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    Chapter 9

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    Engr Fizza Akbar
    The document discusses two main types of observation for collecting primary data: participant observation and structured observation. Participant observation aims to discover meaning from actions through participation, while structured observation focuses on quantifying frequencies of actions. The document also covers roles in participant observation, data collection and analysis techniques, and threats to validity and reliability.

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    Chapter 9

    Uploaded by

    Engr Fizza Akbar
    296 views13 pages
    The document discusses two main types of observation for collecting primary data: participant observation and structured observation. Participant observation aims to discover meaning from actions through participation, while structured observation focuses on quantifying frequencies of actions. The document also covers roles in participant observation, data collection and analysis techniques, and threats to validity and reliability.

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    Research slides

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    Chapter-9

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    The document discusses two main types of observation for collecting primary data: participant observation and structured observation. Participant observation aims to discover meaning from actions through participation, while structured observation focuses on quantifying frequencies of actions. The document also covers roles in participant observation, data collection and analysis techniques, and threats to validity and reliability.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    296 views13 pages

    Chapter 9

    Uploaded by

    Engr Fizza Akbar
    The document discusses two main types of observation for collecting primary data: participant observation and structured observation. Participant observation aims to discover meaning from actions through participation, while structured observation focuses on quantifying frequencies of actions. The document also covers roles in participant observation, data collection and analysis techniques, and threats to validity and reliability.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
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    The key takeaways are that observation is a systematic method of collecting primary data by observing and recording people's behavior. There are two main types of observation - participant observation and structured observation.

    The two main types of observation discussed are participant observation, which emphasizes discovering the meaning of actions, and structured observation, which is concerned with the frequency of actions.

    Some determining factors in choosing a participant observer role include the purpose of the research, time available, the researcher's suitability, organizational access, and ethical considerations.

    Slide 9.

    Chapter 9
    Collecting primary data through observation

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.2

    Observation as a data collection


    method

    ‘Observation involves the systematic


    observation , recording, description
    analysis and interpretation of people’s
    behaviour’

    Saunders et al. (2009)

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.3

    Types of observation

    The two main types

    • Participant observation – emphasises the discovery


    of meaning attached to actions (qualitative)

    • Structured observation – is concerned with


    frequency of actions
    (quantitative)

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.4

    Participant observation (1)

    Definition

    ‘Where the researcher attempts to participate


    fully in the lives and actions of subjects,
    enabling them to not merely observe what is
    happening but also feeling it’

    Adapted from Gill and Johnson (2002)

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.5

    Choice of participant observer role

    Determining factors

    • Purpose of the research and time available

    • Degree of suitability felt by the researcher

    • Organisational access

    • Ethical considerations

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.6

    Data collection and analysis (3)

    Points to consider

    • Threats to validity

    • The perspective of the subject - not the researcher

    • Advantages and disadvantages of participant


    observation are summarised in Table 9.1
    Saunders et al. (2009)

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.7

    Advantages
    • It is good at explaining “what is going on” in particular
    social situation.
    • It heightens the researcher’s awareness of significant social
    process.
    • It is particularly useful for researchers working within their
    own organization.
    • Some participant observation affords the opportunity for
    the researcher to the experience ‘for real’ the emotions of
    those who are being researched.
    • Virtually all data collected are useful.

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.8

    Disadvantages
    • It can be very time consuming.
    • It can pose difficult ethical dilemmas for the researchers.
    • They can be high levels of role conflict for the researcher.
    • The closeness of the researcher to the situation being observed can lead
    to significant observer bias .
    • The participant observer role is a very demanding one, to which not all
    researchers will be suited
    • Access to organizations may be difficult.
    • Data recording is often very difficult for the researcher.

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.9

    Structured observation (1)


    Points to consider

    • Structured observation is systematic and aims to


    establish straightforward facts

    • Structured observation was an important part of


    Mintzberg’s (1973) study of managerial work

    • Proliferation of the Internet potentially widens the


    scope of participant observation

    • Advantages and disadvantages of structured


    observation are summarised in Table 9.2
    Saunders et al. (2009)

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.10

    Structured observation (2)

    Data collection and analysis

    • Choosing an ‘off the shelf’ coding schedule

    • Designing your own coding schedule

    • Combining both types of schedule

    • Use of simple (manual) or complex


    (computer) methods of analysis
    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.11

    Structured observation (3)

    Threats to validity and reliability

    • Subject error

    • Time error

    • Observer effects and strategies to overcome this –


    habituation and minimal interaction Robson (2002)

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.12

    Summary: Chapter 9

    • Participant observation is used in a wide range of


    social settings

    • Participant observation means adopting a


    number of potential roles

    • Roles are differentiated according to the degree


    of concealed identity and participation in events
    adopted by the researcher

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
    Slide 9.13

    Summary: Chapter 9

    • The aim of participant observation is to develop


    theory and avoid mere story telling

    • Structured observation is concerned with the


    frequency of events. It is characterised by high
    levels of predetermined structure and quantitative
    analysis

    • The main threats to reliability and validity are


    subject error, time error and observer effects

    Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

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