1. Unit - 6
Qualitative Research
Techniques

2. There are two types of qualitative
research technique
A. Based
on questioning
B. Based on observations

3. A. Based on questioning
1.
2.
3.
Depth interview
Focus group
Projective techniques

4. Depth Interview
 Depth
interviews are used to tap the
knowledge and experience of those with
information relevant to the problem or
opportunity at hand. Anyone with
relevant information is a potential
candidate for a depth interview, including
current customers, members of the
target market, executives and managers
of the client organization, sales
representatives, wholesalers, retailers,
and so on.

5.  For
example, a children’s book
publisher gained valuable
information about a sales decline by
talking with librarians and
schoolteachers who indicated that
more and more people were using
library facilities and presumably
buying fewer books for their children.

6. Focus Group
Focus group interviews are among the most
often used techniques in marketing research.
 In a focus group, a small number of individuals
(e.g., 8–12) are brought together to talk about
some topic of interest to the focus group
sponsor. The discussion is directed by a
moderator who is in the room with the focus
group participants; managers, ad agency
representatives, and/or others often watch the
session from outside the room via a two-way
mirror or video link.


7. Cont..
An interview conducted among a
small number of individuals
simultaneously; the interview relies
more on group discussion than on
directed questions to generate
data.

8. Cont..
In general, focus groups are less expensive to
conduct than are individual depth interviews,
mostly because multiple respondents are handled
simultaneously.
That’s not to say that they are inexpensive,
however. By the time the facility has been rented,
an experienced moderator has been hired to
conduct the session and write the report, and
incentives paid to participants, a focus group has
become costly. And that’s just one focus group;
add a series of focus groups and the costs can
really rise.

9. Definition of Projective
Techniques
An unstructured, indirect form of
questioning that encourages respondents
to project their underlying motivations,
beliefs, attitudes or feelings regarding the
issues of concern.
 In projective techniques, respondents are
asked to interpret the behavior of others.
 In interpreting the behavior of others,
respondents indirectly project their own
motivations, beliefs, attitudes, or feelings
into the situation


10. Based On Observations
Ethnography
Grounded
theory
Participant observations

11. Grounded theory
 The
aim of grounded theory is:
‘to generate or discover a theory’
(Glaser and Strauss, 1967)
 Grounded
theory may be defined as:
‘the discovery of theory from data
systematically obtained from social
research’ (Glaser and Strauss 1967).

12. When would you use it?
 Focus
of the methodology is uncovering
basic social processes
 Ideal
for exploring integral social
relationships and the behaviour of groups
where there has been little exploration of
the contextual factors that affect
individual’s lives.

13. Cont..
 ‘Get
though and beyond conjecture
and preconception to exactly the
underlying processes of what is
going on, so that professionals can
intervene with confidence to help
resolve the participant's main
concerns’

14. Features of Grounded
Theory
simultaneous
collection and analysis of
data
creation of analytic codes and categories
developed from data and not by preexisting conceptualizations (theoretical
sensitivity)
discovery of basic social processes in
the data
inductive construction of abstract
categories

15. Cont..
 theoretical
sampling to refine
categories
 writing analytical memos as the
stage between coding and writing
 the integration of categories into a
theoretical framework.

16. Participant observation
 Participant
observation is a method
of collecting information about the
operation of, and attitudes existing
in, a community through a
researcher living in the area for an
extended period1.

17. Cont..
 The
participant observer becomes known
within the community, and gets to know
the community in a more intimate and
detailed way than someone who simply
comes to do a survey and then departs.
The participant observer consequently is
given much more detailed information,
and may identify specific issues and assist
groups to address these by developing
mutually agreed principles and practices.

18. Objectives:
A
participant observer is placed in a
community with the aim of collecting
more detailed information about a
community’s habits, opinions and
issues and with a view to developing
planning and policies that better
incorporate the community’s needs
and wishes.

19. Outcomes:
 Information
about a community
collected by a participant observer
can ensure that planning and
decision making incorporates
community needs and opinions, and
will therefore be more acceptable
and more useful to the community.

20. Uses/strengths:
 Can
develop greater understanding
of sensitive situations.
 Can be used before developing a
consultation program in cases where
the nature of community issues is
not known to agencies.
 Can be used for scoping information
and determining key players when
the issue is contentious or
controversial.

21. Cont..
 Can
assist in the development of a
more thoughtful consultation
program because participant
observation is usually conducted
incognito. Can allow the
development of consultation
processes that suit the subject
community.

22. Special
considerations/weaknesses:
 This
method is limited, and needs to
be used in conjunction with other
methods for collecting information
(e.g. surveys, public meetings,
and/or displays and exhibits).
 Depends on the ability of the
researcher/consultant to correctly
observe and draw appropriate
conclusions.
 Can create concern in the
community.

23. Cont..
 Not
recommended for use in
isolation but in conjunction with other
tools and techniques, to offset any
bias or inaccuracy in the observer’s
conclusions.
 Applicable to a wide variety of
issues.
 Particularly useful as a technique
where the issue is contentious or
controversial.
 Takes a long time.

24. Cont..
 Not
recommended for use in
isolation but in conjunction with other
tools and techniques, to offset any
bias or inaccuracy in the observer’s
conclusions.
 Applicable to a wide variety of
issues.
 Particularly useful as a technique
where the issue is contentious or
controversial.
 Takes a long time.