THE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH SURVIVAL KIT... IN ITALY

THE SURVIVAL KITFOR THEQUALITATIVEFIELDWORK IN ITALY

An easy handbook about all you have toknow about conducting a qualitative study inthe Italian land

SOME DATA FORINTRODUCTION

Why Researching in Italy? After a long periodof economic hardship, the Italian country isgetting back on its feet. According to GlobalConsumer Confidence Survey by Nielsen, theItalian consumer has started regaininghis/her confidence towards consumption –in 2015 the confidence index has grown of 14points in just one year! This is the highest indexsince 2011.

The turnaround in the employment trend canbe regarded as the key to the improvement ofItalian consumer confidence. Hence, the goodnews is that sales of consumer goods havebeen increasing.

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Qualitative Research?According to the ESOMAR data presented inthe 2016 Italian meet-up, the qualitativeResearch in Italy has increased compared tothe previous year. We are back on our trail andwe look forwards to setting up qualitativeresearch for you!

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Research in Italy? We have a lot of things tooffer to you and your clients … Firstly, our ten-years expertise in qualitativestudies in market & social researchesembracing a wide range of industries. Andthen? Well, let’s say a huge network ofprofessionals (We believe in ourpeople!) venues of all sorts in plenty beautifulItalian cities (We love our places!) … and if youneed some more, what about our cities, art,food and sunny weather? We love the Italianway of living and we want to share a bit of thisexperience with you!

For more information about our company,please visit: www.hanglermarketing.com

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RECRUITMENT TIPS:THE FIRST STEP!

Recruitment is a key part of qualitative marketresearch. The quality of the “social capital” isthe gist to get precious insights for anymarketing department.

In other words, a good recruitment is halfway to success

Freshness: to guarantee the client an high qualityof recruits means above all to avoid all those“professional” respondents (let’s say those oneswho takes part frequently to market researchstudies). That is the first tip: always freshrespondents for fresh insights

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Some respondents do not like to be recorded from a camera, especially professionals. Underage respondents needs to have their parent’s/caregiver’s consent beforereleasing an interview

Privacy: this might be a well-know barrier to therecruitment. Today, many researches involvesboth the share of personal information, i.e. emailsand mobile numbers, and the use of personaldigital devices for either monitoring orethnographic purposes. Beware: Italians are veryworried about their privacy. Any researchpurpose needs to be mediated in plainlanguage to the respondent according to theItalian Data Protection Authority . Furthermore:

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Incentives: Any participation should be rewardedwith the proper incentives – e.g. money, vouchers,gifts and so forth.

Not all the studies requires the same kind ofincentive (e.g. professionals needs to be hookedin a peculiar way compared to consumers).

Please note as well that most of the respondentsprefer getting vouchers instead of money, i.e. theyare easy to be spent and, moreover, they are nottaxed.

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Healthcare: within the recruitment of professionals ,healthcare recruitment is a peculiar one. First of all,the recruitment of physicians, KOL, caregivers andpatients demands both special recruiting channelsand a different level of incentive. Furthermore,please note the following methodological issue

In case of pharmacoeconomic consulting ,members of AIFA (the Italian Medicines Agencyis the national authority responsible for drugsregulation in Italy) are NOT permitted to releaseinterview for market research purpose. Youmight find formerly AIFA members but they arerare and hard to get involved. Better to turn toKOLs

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Physicians might not like ethnos or in-officeimmersions. They would not like to compromisethe relationship of trust with the patient.Private/public settings are really hostile to anyethnographic methodology, especially if regardingthe admin procedures or billing. Furthermore it’snot possible to record videos in publichospital/private hospitalIn case of TDIs, some physician like to beinterviewed telephonically when they are intheir office. It might happen that computersystems in the hospital are quite old, thus notsupporting desktop sharing application, focusvision platform, etc …

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Digital research. Italians are very hungry of tech,however not all the areas have the same coverage.Unfortunately, digital divide still matters in Italy. Incase the net is required, please be advised to setthe research in those areas where digital divide isnot relevant

Some respondents cannot rely on a broadbandconnection yet. Video sharing and big filesharing might be troublesome for many of them.Webcam are not diffused in desktop computers,only recent laptops have them built-inAny digital platform that is used needs to beuser-friendly and in local language sincerespondents might not be confident with foreignlanguages

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Gender & ethnicity: Italy is very open towards anyidentities based on different gender or ethnicity,nonetheless some targets might be harder to recruitbecause of the stiffening of the nowadays socio-political climate.

