Session 1 - QR Introduction 11.6.2015

PowerPoint Presentation

Qualitative Research: IntroductionBy Bhavani Shankar Positioning Qualitative Market ResearchPesudo-objectivity in data generation and analysis is offered by surveys in which questionnaires are sent to businesses to find out for e.g. How their marketing planning is done?How their CRM systems are working?How their key account managers operate?What product or service development they will offer in future?

A lower and lower response rate of 10 per cent or even less is currently considered adequate, but only intersubjectively, not objectively.

ContdThe resulting slices of data are accepted as amenable to statistical treatment. The explanation for accepting low response rate is that: It is difficult to get business to reply If you sent out enough questionnaires you get a lot of data to process anywayThere is (after some additional checks) nothing to indicate that the data are skewed and not representative of the studied population.

Qualitative ResearchQualitative Research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say.

It refers to the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and descriptions of things.

It is a questioning search and a search for questions at the same time.

Following three features are noteworthy:

Inductive view of the relationship between theory and research, whereby theory is generated out of research.Study all types of customers, categorise, explain why some dont fit the customer segmentation theory.

ContdInterpretivist: understanding the social world through examining the interpretation of that world by its participants.Study what a smartphone means to a consumer? We study his / her interpretation of advantages and disadvantages in a smartphone.

Constructionist which implies that social properties are outcomes of the interactions between individuals, rather than phenomena out there and separate from those involved in its construction.

Studying FB usage and addiction. Researcher needs to know how to use it, use it extensively, then study the FB users through interactions.

Researcher cannot distance himself / herself from FB. S/He cannot study users as silos, s/he needs to study their interactions.

ContdQR gives importance to the context in which action takes place.

Meaning of any action or phenomenon and the intentions of a behaviour are derived from the context in which it occurs.

A phenomenon is not broken into narrow variables plucked away from its context, but is seen as embedded on it.

The researcher gets to know the participants as real people, and becomes part of their lives.

S/he is in a continuous process of reflexive, iterative engagement with the field and data throughout the study.

Qualitative inquiry properly conducted is self-correcting and rigorous, and the results are strong. ContdQualitative research uses small samples as the focus is on What is being said? And How it is being said? Than how many consumers said something?

Quantitative research focuses on seeking sample that reflects the population, Qualitative research focuses on covering the subject of study completely. When their focus is different can we compare two methods?Is it wise to consider one type of research superior?

Qualitative research provides an in-depth insight; it is flexible, small-scale and exploratory and the results obtained are concrete, real-life like and full of ideas. Provides answers to questions in areas (Refer pp.8-9 1st reading) ContdQR is understood as Social Construction which is dependent on historical and cultural context.

Through daily interactions between people in course of social life our version of knowledge gets established, i.e.

Research outcomes are a negotiated understanding between clients, researchers, and research participants within wider cultural context.

Social Construction: It assumes that we interpret the world, rather than passively absorb reality or fact.

Different people in different positions at different moments will live in different realities, although within particular communities, there is likely to be considerable overlap between individuals versions of reality, e.g. PGP participants

From this perspective, QR can be viewed as a creative process of interpretation & iterative learning or ongoing construction of reality.

Demand Supply Dynamics in Qual ResearchDemand-side Trend Info explosion: More details you know of customers, more you want to know why?

Customer share: Insight into customer perception and segment.

Moment consumer: Being flexible with rapidly changing trends.

Researcher becoming consultant: Qual specialists advise companies on marketing and organisation.

Supply-side TrendIncrease in attention to Qual methods both in education & trainingFormulation of quality requirements to be served as guidelines Developments in IT are enabling better use of Qual research

Changes taking place in Qualitative ResearchQR has become a stand-alone approach than an exploratory precursor to quantification.

Focus on outcomes of research than methodology.

Researchers and clients are engaging in co-creation.

More QR methods.

Constraints on Qualitative ResearchPurpose, expected outcomes, funding & deadlines put constraints

Short time limits scope of rapport building & understanding of context

Methods of data collection have to be used as one-shot, stand-alone basis and not embedded on prolonged fieldwork.

Focus on phenomenon, divorced from its broader context

Use of qualitative methods for data collection but not tenets of qualitative methodology

ContdQualitative methodology: Denotes a particular orientation and study designs, which subscribe to the idea that

Reality is socially constructed or interpreted as against trying to explain one form of reality from positivist standpoint.

Qualitative methods: Types of data collection methods or tools providing scope for collecting textual, descriptive data having no compelling relationship with methodology.

This makes qualitative analysis a truncated and terminal activity.

Conflicting Paradigms within Commercial QR Researchers dont discuss their assumptions & theoretical positions with clients creating a problem of common understanding. This must be avoided when adopting collaborative approach

When following QR Focus more on emerging ideas Make connections with previous researchRemain excited about the interactions amongst research participantsShifting Paradigm in Commercial QREarlier Model Linear Current Model Non-linear Client defines the problem Business problems are complex & evolving Gives it to researcherResearch objectives are often multi-layered, sometimes contradictory, and may change with progress of the project. Researcher solves the problem Client may also participate in the research process (some approaches Hands solution back to the client Reliability and Validity IssuesMajor shortcomings in qualitative studies Lack of a clear justification for the qualitative approach used

Inadequate descriptions of the context, sampling, data collection, and analysis methods

Little reflection on the researchers role in the research process

Insufficient evidence to support the claims made in the study

A valid study properly collects and interprets its data, so that the conclusions accurately reflect and represent the real world (or laboratory) that was studied.Types of ReliabilityExternal reliability: The degree to which a study can be replicated. This is difficult as it is impossible to freeze a social setting and the circumstances of an initial study to make it replicable.

A qualitative researcher replicating ethnographic research needs to adopt a similar social role that was adopted by the original researcher to make it comparable.

Internal reliability: Team of observers agreeing on what to see and hear (Similar notion to inter-observer consistency).Types of ValidityValidity of qualitative research is primarily related to the fact that constructs are closely aligned to their real-life context.

Internal validity: Match between researchers observations and the theoretical ideas they develop.

It is a strength in ethnographic research, as long presence of researcher in the field ensures high level of congruence between concepts and observations.

External validity: Degree to which findings can be generalised across social settings.

It is a problem due to usage of case studies and small samples. Alternative criteria for evaluating QRTrustworthiness and Authenticity are two primary criteria.

Trustworthiness: Further divided into four factors.Credibility (Internal validity): submitting research findings to members studied (research participants) for confirmation that the investigation has correctly understood their social world.

Transferability (External validity): QR involves intensive study of individuals (or) small groups sharing certain characteristics. Qual. findings tend to be oriented to the contextual uniqueness & significance of the aspect of the social world being studied.

Thick descriptions are suggested to detail the culture studied. It offers database for making judgements about the possible transferability of findings to other milieu.

ContdDependability (Reliability): Researchers should adopt auditing approach keeping records of all phases of research process. Peers will audit the research procedures followed and assess degree to which theoretical inferences can be justified.

Confirmability (Objectivity): It should be apparent that researcher did not overtly allow his / her personal values or theoretical inclinations manifestly to sway the conduct of the research findings. Auditors can help in this process.ContdAuthenticity: It is further divided into five criteria. Fairness: Does the research fairly represent different viewpoints among members of the social setting?Ontological authenticity: Does the research help members to arrive at a better understanding of their social environment?

Educative authenticity: Does the research help members to appreciate better the perspectives of other members of their social setting?

Catalytic authenticity: Has the research acted as an impetus to members to engage in action to change their circumstances?

Tactical authenticity: Has the research empowered members to take the steps necessary for engaging in action?

Thank You