Week 3

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH I
 Learning Objectives

Understand . . .
3.1 How qualitative methodologies differ from
quantitative methodologies.
3.2 The controversy surrounding qualitative
research.
3.3 The types of decisions that use qualitative
methodologies.
3.4 The different qualitative research
methodologies.

7-2
INTRODUCTION

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

7-3
Qualitative
Research
and the Research
Process

7-4
 Qualitative Research

Group
Focus Groups
Interviews

Observation IDIs
Data
Data
Collection
Collection
Ethnography Techniques
Techniques Case Studies

Action Grounded
Research Theory
7-5
 Qualitative Research

Textual Analysis

Artifacts
Artifacts Behavioral
Behavioral
Observations
Observations
Other
Other
Trace Techniques
Techniques
Trace
Evidence Debriefings
Evidence

7-6
 Qualitative Research in Business

Job Analysis Retail Design

Advertising Concept Process
Development Understanding
Productivity Union
Enhancement Representation
New Product Market
Development Segmentation
Benefits Management Sales Analysis

7-7
Data Sources

People
People

Organizations
Organizations

Texts
Texts

Environments
Environments
Artifacts/
Artifacts/ media
media products
products

Events
Events and
and happenings
happenings

7-8
 The Roots of Qualitative Research

Qualitative
Research

Economics

Psychology Sociology
Semiotics

Anthropology

Communication

7-9
3.1. Distinction between Qualitative &
Quantitative

Theory Theory
Building Testing

7-10
Focus of Research

Qualitative
 Understanding
 Interpretation

Quantitative
 Description
 Explanation

7-11
Researcher Involvement

Qualitative
High
Participation-based

Quantitative
Limited
Controlled

7-12
 Time Duration

Qualitative
Longitudinal
Multi-method

Quantitative
Cross-sectional or
longitudinal
Single method

7-13
 Sample Design and Size

Qualitative
Non-probability
Purposive
Small sample

Quantitative
Probability
Large sample

7-14
Data Type and Preparation

Qualitative
Verbal or pictorial
Reduced to verbal
codes

Quantitative
Verbal descriptions
Reduced to numeric
codes

7-15
 Turnaround

Qualitative
Shorter turnaround possible
Insight development ongoing

Quantitative
May be time-consuming
Insight development follows
data entry

7-16
Data Analysis

Qualitative
Non-quantitative
Human judgment
mixed with fact
Emphasis on themes

Quantitative
 Computerized
analysis
 Facts distinguished
 Emphasis on counts

7-17
Qualitative
Research
and the
Research
Process

7-18
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
7-19
Formulating
the Qualitative
Research
Question

7-20
 3.4. Choosing the Qualitative Method

Project’s
purpose

Researcher
Researcher Schedule
Schedule
characteristics
characteristics
Factors
Factors
Types
Types of
of
participants Budget
participants

Topics

7-21
 Non-Probability Sampling

Purposive Snowball Convenience

Sampling Sampling Sampling

7-22
 Qualitative Sampling

General sampling rule:

Keep conducting interviews until no
new insights are gained.

More on Sampling in weeks to come:

7-23
The Interview Question Hierarchy

7-24
 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

7-25
 Elements of a Recruitment Screener

Heading Behavior questions

Screening Lifestyle questions
requirements Attitudinal and
Identity information knowledge questions
Introduction Articulation and
Security questions creative questions
Demographic Offer/ Termination
questions

7-26
 Interview Formats

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Structured

7-27
Requirements: Unstructured Interviews

Developed dialog

Probe for Distinctions Interviewer

answers creativity

Interviewer skill

7-28
 The Interview Mode

Individual Group

7-29
 IDI vs Group
Individual Interview Group Interview
• Explore life of individual in depth • Orient the researcher to a field of inquiry and
• Create case histories through the language of the field
Objective
Research

repeated interviews over time • Explore a range of attitudes, opinions, and

• Test a survey behaviors
• Observe a process of consensus and
disagreement
• Detailed individual experiences, • Issues of public interest or common concern
choices, biographies
Concerns

• Issues where little is known or of a

Topic

• Sensitive issues that might hypothetical nature

provoke anxiety

• Time-pressed participants or those • Participants whose backgrounds are similar or

difficult to recruit (e.g., elite or high- not so dissimilar as to generate conflict or
status participants) discomfort
Participants

• Participants with sufficient • Participants who can articulate their ideas

language skills (e.g., those older • Participants who offer a range of positions on
than seven) issues
• Participants whose distinctions
would inhibit participation

7-30
 Research Using IDIs

Oral histories

Sequential
Sequential Life
Life histories
histories
interviewing
interviewing
Types
Types
Cultural Critical
Cultural
interviews incident
interviews
techniques
Ethnography
Ethnography

7-31
 Projective Techniques

Laddering MET
MET Association
Laddering Association

Semantic
Semantic Sentence
Sentence
Mapping
Mapping Data Completion
Completion
Data
Collection
Collection
Sensory
Sensory sorts
sorts Techniques
Techniques Cartoons
Cartoons

Component
Component Imagination
Imagination Thematic
Thematic
Sorts
Sorts Exercises
Exercises Apperception
Apperception
7-32
Group Interviews

Mini-Groups
 Dyads
 Triads
Small
Groups
 Focus Groups
Supergroups

7-33
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

7-34
Group Interview Modes

Face-to-Face

Telephone

Online

Videoconference

7-35
Combining Qualitative Methodologies

Case Study Action Research

7-36
Triangulation: Merging Qualitative and
Quantitative

Ongoing qualitative
Conduct studies
with multiple waves
simultaneously
of quantitative

Perform series:
Quantitative
Qualitative,
precedes
Quantitative,
Qualitative
Qualitative

7-37
 Key Terms

Action research IDI

Case study  Convergent interviewing
CAPI  Critical incident
Content analysis
technique
 Cultural interviews
Creativity session
 Grounded theory
Ethnography  Life histories
Focus groups  Oral history
Group interview  Sequential interviewing
Interview
 Key Terms (cont.)

 Interview guide  Projective techniques

 Moderator  Cartoons
 Component sorts
 Non-probability
 Imagination exercises
sampling  Laddering
 Pretasking  Metaphor Elicitation
Technique
 Probability sampling
 Semantic mapping
 Qualitative research  Brand mapping
 Quantitative research  Sensory sorts
 Sentence completion
 Recruitment screener
 Thematic Apperception Test
 Triangulation  Word or picture association