Qualitative Methods

Research Methodology

Qualitative Research Methods for Tourism and Hospitality

What is qualitative research?

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Investigation

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Deeper understanding

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Finding meaning

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Investigating the subtle interplay of a number of factors

Concept of Qualitative Research 

Qualitative research is concerned with developing explanations of social phenomena. That is to say, it aims to help us to understand the world in which we live and why things are the way they are. It is concerned with the social aspects of our world and seeks to answer questions about:

Qualitative Research Explains 

Why people behave the way they do

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How opinions and attitudes are formed

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How people are affected by the events that go on around them

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How and why cultures have developed in the way they have

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The differences between social groups

Qualitative Research Explains  Experiences  Understanding  Behaviours  Politics  Sensitive

or high risk issues  Non-mainstream ideas or behaviours  Social and cultural influences

Qualitative Research Explains 

Qualitative research is concerned with finding the answers to questions which begin with: why? how? in what way?

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Qualitative research is concerned with the opinions, experiences and feelings of individuals producing subjective data.

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Qualitative research describes social phenomena as they occur naturally.

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Qualitative data are collected through direct encounters with individuals, through one to one interviews or group interviews or by observation. Data collection is time consuming.

Qualitative Research Output 

New theories

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Description of previously unexplained situations or behaviour

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Narratives about experiences

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New ways to comprehend events or behaviours

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New ideas

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Understanding

Definition of Qualitative Research

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“Qualitative research is an inquiry process of understanding based on distinct methodological traditions of inquiry that explore a social or human problem. The researcher builds a complex, holistic picture, analyzes words, report detailed views of informants, and conducts the study in a natural setting.”

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Qualitative Research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say.

Definition of Qualitative Research 

research that deals with the quality, type, or components of a group, substance, or mixture, whose methods are applied to advertising audience research in order to determine the quality of audience responses to advertising.

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Qualitative research is exploratory in nature and uses procedures such as indepth interviews and focus group interviews to gain insights and develop creative advertising tactics.

Quantitative Vs Qualitative 

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Research questions: How many? Strength of association?

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Research questions: What? Why?

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Develops theory

Test theory 

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Measurable

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Report statistical analysis

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Basic element of analysis is numbers

Interpretive

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Report rich narrative, individual; interpretation.

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Basic element of analysis is words/ideas.

Quantitative Vs Qualitative 

Uses instruments

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Uses communications and observation

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Establishes relationships, causation

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Describes meaning, discovery

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Experimental

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Descriptive

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Researcher knows clearly in advance what he/she is looking for.

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Researcher may only know roughly in advance what he/she is looking for.

Types of Qualitative Research 

1) phenomenology

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2) ethnography

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3) grounded theory

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4) case study

Phenomenology   

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Phenomenology literally means the study of phenomena. Phenomena may be events, situations, experiences or concepts. Phenomenological research begins with the acknowledgement that there is a gap in our understanding and that clarification or illumination will be of benefit. Phenomenological research will not necessarily provide definitive explanations but it does raise awareness and increases insight.

Ethnography 

Ethnography has a background in anthropology

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The term means “portrait of a people” and it is a methodology for descriptive studies of cultures and peoples.

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The cultural parameter is that the people under investigation have something in common. Examples of parameters include:

Ethnography

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geographical - a particular region or country

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religious

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tribal

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shared experience

Ethnography 

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Ethnographic studies entail extensive fieldwork by the researcher. Data collection techniques include both formal and informal interviewing, often interviewing individuals on several occasions, and participant observation. Ethnographic research can be problematic when researchers are not sufficiently familiar with the social mores of the people being studied or with their language.

Grounded Theory 

The main feature is the development of new theory through the collection and analysis of data about a phenomenon.

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New theory begins its conception as the researcher recognises new ideas and themes emerging from what people have said or from events which have been observed

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Grounded theory research could provide professionals with a better framework for providing truly holistic knowledge.

Case Study 

A case study is an intensive study of a specific individual or specific context.

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Case study research excels at bringing us to an understanding of a complex issue or object and can extend experience or add strength to what is already known through previous research

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Case study research generally answers one or more questions which begin with "how" or "why." The questions are targeted to a limited number of events or conditions and their interrelationships.