For instance, migrants might be reluctant to takepart in a qualitative studies if not sponsored bysome national body or some migratory association.

Any target needs to be culturally mediatedtowards the purpose of the research.

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Familiar income: Italians do not like to reveal theirfamily income, especially wealthy people.

Hence, they’ll hardly ever reply to your questions.

If wealth is a mandatory quota for your screeningcriteria, please be advised that there are otherways to spot it without annoying a potentialrespondent.

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Politics: Italians like talking about politics all thetime.

However, beware: Italians might be reluctant toadmit to what party they vote for.

In case you need a political targeting, be careful ondesigning a not-straightforward recruitingquestionnaire

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KNOW THE ITALIANRESPONDENT! 1/2Have you ever attended a focus group in Italy? Herethey are some hints for not being too much surprisedabout what are you going to see:

At the beginning of a session of FG, respondentsmight look like surprisingly introverted and shyto you.Don’t worry, it won’t take too much time beforethey’ll reveal their true Italian selves.

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Typically, Italians are so eager to say whatcomes to their mind that shortly after they’llstart talking over each other, sometimes evenloudly. It’s up to the moderator to hold themoff.

Hand gestures are often used to enhance theemphasis of the speaking. Don’t be surprised ifyou will happen to see people making someweird hand signs. Non verbal language arepart of the insight to be decoded.

Of course, clichés matters but they are notenough to encompass the iridescent Italianspirit. Even though Italy is as large as California,you’ll be amazed about how much behavioralnuances you can find from North to South, orrather, from city to city.

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At any rate, please remember there’re a set oftopics Italians are eager to speak about forhours and hours: fashion, design, food, politics,soccer, technologies.

The only moderator’s concern is usually that ofpreventing them from talking too much, unlessthe client wishes the focus group is lastingforever!

KNOW THE ITALIANRESPONDENT! 2/2

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For a qual study, picking up the right facility in theright city is not that easy. Getting to know the placewhere to set up a specific methodology is essentialif you do not want to come across a poormanagement.

THE ITALIAN WAY: THEMANAGEMENT!

Have you ever happen to be in the middle of anethno field, moving across the city of Milan onMonday morning to reach the respondent’shouse? Or, again, being stuck in the crazy trafficjam in Rome, on Wednesday morning due to thePapal audience?

Lots of factors need to be taken into account toavoid ruining your fieldwork.

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Here are some few tips for a smooth management:

THE ITALIAN WAY: THEMANAGEMENT!

For multiple sessions of FGs in Rome, you mightconsider to pick up a facility located just right outof the city centre – Romans like to drive theircars or ride their scooters to get to the facilities.Parking lot is needful for avoiding drop-outs ordelays.

For back-to-back TDIs in central location in Milanwith physicians, it is better to pick up a facilityvery close to the underground station.Public transports are instead often used bycitizens of Milan

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We all know how hard is this job!

We also know your relax is really important after afull day in facility.

Or, work and leisure may come together if youwish to surprise your end client. Here they aresome tips to enjoy better your stay in Italy.

HOTELS &SIGHTSEEING

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Hotels

NHOW Milano, Fashion & Design Hotel

If you dare to experience the ever-changingMilanese trends http://www.nhow-milan.com/en/

STRAF Milano, Art Hotel

To taste a bit of the local art concepts during yourstay. http://www.straf.it/

MILANO

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Restaurants

BEDA HOUSE for a diner in an historical setting

TONDO the Milan design restaurant

ATMOSFERA dining on the classic Milanese trolleycar while touring

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Unusual sightsee for tourists

SAN MAURIZIO CHURCH AT THE MONASTEROMAGGIORE, an unexpected treasure in the heart ofMilan

HANGAR BICOCCA, international contemporary artexhibitions within a traditional Milanese factorybuilding

NAVIGLI DI MILANO, Well we know this is not sounusual! But it’s really a pity not to go there forenjoying the Milanese evening

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Hotels

ABITART Roma, Art HotelIf you wish to enhance your stay with some themedrooms

TIME HOTEL, Boutique hotelStraight to the heart of the city of Rome

CINEMUSIC ROMA, Cinema HotelFor a multi-sensory experience

ROMA

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Restaurants

ZOC, a relaxed roman-styled restaurant

GREEN T., Asian boutique & restaurant

TEATRO CENTRALE, dining in a theatre enjoying thenightlife

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Unusual sightsee for tourists

LITTLE LONDON, “Piccola Londra” is not aneighborhood, but just a 200 meters street in theFlaminio district of the capital.

