Ethnography

Question 1

Ethnographic concepts

Answer 1

-Inductive method
-each study take a year or more

Question 2

Ethnographic roles

Answer 2

• Complete participant
  -Observer as Participant
  -Participant as Observer
  -Complete observer

Question 3

Complete observer

Answer 3

-Others do not know they are being observed
-No Interaction between the researcher and participants
-Gives the greatest objectivity
- Reduces potential insight
-Sticking out may cause a distraction

Question 4

Observer as Participant

Answer 4

-People know they are being observed
-Some participation by the researcher
-Minimize reactivity, and increase chances of getting reliable data
-Objectivity is lower and your considered a marginal member

Question 5

Participant as observer

Answer 5

• Participants know there is a researcher
  -Researcher is a full member
  -Learn all the rituals
  -bias could occur since involved, may not be able separate self to be subjective

Question 6

Complete Participant

Answer 6

-Fully involved as researcher
-The group does not know about a researcher
-First-hand knowledge, minimizes objectivity
-No interviews, researcher may be biased, deceptive

Question 7

Researcher as instrument

Answer 7

-Who we are will impact the perceptions we have

• May miss what is happening when taking notes

-We notice the presence and absence of what matters to us

Question 8

Low impact observing

Answer 8

-Hang out
-Observe
-Critical Instances
-Blend in
-Decrease obtrusiveness

Question 9

Hang out

Answer 9

Lowers the reactivity
checking out setting before hand
lowers the impacts when observing

Question 10

Blend in

Answer 10

-clothes
-hair style
-Makeup
-Following social norms

Question 11

Less obtrusiveness

Answer 11

-How to take notes
-When to go

Question 12

Steps to conduct Ethnography study

Answer 12

1.)Participant observation
2.)Take observational notes
3.)Writing field notes
3.5)Interviews (maybe)
4.)Piling
5.)Moving to Theory, Writing your arguments
6.)Member checks/interviews

Question 13

Participant Observations

Answer 13

-Choose an activity, People, or setting
-Negotiate access
-Choose a Role
-Hang out, observe, critical instances, blend in, reduce obtrusiveness

Question 14

3 things to look for during observations

Answer 14

• Social actions
  -Context and setting
  -Actors and state of mind

Question 15

Take Observational Notes

Answer 15

-Note Emotions, shocking interactions, Breaking of rules, Biases, saturation
-Exact words and include non-verbals
-looking for critical instances (social action, and moments of communication)
-they may not make sense
-Tie in theories and use flashy language

Question 16

Theoretical Saturation

Answer 16

When you see no new patterns emerge and the study is done

Question 17

Writing Field notes, composing the episode

Answer 17

-little stories

Question 18

Grounded theory analysis, piling

Answer 18

-sorting data into piles
-want as many different piles
-Data can be duplicated to fit in several piles
-Rank piles best to worse data peice
-Have another person check piles for reliability

Question 19

Moving to Theory,Writing your Arguments

Answer 19

Include evidence
Tie in previous literature

Question 20

Member checks/Interviews

Answer 20

A.) key informants, snowballing, natural environment, unstructured

Question 21

Key informants

Answer 21

Someone willing to and able to give reliable candidates to interview also makes introductions

Question 22

structure

Answer 22

the researcher should prepare a few open-ended questions but let the participant lead the discussion

Question 23

setting

Answer 23

Somewhere the participant feels comfortable and convenient location

Question 24

stimulated recall

Answer 24

When a participant is in a familiar setting so it can help them recall what happened better

Question 25

snowball/network sample technique

Answer 25

Asking the participants who they think the researcher should interview next

Question 26

member checks

Answer 26

Talking to participants to see if the researchers have an accurate understanding

Question 27

Advantages of ethnography

Answer 27

-Maximizes possibilities
-Preserves integrity of data
-Analyzes the impact of content on communication
-Finds deeper meanings associated with communication

Question 28

Disadvantages of ethnography

Answer 28

-Hard to control variables
-time commitment
It may be hard to get access
-Quality can be difficult to evaluate since it is subjective
-Selection of social action may be biased
-Sampling might be thrown off

Question 29

Practical application

Answer 29

• Study of different cultures
  -International companies
  -Corporate mergers
  -Customer satisfaction