Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the purpose of qualitative research as described in the content?
What is the purpose of qualitative research as described in the content?
Focus groups provide quantitative data.
Focus groups provide quantitative data.
False
What is the primary focus of ethnographic research?
What is the primary focus of ethnographic research?
In-depth understanding of cultures and societies
In qualitative research, a focus group typically consists of _ participants.
In qualitative research, a focus group typically consists of _ participants.
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Match the qualitative research methodologies with their descriptions:
Match the qualitative research methodologies with their descriptions:
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What should the first few minutes of a focus group discussion be devoted to?
What should the first few minutes of a focus group discussion be devoted to?
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Why are the first few questions in a focus group discussion designed to be broad?
Why are the first few questions in a focus group discussion designed to be broad?
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Ethnography is qualitative research that aims to understand the social and cultural context of people from an ________ perspective.
Ethnography is qualitative research that aims to understand the social and cultural context of people from an ________ perspective.
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Field observations are more concerned with explanation than with measurement.
Field observations are more concerned with explanation than with measurement.
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Match the following qualitative data analysis tools with their names:
Match the following qualitative data analysis tools with their names:
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Study Notes
Learning Outcomes of Lecture 5
- Examine the focus group, its preparation to analysis and reporting
- Examine field observations and the in-depth interview method
- Explore ethnographic research
Qualitative Research
- Purpose: Exploratory - understanding the why and how, discovering insights and developing ideas
- Focus: In-depth meaning, deeper explorations, subjective and uses flexible questioning
- Options:
- Focus groups
- Field observations
- In-depth interviews
- Action research
- Case studies
- Ethnography
- Grounded theory
- Semiotics
- Hermeneutics (study of text data)
- Output: Insights and/or ideas
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
- Can combine
- Can complement
- Combining qualitative and quantitative research may offer new perspectives/opportunities
- Complimenting: qualitative research is often used as a preliminary step to determine the parameters for a quantitative survey
Understanding Consumers
- Motivation: what they say, what they do, intentions
- What they think (but don’t say): motives, thoughts
- What they feel (but don’t say): fears, aspirations, frustrations, emotions
- Awareness/Knowledge: attitudes, beliefs, feelings, personality/lifestyle
- Socioeconomic: demographics, socioeconomic factors
- Underlying cultural values or social contexts: objects/artifacts, social interaction/construction
- Consumer usage and attitudes (U&A)
Qualitative Research Methodologies
- Focus groups
- Field observation
- In-depth interviews
- Ethnography
- Action research
- Case studies
- Grounded theory
- Semiotics
- Hermeneutics (study of text data)
Focus Groups
- Generates new product or service ideas
- Reveals consumer needs, motivations, perceptions, and attitudes
- Facilitates understanding of quantitative research
- Understands consumer comprehension of marketing activities/brand campaigns
Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups
- Advantages:
- May be used in pilot studies to further explore ideas
- Actual groups can be conducted quickly after recruitment
- Cost-effective
- Flexibility in question design and follow-up
- Responses from focus groups are more complete and less inhibited
- Disadvantages:
- Not possible to gather quantitative data
- Importance of experienced and skilled moderators
- Presence of self-appointed leader who monopolizes the conversation
- Online focus groups do not offer control over environment/attention
- Computer literacy may be a barrier
When Not to Conduct Focus Groups
- When detailed histories or accounts are required
- Practical difficulties and confidentiality
- Taboo subjects are discussed (intimate, social norms, complex social or political issues)
- When people have different levels of knowledge or understanding
- When observation in situ is needed
The Focus Group Process
- Size: usually 5 to 8 participants per group
- Participants are carefully chosen based on their profile, product category criteria/behavior
- Pre-screening ensures productive process and insights quality
- Recruit and select focus group participants
- Design the focus group content, environment, and discussion guide
- Prepare the moderator
- Conduct the focus group
- Prepare the focus group report
Focus Group Settings
- A typical focus group facility
- Moderator: the individual who meets with focus group participants and guides the session
Focus Group Discussion Guide
- Aims and objectives of the research
- Clarify the research objectives
- Detail out as much as possible after thinking through the reasons why the research is being done
- Good hypotheses help the exploratory process
- Number of questions and time: avoid loading the discussion guide with too many questions
- Interviewer instructions: guide an interviewer how to follow up the pre-prepared discussion guide questions
Interviewing Skills
- Establish rapport
- Empathy
- Sharp eyes for nuances
- Active listening, enquiry, probing
- Hearing meaning in context
- Verbal/non-verbal cues: read body language
- Manage the information exploration process
- Managing engagement/group energy
- Manage time
- Manage individual/group dynamics
- Handling prima-donna vs quiet, soft-spoken participants
- Give a voice to the interviewees…### Online Focus Group
- Recording and transcribing digital or physical interviews
- Coding and thematic segmentation for data analysis
- Inclusion of direct respondent quotes in reports
- Reports sections: introduction, management summary, detailed findings, and conclusions
Qualitative Data Analysis Tools
- Tableau, Python, SAS, RapidMiner, and Splunk
- Coding Analysis Toolkit, GATE, FreeQDA, QDA Miner Lite, and others
- https://provalisresearch.com/products/qualitative-data-analysis-software/
Field Observations
- Concerned with description and explanation rather than measurement and quantification
- Useful for generating hypotheses and theories
- Major dimensions: overt or covert observation, and overt or covert participation
Dimensions of Observations
- Overt Observation: researcher is identified, and participants know they are being studied
- Overt Participation: researcher participates in the process, and participants know they are being studied
- Covert Observation: researcher's role is limited to observer, and participants are not aware of being studied
- Covert Participation: researcher participates in the process, but is not identified as a researcher
Disadvantages of Field Observations
- Difficult to provide external validity and avoid bias
- Subjectivity of observation requires cross-validation
- Reactivity: the process of being observed may influence the behavior of subjects
- Online Field Observation: privacy concerns
In-Depth Interviews
- Technique involves conducting intensive, unstructured interviews with a single or small number of respondents
- Purpose: explore and understand underlying respondent motivations, beliefs, attitudes, and feelings
- Useful for sensitive or taboo topics, highly specialized topics, or practical reasons
Ethnography
- Qualitative research designed to understand and represent social and cultural context of people
- Naturalistic approach to understanding human behavior
- Engaging people on their own terms in a relatively undirected way
- Attempts to clarify behavior in specific situations
- Focus on social and cultural context of people's actions and beliefs
Ethnography in Practice
- Focus on social and cultural context of people's actions and beliefs
- Capturing data on the go, such as through photo galleries
- Point of view of participants rather than researchers' frame
Using Ethnography for Qualitative Research
- Advantages: flexible and open structure, rich and in-depth data, realistic perspective, and useful for deriving deep insights
- Disadvantages: logistically intensive and costly, requires ongoing support, limited to small groups, and danger of going "native"
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Description
This quiz covers lecture 5 on research methodology, focusing on qualitative research methods such as focus groups, field observations, and in-depth interviews. Explore the concepts and preparation to analysis and reporting.
