8-1

Chapter 8

Qualitative
Research

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

 8-2

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
 8-3

The Importance of
Qualitative Research

“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.”

Jerry Zaltman
 8-4

Qualitative Research in the

Research Process

Data Collection Data Analysis

 8-5

Qualitative Research

Group
Focus Groups
Interviews

Observation
Observation IDIs
IDIs
Data
Data
Collection
Collection
Ethnography
Ethnography
Techniques
Techniques Case Studies

Action Grounded
Research Theory
 8-6

Why we use
qualitative research

“Polls and focus groups do a good job on

issues where people have made up their
minds, but there are a number of gridlock
issues laden with complex trade-offs that
people haven’t thought out.”
Daniel Yankelovich
Creator of Yankelovich Monitor
and ViewPoint Learning
 8-7

Qualitative Research

Content
Analysis

Artifacts
Artifacts Behavioral
Behavioral
Observations
Observations
Other
Other
Trace Techniques
Techniques
Trace
Evidence Debriefings
Evidence
 8-8

Uses of Qualitative
Research for Business
• Market Segmentation • Benefits Management
• Advertising Concept • Package Design
Development • Brand Image
• New Product • Positioning
Development • Retail Design
• Sales Analysis • Process
• Sales Development Understanding
• Productivity
Enhancement
 8-9

Data Sources

People
People

Organizations
Organizations
Texts
Texts

Environments
Environments

Artifacts/
Artifacts/ media
media
products
products
Events
Events and
and
happenings
happenings
 8-10

The Roots of Qualitative

Research
Qualitative
Research

Economics

Psychology Sociology
Semiotics

Anthropology

Communication
 8-11

Distinction between
Qualitative & Quantitative

Theory Theory
Building Testing
 8-12

Exhibit 8-2
Focus of Research

Qualitative
• Understanding
• Interpretation

Quantitative
• Description
• Explanation
 8-13

Exhibit 8-2
Researcher Involvement

Qualitative
• High
• Participation-based

Quantitative
• Limited
• Controlled
 8-14

Exhibit 8-2
Sample Design and Size

Qualitative
• Non-probability
• Purposive
• Small sample

Quantitative
• Probability
• Large sample
 8-15

Exhibit 8-2
Research Design

Qualitative
• Longitudinal
• Multi-method

Quantitative
• Cross-sectional or
longitudinal
• Single method
 8-16

Exhibit 8-2
Data Type and Preparation

Qualitative
• Verbal or pictorial
• Reduced to verbal
codes

Quantitative
• Verbal descriptions
• Reduced to numeric
codes
 8-17

Exhibit 8-2
Data Analysis

Qualitative
• Nonquantitative; human
• Judgment mixed with fact
• Emphasis on themes

Quantitative
• Computerized analysis
• Facts distinguished
• Emphasis on counts
 8-18

Exhibit 8-2
Turnaround

Qualitative
• Shorter turnaround
possible
• Insight development
ongoing

Quantitative
• May be time-consuming
• Insight development
follows data entry
 8-19
Exhibit 8-3 Qualitative
Research and the Research
Process
 8-20

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
 8-21
Exhibit 8-4
Formulating the Qualitative
Research Question
 8-22

Choosing a Qualitative
Method

Project’s purpose

Researcher
Researcher Schedule
Schedule
characteristics
characteristics
Factors
Factors
Types
Types ofof
participants Budget
participants

Topics
 8-23

NonProbability Sampling

Purposive Snowball Convenience

Sampling Sampling Sampling
 8-24

Qualitative Sampling

General sampling rule:

You should keep conducting
interviews until no new insights are
gained.
 8-25

Exhibit 8-6 The Interview

Question Hierarchy
 8-26

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
 8-27

Exhibit 8-7 What’s Included

in a Recruitment Screener?
• Heading • Product/ brand usage/
• Screening purchase questions
requirements • Lifestyle questions
• Identity information • Attitudinal and
• Introduction knowledge questions
• Security questions • Articulation and
• Demographic creative questions
questions • Offer/ Termination
 8-28

Interview Formats

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Structured
 8-29

Requirements for
Unstructured Interviews

Developed dialog

Probe for Distinctions Interviewer

answers creativity

Interviewer skill
 8-30

The Interview Mode

Individual Group
 8-31

Exhibit 8-5 IDI vs Group

Individual Interview Group Interview

Research Objective
• Explore life of individual in depth
• Create case histories through repeated interviews over
time
• Test a survey
Topic Concerns
• Detailed individual experiences, choices, biographies
• Sensitive issues that might provoke anxiety
Participants
• Time-pressed participants or those difficult to recruit
(e.g., elite or high-status participants)
•Participants with sufficient language skills (e.g., those
older than seven)
• Participants whose distinctions would inhibit
participation
• Orient the researcher to a field of inquiry and the
language of the field
• Explore a range of attitudes, opinions, and behaviors
• Observe a process of consensus and disagreement
• Issues of public interest or common concern
• Issues where little is known or of a hypothetical nature
• Participants whose backgrounds are similar or not so
dissimilar as to generate conflict or discomfort
• Participants who can articulate their ideas
• Participants who offer a range of positions on issues
 8-32

Exhibit 8-8 Types of

Research using IDIs

Oral histories

Sequential
Sequential Life
Life histories
histories
interviewing
interviewing
Types
Types
Cultural Critical
Cultural
interviews incident
interviews
techniques
Ethnography
Ethnography
 8-33

Projective Techniques

Laddering
Laddering Association
Association

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

Component
Component Imagination
Imagination Thematic
Thematic
Sorts
Sorts Exercises
Exercises Apperception
Apperception
 8-34

Group Interviews

• Dyads
• Triads
• Mini-Groups
• Small Groups
(Focus Group)
• Supergroups
 8-35

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
 8-36

Group Interview Modes

Face-to-Face

Telephone

Online

Videoconference
 8-37

Combining Qualitative
Methodologies

Case Study Action Research

 8-38

Merging Qualitative
and Quantitative

Ongoing qualitative
Conduct studies
with multiple waves
simultaneously
of quantitative

Perform series:
Quantitative
Qualitative,
precedes
Quantitative,
Qualitative
Qualitative
 8-39

Dynamic Survey wins

AMA EXPLOR Award
 8-40

Key Terms

• Action research • IDI

• Case study – Convergent interviewing
• CAPI – Critical incident technique
– Cultural interviews
• Content analysis
– Grounded theory
• Creativity session – Life histories
• Ethnography – Oral history
• Focus groups – Sequential interviewing
• Group interview • Interview
 8-41

Key Terms (cont.)

• Interview guide • Projective techniques
• Moderator – Cartoons
• Non-probability – Component sorts
sampling – Imagination exercises
– Laddering
• Pretasking
– Semantic mapping
• Probability sampling
– Brand mapping
– Sensory sorts
– Sentence completion
– Thematic Apperception Test
– Word or picture association
 8-42

Key Terms
• Qualitative research
• Quantitative research
• Recruitment screener
• Triangulation