McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCHChapter 7

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Learning Objectives

Understand . . . How qualitative methodologies differ from quantitative methodologies.

The controversy surrounding qualitative research. The types of decisions that use qualitative methodologies.

The different qualitative research methodologies.

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Pull Quote

“Sometimes people are layered. There’s something totally different underneath than what’s on the surface . . . like pie.”

Joss Whedon,

author and screenwriter

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Qualitative Research and the Research Process

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Qualitative Research

Ethnography

ObservationData

CollectionTechniques

IDIs

Action Research

GroupInterviews

Grounded Theory

Focus Groups

Case Studies

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Qualitative Research

Trace Evidence

Artifacts

OtherTechniques

Behavioral Observations

Textual Analysis

Debriefings

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Qualitative Research in Business

Job AnalysisAdvertising Concept

DevelopmentProductivity

EnhancementNew Product

DevelopmentBenefits

Management

Retail DesignProcess

Understanding Union

RepresentationMarket

SegmentationSales Analysis

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Data Sources

People

Organizations

Texts

Environments

Events and happenings

Artifacts/ media products

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The Roots of Qualitative Research

Psychology

Anthropology

Communication

SociologySemiotics

Economics

Qualitative Research

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Distinction between Qualitative & Quantitative

Theory Testing

Theory Building

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Focus of Research

QualitativeUnderstanding Interpretation

QuantitativeDescriptionExplanation

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Researcher Involvement

Qualitative High Participation-based

Quantitative Limited Controlled

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Time Duration

QualitativeLongitudinalMulti-method

Quantitative Cross-sectional or

longitudinal

Single method

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Sample Design and Size

QualitativeNon-probabilityPurposiveSmall sample

QuantitativeProbabilityLarge sample

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Data Type and Preparation

QualitativeVerbal or pictorialReduced to verbal

codes

QuantitativeVerbal descriptionsReduced to numeric

codes

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Turnaround

QualitativeShorter turnaround possibleInsight development ongoing

Quantitative May be time-consuming Insight development follows data entry

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Data Analysis

Qualitative Nonquantitative Human judgment

mixed with fact

Emphasis on themes

QuantitativeComputerized analysisFacts distinguishedEmphasis on counts

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Qualitative Research and the Research Process

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Pretasking Activities

Use product in home

Bring visual stimuli

Create collage

Keep diaries

Construct a story

Draw pictures

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Pretasking Activities

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Formulating theQualitative Research Question

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Choosing the Qualitative Method

Types of participants

Researcher characteristics

FactorsSchedule

Budget

Topics

Project’s purpose

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NonProbability Sampling

PurposiveSampling

SnowballSampling

Convenience Sampling

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Qualitative Sampling

General sampling rule: Keep conducting interviews until no new insights are gained.

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The Interview Question Hierarchy

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Interviewer Responsibilities

Recommends topics and questions

Controls interviewPlans location and

facilitiesProposes criteria

for drawing sampleWrites screenerRecruits

participants

Develops pretasking activities

Prepares research tools

Supervises transcription

Helps analyze dataDraws insightsWrites report

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Elements of a Recruitment Screener

HeadingScreening

requirementsIdentity

informationIntroductionSecurity questionsDemographic

questions

Behavior questions

Lifestyle questionsAttitudinal and

knowledge questions

Articulation and creative questions

Offer/ Termination

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Interview Formats

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Structured

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Requirements: Unstructured Interviews

Distinctions

Developed dialog

Interviewer skill

Probe foranswers

Interviewer creativity

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The Interview Mode

GroupIndividual

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IDI vs Group

Individual Interview Group Interview• Explore life of individual in depth• Create case histories through

repeated interviews over time• Test a survey

• Orient the researcher to a field of inquiry and the language of the field

• Explore a range of attitudes, opinions, and behaviors

• Observe a process of consensus and disagreement

• Detailed individual experiences, choices, biographies

• Sensitive issues that might provoke anxiety

• Issues of public interest or common concern• Issues where little is known or of a

hypothetical nature

• Time-pressed participants or those difficult to recruit (e.g., elite or high-status participants)

• Participants with sufficient language skills (e.g., those older than seven)

• Participants whose distinctions would inhibit participation

• Participants whose backgrounds are similar or not so dissimilar as to generate conflict or discomfort

• Participants who can articulate their ideas• Participants who offer a range of positions on

issues

Res

earc

h O

bjec

tive

Topi

c C

once

rns

Part

icip

ants

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Research Using IDIs

Cultural interviews

Sequential interviewing

TypesLife histories

Critical incident

techniques

Oral histories

Ethnography

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Projective Techniques

MET

Sensory sorts

Semantic Mapping Data

CollectionTechniques

Sentence Completion

Cartoons

Thematic Apperception

Laddering Association

Component Sorts

ImaginationExercises

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PicProfile: Projective Techniques

Anderson Analytics uses a cast of characters during interviewing.

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Group Interviews

Mini-Groups Dyads Triads

Small Groups Focus

GroupsSupergroup

s

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Determining the Number of Groups

Scope

Number of distinct segments

Desired number of ideas

Desired level of detail

Homogeneity

Level of distinction

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Group Interview Modes

Telephone

Online

Videoconference

Face-to-Face

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Combining Qualitative Methodologies

Action ResearchCase Study

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Triangulation: Merging Qualitative and Quantitative

Conduct studies simultaneously

Perform series:Qualitative,

Quantitative, Qualitative

Ongoing qualitative with multiple waves

of quantitative

Quantitative precedes Qualitative

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Key Terms

Action researchCase studyCAPIContent analysisCreativity sessionEthnographyFocus groupsGroup interview

IDI Convergent

interviewing Critical incident

technique Cultural interviews Grounded theory Life histories Oral history Sequential

interviewingInterview

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Key Terms (cont.)

Interview guideModeratorNon-probability

samplingPretaskingProbability samplingQualitative researchQuantitative researchRecruitment screenerTriangulation

Projective techniques Cartoons Component sorts Imagination exercises Laddering Metaphor Elicitation

Technique Semantic mapping

Brand mapping Sensory sorts Sentence completion Thematic Apperception

Test Word or picture

association

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITIESChapter 7

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Snapshot: Performance Review

Informal Feedback

More Complete

More timely

Public web “venting”

Social networking

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Snapshot: Problems with Focus Groups

Blatherers

Dominators

Cynics

Hostiles

Proselytizers

Wallflowers

CoModerators

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Snapshot: Hallmark

Reveal connection dilemmas

Senior managers listening

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Snapshot: Home Depot Mystery Shopping

Compare research to results

Rethink questions & observations

Add a conversation with participants

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Research Thought Leader

“Most of what influences what we say and do occurs below the level of awareness. That’s why we need new techniques: to get at hidden knowledge – to get at what people don’t know they know.”

Gerald Zaltman Emeritus Professor, Harvard

Creator, Zmet technique

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Research Thought Leader

“It is better to think of the Web . . . as the sounds of independent voices, just like the street corner soapbox preacher or that friend of yours who always recommends the best books.”

David Meerman Scott marketing strategist and author,

The New Rules of Marketing and PR

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PulsePoint: Research Revelation

62 The percent of wealthy consumers reporting that the state of the economy has changed their view of luxury purchases . . . that flaunting luxury is insensitive.

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCHChapter 7

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