Qualitative Research: Definition
Qualitative research is defined as a market research method that focuses on obtaining data through
open-ended and conversational communication.
This method is not only about “what” people think but also “why” they think so. For example, consider
a convenience store looking to improve its patronage. A systematic observation concludes that the
number of men visiting this store are more. One good method to determine why women were not
visiting the store is to conduct an in-depth interview of potential customers in the category.
On successfully interviewing female customers, visiting the nearby stores and malls, and selecting
them through random sampling, it was known that the store doesn’t have enough items for women
and so there were fewer women visiting the store, which was understood only by personally
interacting with them and understanding why they didn’t visit the store, because there were more
male products than female ones.
Therefore, the qualitative research methods allow for in-depth and further probing and questioning of
respondents based on their responses, where the interviewer/researcher also tries to understand
their motivation and feelings. Understanding how your audience takes decision can help derive
conclusion in market research.
Qualitative Research Methods with Examples
Qualitative research methods are designed in a manner that they help reveal the behavior and
perception of a target audience with reference to a particular topic. There are different types of
qualitative research methods like an in-depth interview, focus groups, ethnographic research, content
analysis, case study research that are usually used.
The results of qualitative methods are more descriptive and the inferences can be drawn quite easily
from the data that is obtained.
Qualitative research methods originated in the social and behavioral sciences. Today our world is
more complicated and it is difficult to understand what people think and perceive. Qualitative research
methods make it easier to understand that as it is more communicative and descriptive.
The following are the qualitative research methods that are frequently used:
1. One-on-One Interview: Conducting in-depth interviews is one of the most common qualitative
research methods. It is a personal interview that is carried out with one respondent at a time. This is
purely a conversational method and invites opportunities to get details in depth from the respondent.
One of the advantages of this method provides a great opportunity to gather precise data about what
people believe and what their motivations are. If the researcher is well experienced asking the right
questions can help him/her collect meaningful data. If they should need more information the
researchers should ask such follow up questions that will help them collect more information.
These interviews can be performed face-to-face or on phone and usually can last between half an hour
to two hours or even more. When the in-depth interview is conducted face to face it gives a better
opportunity to read the body language of the respondents and match the responses.
2. Focus groups: A focus group is also one of the commonly used qualitative research methods, used
in data collection. A focus group usually includes a limited number of respondents (6-10) from within
your target market.
The main aim of the focus group is to find answers to the why what and how questions. One advantage
of focus groups is, you don’t necessarily need to interact with the group in person. Nowadays focus
groups can be sent an online survey on various devices and responses can be collected at the click of a
button.
Focus groups are an expensive method as compared to the other qualitative research methods.
Typically they are used to explain complex processes. This method is very useful when it comes to
market research on new products and testing new concepts.
3. Ethnographic research: Ethnographic research is the most in-depth observational method that
studies people in their naturally occurring environment.
This method requires the researchers to adapt to the target audiences’ environments which could be
anywhere from an organization to a city or any remote location. Here geographical constraints can be
an issue while collecting data.
This research design aims to understand the cultures, challenges, motivations, and settings that occur.
Instead of relying on interviews and discussions, you experience the natural settings first hand.
This type of research method can last from a few days to a few years, as it involves in-depth
observation and collecting data on those grounds. It’s a challenging and a time-consuming method and
solely depends on the expertise of the researcher to be able to analyze, observe and infer the data.
4. Case study research: The case study method has evolved over the past few years and developed as
into a valuable qualitative research method. As the name suggests it is used for explaining an
organization or an entity.
This type of research method is used within a number of areas like education, social sciences and
similar. This method may look difficult to operate, however, it is one of the simplest ways of
conducting research as it involves a deep dive and thorough understanding of the data collection
methods and inferring the data.
5. Record keeping: This method makes use of the already existing reliable documents and similar
sources of information as the data source. This data can be used in a new research. This is similar to
going to a library. There one can go over books and other reference material to collect relevant data
that can likely be used in the research.
6. Process of observation: Qualitative Observation is a process of research that uses subjective
methodologies to gather systematic information or data. Since, the focus on qualitative observation is
the research process of using subjective methodologies to gather information or data. The qualitative
observation is primarily used to equate quality differences.
