofManagement•Qualitative–Intensiveresearchwithsmallsamples–Emphasisisnotongeneralizingfromsampletopopulation–Focusisondepthofunderstanding–StatisticaltechniquesforestimatingsamplesizeisnotrelevantSchoolofManagement•Qualitative:–Asearchforunderstandingthediversitieswithinthemarket–Asearchfor“possibilities”•Quantitative:–Understandthedistributionofpossibilitiesthathavebeendiscovered–Asearchfor“probabilities”(Christy&Wood,‘99)SchoolofManagement•“Howcanyousaythattheresultsarerepresentativeformycustomersonthebasisof20interviews?”•Thefallacyofinterpretingqualitativeresultsinaquantitativeway•Welookformarketinginsights;nothowmanyconsumerssaidsomething,butratherwhatisitthattheysaid,andhowtheysaidit.SchoolofManagement•Qualitative:–Representativenesswithregardtothesubjectofinvestigation–Comprehensiveness•Quantitative:–RepresentativenesswithregardtothepopulationSchoolofManagement•Examplesofquestionsaskedinqualitativeresearch:–strategicmarketing:howcanIdescribethevarioustargetgroupsintermsofneeds,wantsandbehaviour?–consumerdecisionmaking:whydoconsumersbuythisproductandnottheother?–customersatisfaction:howsatisfiedaremycustomers,whatmakesthemsatisfiedandhowcanIincreasetheirsatisfaction?–productandconceptdevelopment:howcanImeetmycustomers’needsandwantsinthemostoptimalway(intermsofthephysicalproduct,packaging,promotionanddistribution)?Source:Ruyter&Scholl,’98SchoolofManagement•Primary-method–Qualitative–Questionnaire–Face-to-faceinterviews–Telephoneinterviews–Groupinterviews–Focusgroups–Observation–ProjectivetechniquesSchoolofManagement•QualitativeInterviewing:–Ahighdegreeoftrusthastobeplacedonresearcher’sjudgementofwhoshouldbeinterviewedindepth–Alsofactors,budgets,timescales,practicalities,natureofthemarket–SamplechosenissubjectiveSchoolofManagement•“Anunstructured,direct,personalinterviewinwhichasinglerespondentisquestionedandprobedbyanexperiencedinterviewertouncoverunderlyingmotivations,beliefs,attitudesandfeelingsonatopic”-(Malhotra,Birks,2003)•“Interviewsthatareconductedfacetofacewiththerespondentinwhichthesubjectmatterisexploredindetail.”–(Aaker,Kumar,Dey,MarketingResearch,9thed.)SchoolofManagement•Non–directiveinterviews:–Maximumfreedomtorespondwithinboundsoftopic–Possibletoprobetoexplainandelaborateonresponses–Havetobecarefultonotintroducebiaswhiledoingso–Suitableforstartingwithasingleconceptoridea,andexpandonitSchoolofManagement•Semi–structuredinterviews–Aspecificlistofpre-determinedtopicsiscovered–Example:Interviewsconductedwithmanagementinindustry–Somewhatopenstructureallowsforelaborationofspecifictopicsifneeded–MayposeproblemswithbothaskingquestionsandrecordingdataSchoolofManagement–Developanempathywiththerespondent–Ensurerespondentisrelaxedandcomfortable–Bepersonabletoencourageandmotivate–Noteissuesthatinterestrespondent–Notbehappytoaccept‘yes’or‘no’answers–NotewhereprobingisnecessarySchoolofManagement•Interviewerbias:–Twointerviewersaskingthesamerespondentmaygettwodifferentsetsofanswers•Interviewerexpectationasasourceofbias–Marginalorvagueanswersmaybeinterpretedwithrespecttoearlierstrongerstatements,orheardas“standard”byinterviewer–conformingtoexpectationsSchoolofManagement•Age,sex,socialgroup,attitudescouldbesourcesofbias.•Language•EthnicitySchoolofManagement•Advantages:–depthofinsight–attributeresponses–nosocialpressure–easiertoarrangethanfocusgroups•Challenges:–lackofstructure–lengthofinterview,combinedwithhighcosts–analysisandinterpretationofdata–InterviewerbiasSchoolofManagement•Focusgroups:–“Afocusgroupdiscussionistheprocessofobtainingpossibleideasorsolutionstoamarketingproblemfromagroupofrespondentsbydiscussingit.”-(Aaker,Kumar,Dey,2007).SchoolofManagement•Traditionalvs.non-traditio