ch10 Flashcards
Aim of exploratory research
To require an in-depth understanding when prior theory is absent.
Often based on qualitative data (and not quantitative)
Fundamental characteristics of qualitative data
•Open-ended
- No need to predetermine precise constructs
- Flexible and exploratory
•Concrete and vivid
- See the world through the eyes of the subjects
•Rich and nuanced
- Capture details
Sources of qualitative data
•Primary qualitative data (“field research”)
- interviews: unstructured or structured
•Secondary qualitative data (“desk research”)
- annual reports and other company records
- blogs, websites…
When to use exploratory research?
- To study a new phenomenon
* To capture concrete and vivid information
When NOT to use exploratory research?
- When results are to be generalised to the total population
* When numbers are needed to make decisions
Recall: critical research design decisions
- Choosing research strategies
- Choosing b between statistical techniques (! N/A for inductive research)
- Choosing between sampling designs
The most used exploratory research strategies are:
- In-depth interviews
- Focus groups
- Observation
In unstructured interviews:
Interviewer:
- Only has a vague idea about info needed
- No planned sequence of questions
Respondent:
- Talks openly and widely about the topic
In structured interviews:
Interviewer:
- Knows at the outset what info is needed
- Has a list of predetermined questions
Respondent:
- Is asked the same set of questions in the same order
5 steps on how to conduct interviews:
- Designing
- Interviewing
- Transcribing
- Analysing
- Reporting
5 steps on how to conduct interviews: 1. Designing
•Introduce yourself
•Introduce the purpose of the interview
•Assure confidentiality
•Ask permission to tape record
•Construct the questions
- Start with warm up questions, easy to answer, non-sensitive
- Main question - per topic - after open questions, probing questions
- Summarise, and check if interpreted correctly
5 steps on how to conduct interviews: 3. Transcribing
•Write down questions and answers
- Reproduce exactly and immediately
- In the language in which the interview was conducted
! Time intensive, one hr of interviewing = at least 4hr of transcribing
5 steps on how to conduct interviews: 4. Analysing
•First; data reduction coding
- Group the data into categories
- words
- ideas (text segments)
•Second; data display
- Identify themes and patterns
•Computer aided text analysis?
- Useful if # of interviews > 20-305 steps on how to conduct interviews: 5. Reporting
- Empirical description of themes and patterns
- Quotes from interviews
- Explanations for observed patterns and relationships
Make sense of the data beyond the obvious!
Focus groups
- An interview on a group basis
- 8 to 10 participants, chosen based on their familiarity with the topic
- Discussion is facilitated by a moderator
Focus groups vs in-depth interviews: When focus group
- When interaction helps, i.e. when people can build on each other’s answers
- When respondents can say what is relevant in <10 minutes
Focus groups vs in-depth interviews: When in-depth interviews
•When interactions hurts, i.e. sensitive topics
•When detailed answers are needed
- complex topics
- expert respondents
Observation
The watching and analysis of the behaviour of employees, consumers, investors,…
Four types of observation
•Controlled vs uncontrolled - Controlled or artificial environment - Uncontrolled or natural environment •Participant vs nonparticipant •Concealed vs non concealed •Structured vs unstructured
Choosing between observations and interviews: When interviews
- To identify reasons behind subjects’ behaviour
* When observation would affect the behaviour of respondents
Choosing between observation and interviews: When observations
- To provide direct info about behaviour
* When directly asking respondents would lead to distorted info
Sampling in exploratorive research
Typically non probability sampling, generalisability is not key
- Convenience, quota, judgement and snowball
•Small samples in order to acquire in-depth understanding
- quantitative researchers seek “generalisability”
- qualitative researchers seek saturation
Saturation
- When all viewpoints and info has been voiced by participants
- When last/final interviews/focus groups do net reveal new info
- Usually max 10 interviews/focus groups before saturation. Can be that more sessions are needed
Reliability in exploratory research: Interjudge reliability
Degree of agreement among raters/judges. Calculations: percentage of agreement, Cohen’s Kappa, etc
Validity in exploratory research: interviewer biases
- Asking loaded questions
- Expressing one’s own opinion and judging
- Selective perception; = hearing what you want to hear and observing what you want to observe
Validity in exploratory research: interviewee biases
- Obedience - desire to please the interviewer. If there are signs of conformity, ask probing questions without being authoritative
- Conformity: do/think what the majority does/thinks (=normal social influence)
