A epaeses aaniven
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS:
Tactic: Literature Review
4
What is it?
A literature review is a comprehensive investigation
ofall documents, publications, articles, and books
regarding @ specific area of study. This first step
in the research process can also include a client's
corporate communications, as well as those of their
competitors, in which case it is often referred ta as a
communications audit
What can it do?
A literature review is an important initial step, allowing
the researcher to become familiar with historical
references and parallel associations, as well as
Current market conditions. Literature reviews ean also
clarity research problems and be influential in the
development of investigation strategies during iater
phases of the creative process.
How is it used?
Use literature reviews to save time. A comprehensive
literature review will ensure that the researcher does
‘tot rédouble efforts undertaken during previous
investigations of the same subject.
When is it used?
\Werature reviews are a formative tactics Used to orient
‘the researcher ta the current body of knowledge in
that area. in client/designer relationships, a Wterature
review can be undertaken to gain insight into corporate
Opposite
Many universities and tbraries
house sneciai collections that
‘may provide valuable informatian
and imagery unevatiabie
anywhere else. The Cleveland
Ateavory Project (CMP) at
Cleveland State University
1s 800d example of such a
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culture, competitor analysis, and market tends. Itean
even influence media buying practices,
Level of difficulty complexity
Literature reviews are a relatively easy task compared
to many of the other forms of investigation discussed
in this chapter, Literature reviews require a strategy
for finding and extracting reievant information, which
can be aided by the help of a librarian. Librarians,
whether at community or university institutions, are
trained professionals who have extensive knowledge
of and access to proprietary research toals, They ean
help guide a search and may also assist in locating
source materials.
Note: Literature reviews are often undertaken ws 2 starting point for
other rosoareh strategies
or the Midwest, It could even be
sed a a historical reference
‘Source for ofsplay typography.
eolletlon, Tha-CMP epeciat
fealzetion might become an
valuable resource for designers
troraig for a company oF civic
‘organization headquartered in
Cieveland, or for those outside
‘tho region working on a project
‘about historic Amevican eties‘harer OrAeon Rasen manus
STRATERMiouic RESEARCH
+
Ethnography is a research strategy, created by
anthropologists, that focuses on the link between
human behaviors and culture, Ethnographers strive
to understand and separate the emic perspective
(pronounced ee-rmk) from the etic perspective
(pronqunced ef tik), Emic investigations define
cultural phenomena through the perspective of the
community under study. For example, to develop an
emic understanding of graphic designers, one might
conduct individual interviews directly with practicing
design professionals. Etic investigations define cultural
phenomena from the perspective of an individual
who is not a participant in the community under
study, So an etic view of graphic designers might be
found by interviewing their clients or family members,
Ethnographic researchers try to focus theif efforts on
understanding the internal, or emic, perspective of the
‘community, using etic perspectives only to augment
the data gathered by the emic study.
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When choosing subjects for ethnographic study,
geographic clusters, interests, ages, or a variety of other
segmentation criteria can be used, Macra-ethnography
studies large populations of people, whereas
ro-ethnography, conversely, focuses on smaller
populations. When a community has been chosen, the
ethnographer-semetimes called a field worker, or fteld
researcher—will conduct backgraund research and
identity a specific question to be examined. Immersion
in the chosen culture is sometimes necessary for
the ethnographer to gain acceptance (subjects wan't
act “naturally” if they are uncomfortable or anxaous
about observation). The researcher may identify key
“informants,” who lead them to other informants, using
a snowball sampling method to conduct interviews. and
Te- interviews over an extended period of time, These
interviews use open-ended questions to draw more
details from the subject. Rigorous documentation of
interviews as well aS copious field notes are required.
After researchers have developed @ theory, they may
Feturn to the group to test that assumption.
eft
This diagram depicts the
‘umerous tacties that can
be employed to coflect
ethnographic research