Chapter 7

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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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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

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Qualitative
Research
and the
Research
Process

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Qualitative Research

Group
Focus Groups
Interviews

Observation IDIs
Data
Collection
Ethnography Techniques
Case Studies

Action Grounded
Research Theory
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Qualitative Research

Textual Analysis

Artifacts Behavioral
Observations
Other
Trace Techniques
Evidence Debriefings

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Qualitative Research in Business

 Job Analysis  Retail Design

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

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Data Sources

People

Organizations

Texts

Environments

Artifacts/ media products

Events and happenings

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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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Focus of Research

Qualitative
 Understanding
 Interpretation

Quantitative
 Description
 Explanation

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Researcher Involvement

Qualitative
 High
 Participation-based

Quantitative
 Limited
 Controlled

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Time Duration

Qualitative
 Longitudinal
 Multi-method

Quantitative
 Cross-sectional or
longitudinal
 Single method

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Sample Design and Size

Qualitative
 Non-probability
 Purposive
 Small sample

Quantitative
 Probability
 Large sample

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Data Type and Preparation

Qualitative
 Verbal or pictorial
 Reduced to verbal
codes

Quantitative
 Verbal descriptions
 Reduced to numeric
codes

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Turnaround

Qualitative
 Shorter turnaround possible
 Insight development ongoing

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

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Data Analysis

Qualitative
 Nonquantitative
 Human judgment mixed
with fact
 Emphasis on themes

Quantitative
 Computerized analysis
 Facts distinguished
 Emphasis on counts

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Qualitative
Research
and the
Research
Process

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Pretasking Activities

Use product in home

Bring visual stimuli

Create collage

Keep diaries

Draw pictures

Construct a story

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Pretasking Activities

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Formulating
the
Qualitative
Research
Question

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Choosing the Qualitative Method

Project’s
purpose

Researcher
Schedule
characteristics
Factors

Types of
participants Budget

Topics

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NonProbability Sampling

Purposive Snowball Convenience

Sampling Sampling Sampling

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Qualitative Sampling

General sampling rule:

Keep conducting interviews until no
new insights are gained.

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The Interview Question Hierarchy

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Interviewer Responsibilities

 Recommends topics  Develops pretasking

and questions activities
 Controls interview  Prepares research tools
 Plans location and  Supervises
facilities transcription
 Proposes criteria for  Helps analyze data
drawing sample  Draws insights
 Writes screener  Writes report
 Recruits participants
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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

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Interview Formats

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Structured

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Requirements: 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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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
Research
Objective

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
Concerns

choices, biographies • Issues where little is known or of a hypothetical

Topic

• Sensitive issues that might 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
Participants

status participants) discomfort

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

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Research Using IDIs

Oral histories

Sequential
Life histories
interviewing
Types

Cultural Critical
interviews incident
techniques
Ethnography

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Research Using IDIs

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Research Using IDIs

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Research Using IDIs

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Projective Techniques

Laddering MET Association

Semantic Sentence
Mapping Data Completion
Collection
Sensory sorts Techniques Cartoons

Component Imagination Thematic

Sorts Exercises Apperception
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PicProfile: Projective Techniques

Anderson Analytics
uses a cast of
characters during
interviewing.

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Group Interviews

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

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Determining the Number of Groups

Scope

Number of distinct segments

Desired number of ideas

Desired level of detail

Level of distinction

Homogeneity

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Group Interview Modes

Face-to-Face

Telephone

Online

Videoconference

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Group Interviews

Factors influencing participant contributions

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Group Interviews

Factors influencing participant contributions

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Combining Qualitative Methodologies

Case Study Action Research

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Triangulation: 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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Key Terms

 Action research  IDI

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

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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

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 Chapter 7
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITIES

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Snapshot: Performance Review

Informal Feedback

More Complete

More timely

Public web “venting”

Social networking

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Snapshot: Problems with Focus Groups

Dominators

Cynics

Hostiles

Proselytizers

Blatherers

Wallflowers

CoModerators
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Snapshot: Hallmark

Reveal connection dilemmas

Senior managers listening

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Snapshot: Home Depot Mystery Shopping

Compare research to results

Rethink questions &

observations
Add a conversation with
participants

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Research Thought Leader

“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.”

Gerald Zaltman
Emeritus Professor, Harvard
Creator, Zmet technique

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Research Thought Leader

“It is better to think of the Web . . . as the sounds

of independent voices, just like the street corner
soapbox preacher or that friend of yours who
always recommends the best books.”

David Meerman Scott

marketing strategist and author,
The New Rules of Marketing and PR

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PulsePoint:
Research Revelation

62 The percent of wealthy consumers

reporting that the state of the
economy has changed their view of
luxury purchases . . . that flaunting
luxury is insensitive.

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 Chapter 7
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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