Participant Observation 

Participant observation is a qualitative method with roots in traditional ethnographic research

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Participant observation is a set of research strategies which aim to gain a close and intimate familiarity with a given group of individuals (such as a religious, occupational, or subcultural group, or a particular community) and their practices through an intensive involvement with people in their natural environment, often though not always over an extended period of time.

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Participant observation always takes place in community settings, in locations believed to have some relevance to the research questions.

Types of Participant Observation 

External Participation constitutes the lowest degree of involvement in observation. This type of observation can be done by observing situations on television or videotape.

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Passive Participation means the researcher is present at the scene of action but does not interact or participate. The researcher finds an observation post and assumes the role of a bystander or spectator.

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Balanced Participation means that the researcher maintains a balance between being an insider and being an outsider. The researcher observes and participates in some activities, but does not participate fully in all activities.

Types of Participant Observation 

Active Participation means that the researcher generally does what others in the setting do. While beginning with observation to learn the rules, as they are learned the researcher becomes actively engaged in the activities of the setting.

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Total Participation means the researcher is a natural participant. This is the highest level of involvement and usually comes about when the researcher studies something in which he or she is already a natural participant.

Strengths Vs Weakness 

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Allows for insight into contexts, relationships, behavior Can provide information previously unknown to researchers that is crucial for project design, data collection, and interpretation of other data

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Time-consuming

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Documentation relies on memory, personal discipline, and diligence of researcher

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Requires conscious effort at objectivity because method is inherently subjective

Direct Observation 

During direct observation it is common for an observer to be present who sits passively and records as accurately as possible what is going on.

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The observation can be totally “free” or more structured i.e. where observers record events as belonging to one of a number of discrete categories identified.

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Direct observation has the highest degree of ‘ecological’ validity in that direct observation attempts to monitor usage of a product in settings which are close to actual usage.

Interviews  

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Informal – researcher is required to recollect discussion Unstructured – e.g. ethnographic interviewing – researcher allows interview to proceed at respondent’s pace and subjects to vary by interviewee (to an extent) Semi-structured – researcher uses an interview guide Structured – researcher uses identical stimuli and adheres to interview schedule

Focus Groups 

A research method that brings together a small group of consumers to discuss the product or advertising, under the guidance of a trained interviewer.

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Qualitative research concentrates on words and observations to express reality and attempts to describe people in natural situations. The key element here is the involvement of people where their disclosures are encouraged in a nurturing environment

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Focus group participants should be people with similar experiences or backgrounds so that they feel comfortable talking with one another

Focus Groups 

Focus group participants are more likely to share their experiences and perceptions if they do not know one another before the focus group.

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Focus groups should have no fewer than 6 participants in order to get a good group discussion and no more than 10 participants so that less assertive participants will still contribute to the conversation.

Document Analysis  Content

analysis  Discourse analysis  Historical analysis  Analysis of pictorial material

Validity of the Qualitative Research 

Be a listener. The subject (s) of qualitative research should provide the majority of the research input. It is the researcher’s task to properly interpret the responses of the subject (s).

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Record accurately. All records should be maintained in the form of detailed notes or electronic recordings. These records should also be developed during rather than after the data gathering session.

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Initiate writing early. It is suggested that the researcher make a rough draft of the study before ever going into the field to collect data. This allows a record to be made when needed. The researcher is more prepared now to focus the data gathering phase on that information that will meet the specific identified needs of the project.

Validity of the Qualitative Research 

Include the primary data in the final report. The inclusion of primary data in the final report allows the reader to see exactly the basis upon which the researcher’s conclusions were made. In short, it is better to include too much detail than too little.

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Include all data in the final report. The researcher should not leave out pieces of information from the final report because she/he cannot interpret that data. In these cases, the reader should be allowed to develop his/her conclusions.

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Be candid. The researcher should not spend too much time attempting to keep her/his own feelings and personal reactions out of the study. If there is relevance in the researcher’s feelings to the matter at hand, these feelings should be revealed.

Validity of the Qualitative Research 

Seek feedback. The researcher should allow others to critique the research manuscript following the developmental process. Professional colleagues and research subjects should be included in this process to ensure that information is reported accurately and completely.

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Attempt to achieve balance. The researcher should attempt to achieve a balance between perceived importance and actual importance. Often, the information reveals a difference in anticipated and real areas of study significance.

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Write accurately. Incorrect grammar, misspelled words, statement inconsistency, etc. jeopardize the validity of an otherwise good study.