Qualitative observation deals with the 5 major sensory organs and their functioning – sight, smell,
touch, taste, and hearing. This doesn’t involve measurements or numbers but instead characteristics.
Qualitative Research: Data Collection and Analysis
A. Qualitative Data Collection
Qualitative data collection allows collecting data that is non-numeric and helps us to explore how
decisions are made and provide us with detailed insight. For reaching such conclusions the data that is
collected should be holistic, rich and nuanced and findings to emerge through careful analysis.
1. Whatever method a researcher chooses for collecting qualitative data, one aspect is very clear the
process will generate a large amount of data. In addition to the variety of methods available, there are
also different methods of collecting and recording the data.
For example, if the qualitative data is collected through focus group or one-to-one discussion, there
will be handwritten notes or video recorded tapes. If there are recording they should be transcribed
and before the process of data analysis can begin.
2. As a rough guide, it can take a seasoned researcher 8-10 hours to transcribe the recordings of an
interview, which can generate roughly 20-30 pages of dialogues. Many researchers also like to
maintain separate folders to maintain the recording collected from the different focus group. This
helps them compartmentalize the data collected.
3. In case there are running notes taken, which are also known as field notes, they are helpful in
maintaining comments, environmental contexts, nonverbal cues etc. These filed notes are helpful and
can be compared while transcribing audio recorded data. Such notes are usually informal but should
be secured in a similar manner as the video recordings or the audio tapes.
B. Qualitative Data Analysis
Qualitative data analysis such as notes, videos, audio recordings images, and text documents. One of
the most used methods for qualitative data analysis is text analysis.
Text analysis is a data analysis method that is distinctly different from all other qualitative research
methods, where researchers analyze the social life of the participants in the research study and decode
the words, actions etc.
There are images also that are used in this research study and the researchers analyze the context in
which the images are used and draw inferences from them. In the last decade, text analysis through
what is shared on social media platform has gained supreme popularity.
Characteristics of Qualitative Research Methods
1. Qualitative research methods usually collect data at the sight, where the participants are
experiencing issues or problems. These are real-time data and rarely bring the participants out of the
geographic locations to collect information.
2. Qualitative researchers typically gather multiple forms of data, such as interviews, observations,
and documents, rather than rely on a single data source.
3. This type of research method works towards solving complex issues by breaking down into
meaningful inferences, that is easily readable and understood by all.
4. Since its a more communicative method, people can build their trust on the researcher and the
information thus obtained is raw and unadulterated.
Qualitative Research Method Case Study Example
Let’s take the example of a bookstore owner who is looking for ways to improve their sales and
customer outreach. An online community of members who were the loyal patrons of the bookstore
were interviewed and related questions were asked and the questions were answered by them.
At the end of the interview, it was realized that most of the books in the stores were suitable for adults
and there were not enough options for children or teenagers.
By conducting this qualitative research the bookstore owner realized what the shortcomings were and
what were the feelings of the readers. Through this research now the bookstore owner can now keep
books for different age categories and can improve his sales and customer outreach.
Such qualitative research method example can serve as the basis to indulge in further quantitative
research, which provides remedies.
Qualitative Research Methods Vs Quantitative Research Methods
The basic differences of qualitative research methods and quantitative research methods are simple
are straightforward. They differ in:
Their analytical objectives
Types of questions asked
Types of data collection instruments
Forms of data they produce
Degree of flexibility
Attributes Qualitative Research Methods Quantitative Research Methods
This research method focuses on to
Analytical Quantitative research method focuses on
describe individual experiences and
objectives describing the characteristics of a population.
beliefs.
Open ended questions Closed ended questions
Types of -questions that revolve around the -are the foundation of all statistical analysis
questions asked 5WH(What, How, Where, When, Why, techniques applied on questionnaires and
Who) surveys.
Use semi-structured methods such as Use highly structured methods such as
Data collection
in-depth interviews, focus groups, and structured observation using questionnaires
Instrument
participant observation and surveys
Form of data
Descriptive data Numerical data
produced
Participant responses do not influence or
Degree of Participant responses affect how and
determine how and which questions
flexibility which questions researchers ask next
researchers ask next