THE ROMAN GETTO, an ancient Jewish ghetto inthe Rione Sant'Angelo, or rather, a village in thecapital city

PIAZZA DEI CAVALIERI DI MALTA, wanderingthrough Ripa neighbourhood and finally, don’t forgetto look into the key hole!

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ALTERNATIVE VENUES

Most of the qualitative studies are set either in Milanor in Rome, that are rather the two biggest cities inItaly.

Nonetheless, it’s well re-known that the majority ofthe population in Italy is not concentrated inmetropolitan areas, but in medium-sized cities.

Your research purpose may require for probing intoconsumers’ habits in conurbation areas or minorcities, however please be advised that not all thecities have typical facilities for market research.

Here they are a short list of alternative venueswhere we happen to set up researches.

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Northeast

Northeast – one of the wealthiest area of thecountry

Verona and Padova are both providing well-equipped facilities with one-way mirror anddigital recording system. However, please notethat it’s really hard to set-up a research in Venicewhere no traditional market research facilities areavailable. A workaround is to stage FGs and IDIsin hotel meeting rooms with monitored back-rooms, but beware: better to move in Mestre,the mainland part of Venice so to facilitaterespondents’ arrival.

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Northwest

Northwest - best known for its agricultural andautomotive industry

Turin is the main city in the northwest.

Some well-equipped facilities with one-waymirror and digital recording system are available

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South

South – a dive in the Italian traditions & customs

Naples and Bari are the most picked up cities in thesouth of Italy because they are the most populatedsouthern areas. You may find some options offacilities with one-way mirror and digital recordingsystem.

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Islands

Islands – whereas more than 1 Italian out of 10lives

The two largest islands that belong to Italy areSicily and Sardinia.

Nonetheless, beware that few facilities areavailable. For qualitative studies, we recommendPalermo

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QUALITATIVE SERVICES!CHOOSING THE RIGHTINSTITUTE MAKES THEDIFFERENCE

For us, the right partner is the one who iscapable of giving the good advice in any phaseof the research – i.e. from the designing up tothe reporting.

Only a long experience of fieldwork allows forgaining a practical wisdom that is absolutelyneedful to manage a research, of coursebesides the alleged expertise in qualitativestudies.

So, please find below a brief example of hiddendangers to be avoided

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Translation service needs to be chosendepending on the city the client wish to set upthe research. As you may know, Italians speaka huge variety of dialects and the Italianlanguage itself is heavily influenced by localjargons and peculiar idiomatic forms. Nomatter how well-educated your respondentsactually are, many people likes to rely on suchidiomatic phrases to stress the speech. Hence,it is very important to select yoursimultaneous translator carefully in order toavoid any confusion in the translation of agroup of people speaking over each other inlocal jargon

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As we pointed out, Italians like a lot newtechnologies. Nonetheless, elderlyrespondents may still be reluctant to theadoption of new electronic devices or eveninternet. Therefore, please beware if yourquotas are requiring more than 70-years-oldelderly people using laptop s or smartphones

In-home immersions are very spread inlarger cities. However, if you wish to applythis methodology in smaller towns, please beadvised that respondents may be unfamiliarto home visits.

Hence, some respondent can be as wellhostile to the idea of hosting people at home.

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Conversely, in home ethnographies are wellaccepted in cities like Milan and Rome.

However, please note that not all therespondents are willing to host many“researchers” in their house. In very few cases,the respondent showed a bit of irritation inhosting the Italian moderator, the sim.translator and two or three clients - amongthe partner institute and the end client.

That’s why it is very important to fix thenumber of the researchers since thebeginning of the recruitment: a forewarnedrespondent is forearmed!

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Let's get in touch:

www.hanglermarketing.com

info@hangler.it+39 (0) 35 0144618

MORE INFO?

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