8-1
Chapter 8
Qualitative
Research
McGraw-Hill/ © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights
Irwin Reserved.
8-2
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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The Importance of
Qualitative Research
“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.”
Jerry Zaltman
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Qualitative Research in the
Research Process
Data Collection Data Analysis
8-5
Qualitative Research
Group
Focus Groups
Interviews
Observation
Observation IDIs
IDIs
Data
Data
Collection
Collection
Ethnography
Ethnography
Techniques
Techniques Case Studies
Action
Grounded
Research(Hathro
Theory(Maslow)
ne)
8-6
Why we use
qualitative research
“Polls and focus groups do a good job on
issues where people have made up their
minds, but there are a number of gridlock
issues laden with complex trade-offs that
people haven’t thought out.”
Daniel Yankelovich
Creator of Yankelovich Monitor
and ViewPoint Learning
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Qualitative Research
Content Analysis(
book review)
Artifacts
Artifacts Behavioral
Behavioral
Observations
Observations
Other
Other
Trace Techniques
Techniques
Trace
Evidence Debriefings
Evidence
8-8
Uses of Qualitative
Research for Business
• Market Segmentation • Benefits Management
• Advertising Concept • Package Design
Development • Brand Image
• New Product • Positioning
Development • Retail Design
• Sales Analysis
• Process
• Sales Development Understanding
• Productivity
Enhancement
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Data Sources
People
People
Organizations
Organizations
Texts
Texts
Environments
Environments
SWOT/PESTEL
SWOT/PESTEL
Artifacts/
Artifacts/
media(
media( print&ele
print&ele
ctronic)
ctronic)
Events
Events and
and
happenings
happenings
8-10
The Roots of Qualitative
Research
Qualitative
Research
Economics
Psychology Sociology
Semiotics
Anthropology
Communication
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Distinction between
Qualitative & Quantitative
Theory Theory
Building Testing
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Exhibit 8-2
Focus of Research
Qualitative
• Understanding
• Interpretation
Quantitative
• Description
• Explanation
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Exhibit 8-2
Researcher Involvement
Qualitative
• High
• Participation-based
Quantitative
• Limited
• Controlled
8-14
Exhibit 8-2
Sample Design and Size
Qualitative
• Non-probability
• Purposive
• Small sample
Quantitative
• Probability
• Large sample
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Exhibit 8-2
Research Design
Qualitative
• Longitudinal
• Multi-method
Quantitative
• Cross-sectional or
longitudinal
• Single method
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Exhibit 8-2
Data Type and Preparation
Qualitative
• Verbal or pictorial
• Reduced to verbal
codes
Quantitative
• Verbal descriptions
• Reduced to numeric
codes
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Exhibit 8-2
Data Analysis
Qualitative
• Nonquantitative; human
• Judgment mixed with fact
• Emphasis on themes
Quantitative
• Computerized analysis
• Facts distinguished
• Emphasis on counts
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Exhibit 8-2
Turnaround
Qualitative
• Shorter turnaround
possible
• Insight development
ongoing
Quantitative
• May be time-consuming
• Insight development
follows data entry
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Exhibit 8-3 Qualitative
Research and the Research
Process
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Pretasking Activities
Use
Use product
product in
in home
home
Bring
Bring visual
visual stimuli
stimuli
Create
Create collage
collage
Keep
Keep diaries
diaries
Draw
Draw pictures
pictures
Construct
Construct aa story
story
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Exhibit 8-4
Formulating the Qualitative
Research Question
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Choosing a Qualitative
Method
Project’s purpose
Researcher
Researcher Schedule
Schedule
characteristics
characteristics
Factors
Factors
Types
Types ofof
participants Budget
participants
Topics
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NonProbability Sampling
Purposive Snowball Convenience
Sampling Sampling Sampling
8-24
Qualitative Sampling
General sampling rule:
You should keep conducting
interviews until no new insights are
gained.
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Exhibit 8-6 The Interview
Question Hierarchy
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Interviewer Responsibilities
• Recommends topics • Develops pretasking
and questions activities
• Controls interview • Prepares research
• Plans location and tools
facilities • Supervises
• Proposes criteria for transcription
drawing sample • Helps analyze data
• Writes screener • Draws insights
• Recruits participants • Writes report
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Exhibit 8-7 What’s Included
in a Recruitment Screener?
• Heading • Product/ brand usage/
• Screening purchase questions
requirements • Lifestyle questions
• Identity information • Attitudinal and
• Introduction knowledge questions
• Security questions • Articulation and
• Demographic creative questions
questions • Offer/ Termination
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Interview Formats
Unstructured
Semi-structured
Structured
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Requirements for
Unstructured Interviews
Developed dialog
Probe for Distinctions Interviewer
answers creativity
Interviewer skill
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The Interview Mode
Individual Group
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Exhibit 8-5 IDI vs Group
Individual Interview Group Interview
Research Objective
• Explore life of individual in depth • Orient the researcher to a field of inquiry and the
• Create case histories through repeated interviews over language of the field
time • Explore a range of attitudes, opinions, and behaviors
• Test a survey • Observe a process of consensus and disagreement
Topic Concerns
• Detailed individual experiences, choices, biographies • Issues of public interest or common concern
• Sensitive issues that might provoke anxiety • Issues where little is known or of a hypothetical nature
Participants
• Time-pressed participants or those difficult to recruit • Participants whose backgrounds are similar or not so
(e.g., elite or high-status participants) dissimilar as to generate conflict or discomfort
•Participants with sufficient language skills (e.g., those • Participants who can articulate their ideas
older than seven) • Participants who offer a range of positions on issues
• Participants whose distinctions would inhibit
participation
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Exhibit 8-8 Types of
Research using IDIs
Oral histories
Sequential
Sequential Life
Life histories
histories
interviewing
interviewing
Types
Types
Cultural Critical
Cultural
interviews incident
interviews
techniques
Ethnography
Ethnography
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Projective Techniques
Laddering
Laddering Association
Association
Semantic
Semantic Sentence
Sentence
Mapping
Mapping Data
Data Completion
Completion
Collection
Collection
Sensory
Sensory sorts
sorts Techniques
Techniques Cartoons
Cartoons
Component
Component Imagination
Imagination Thematic
Thematic
Sorts
Sorts Exercises
Exercises Apperception
Apperception
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Group Interviews
• Dyads
• Triads
• Mini-Groups
• Small Groups
(Focus Group)
• Supergroups
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Determining the
Number of Groups
Scope
Scope
Number
Number of
of distinct
distinct segments
segments
Desired
Desired number
number of
of ideas
ideas
Desired
Desired level
level of
of detail
detail
Level
Level of
of distinction
distinction
Homogeneity
Homogeneity
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Group Interview Modes
Face-to-Face
Telephone
Online
Videoconference
8-37
Combining Qualitative
Methodologies
Case Study Action Research
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Merging Qualitative
and Quantitative
Ongoing qualitative
Conduct studies
with multiple waves
simultaneously
of quantitative
Perform series:
Quantitative
Qualitative,
precedes
Quantitative,
Qualitative
Qualitative
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Dynamic Survey wins
AMA EXPLOR Award
8-40
Key Terms
• Action research • IDI
• Case study – Convergent interviewing
• CAPI – Critical incident technique
– Cultural interviews
• Content analysis
– Grounded theory
• Creativity session – Life histories
• Ethnography – Oral history
• Focus groups – Sequential interviewing
• Group interview • Interview
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Key Terms (cont.)
• Interview guide • Projective techniques
• Moderator – Cartoons
• Non-probability – Component sorts
sampling – Imagination exercises
– Laddering
• Pretasking
– Semantic mapping
• Probability sampling
– Brand mapping
– Sensory sorts
– Sentence completion
– Thematic Apperception Test
– Word or picture association
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Key Terms
• Qualitative research
• Quantitative research
• Recruitment screener
• Triangulation