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1 – 10 of over 25000
Article
Publication date: 1 January 1990

John Carruthers

Data for research studies are often gathered by usingquestionnaires. These data will be enhanced by interviewing a sample ofthe respondents. Inexperienced thesis and dissertation…

18631

Abstract

Data for research studies are often gathered by using questionnaires. These data will be enhanced by interviewing a sample of the respondents. Inexperienced thesis and dissertation writers can meet with difficulties which are beyond their competence in the interview stage. A solution to this problem is described. Relevant literature was perused in the hope that guidance would be found in dealing with lack of expertise in interviewing, and at the same time, encourage the beginner to undertake the task. The suggested solution, derived from the literature, was the use of semi‐structured interviews.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 August 2011

Sandy Q. Qu and John Dumay

Despite the growing pressure to encourage new ways of thinking about research methodology, only recently have interview methodologists begun to realize that “we cannot lift the…

90837

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the growing pressure to encourage new ways of thinking about research methodology, only recently have interview methodologists begun to realize that “we cannot lift the results of interviewing out of the contexts in which they were gathered and claim them as objective data with no strings attached”. The purpose of this paper is to provide additional insight based on a critical reflection of the interview as a research method drawing upon Alvesson's discussion from the neopositivist, romanticist and localist interview perspectives. Specifically, the authors focus on critical reflections of three broad categories of a continuum of interview methods: structured, semi‐structured and unstructured interviews.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt a critical and reflexive approach to understanding the literature on interviews to develop alternative insights about the use of interviews as a qualitative research method.

Findings

After examining the neopositivist (interview as a “tool”) and romanticist (interview as “human encounter”) perspectives on the use of the research interview, the authors adopt a localist perspective towards interviews and argue that the localist approach opens up alternative understanding of the interview process and the accounts produced provide additional insights. The insights are used to outline the skills researchers need to develop in applying the localist perspective to interviews.

Originality/value

The paper provides an alternative perspective on the practice of conducting interviews, recognizing interviews as complex social and organizational phenomena rather than just a research method.

Details

Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1176-6093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2011

Moira Cachia and Lynne Millward

The telephone has been widely used to conduct quantitative research in diverse fields of study, generally using survey methodology. However, comparatively very few qualitative…

14987

Abstract

Purpose

The telephone has been widely used to conduct quantitative research in diverse fields of study, generally using survey methodology. However, comparatively very few qualitative studies opt for this means of data collection. The purpose of this paper is to argue in favour of a medium that has generally been second‐rated in qualitative research. It aims at establishing telephone interviews as an equally viable option to other established methods of qualitative data collection.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is informed by the authors’ experience of using this method, as well as the limited number of previous research articles presented on the topic. It discusses its specific strengths and limitations, drawing on a conducted longitudinal study to illustrate key points. Its application to particular qualitative analysis methods, in view of the acknowledged requirements for each of these approaches, is also presented.

Findings

Telephone conversations naturally follow an agenda‐driven format that is initiated by the caller, similar to semi‐structured interviews. The authors propose that the telephone medium and interview modality are complementary. Also, the interview transcripts provide rich textual data that can subsequently be analysed using a range of qualitative data analysis methods.

Originality/value

Focus is placed on the methodological strengths of using telephone interviews in qualitative research, rather than convenience factors which have been the most featured element in previous literature. The paper aims at informing researchers who want to consider using the telephone medium for qualitative data collection and analysis.

Details

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal, vol. 6 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5648

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 1996

Denise G. Jarratt

Notes that many authors have supported the value of integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches within a research design to address research questions that aim both to…

11141

Abstract

Notes that many authors have supported the value of integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches within a research design to address research questions that aim both to develop or extend theory and test its application. Presents research which explores two alternative approaches to conducting qualitative interviews within an integrated research method. Aims to determine how those different approaches can enhance the design of the quantitative component of the research, and contribute to the interpretation of the quantitative data. Concludes that the findings indicate the importance of adopting both qualitative interview techniques within this combined approach, while completing a comprehensive review of the literature. Suggests that this will develop a theoretical framework and quantitative design, and assist in the interpretation of the quantitative data. The qualitative components of two outshopping studies, each study having a combined qualitative/quantitative research design, were selected to illustrate the nature of the data produced through each qualitative interviewing technique and the contribution of the data to the interpretation of the quantitative findings.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 14 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 1987

Gavin C. Reid

There are many accepted ways in which the economist may look at the business enterprise, each of which involves a different blend of theory and empirical evidence. Unfortunately…

Abstract

There are many accepted ways in which the economist may look at the business enterprise, each of which involves a different blend of theory and empirical evidence. Unfortunately, one gets the impression that many microeconomists have had no direct contact with firms: their experience of the very object on which some lavish such intricate mathematical analysis is entirely second‐hand. Happily, such isolation from the proper object of analysis, the firm, is by no means typical of the history of economic analysis. Adam Smith, the founder of modern economics, was well acquainted with the business community of Glasgow. He was on good terms with the leading merchants of the day including, most notably, Provost Andrew Cochrane who assisted Smith in the acquisition of statistical and institutional information later to be used the The Wealth of Nations. Alfred Marshall too had a serious concern for the realities of business activity. In 1885 he made an extended visit to the United States which took him into many factories and provided the basis for his paper “Some Features of American Industry”. Even ten years later “his zeal for field work remained unimpaired”, and the months of August and September saw Marshall undertaking extensive tours of English mines and factories. One hundred years later, one notices scarcely any enthusiasm on the part of economists for fieldwork of the sort that would take them into the business enterprise. A welcome sign of the possibility that this parlous state may yet be modified is contained in an article by Lawson, where it is argued that “more resources should be allocated, and attention paid, to the results of forms of case‐study, to personal histories, and to the study of primary sources. At the very least a re‐evaluation of research priorities and methods may be in order”. Such an attitude is in sympathy with the line of argument pursued in this article.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 14 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Article
Publication date: 28 April 2014

Kim Aitken and Kathryn von Treuer

The purpose of this paper is to describe a two-part study that has explored the organisational and leadership competencies required for successful service integration within a…

3687

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a two-part study that has explored the organisational and leadership competencies required for successful service integration within a health consortia in Australia. Preliminary organisational and leadership competency frameworks were developed to serve as reference points as the consortia it expanded to cater for increased service demand in the midst of significant health reform.

Design/methodology/approach

The study design is outlined, which involved literature reviews and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders to ascertain the key determinants of successful service integration at both organisational and leadership levels.

Findings

The literature reviews revealed little existing research specifically focused on the organisational and leadership competencies that underpin successful service integration. The themes from the literature reviews and semi-structured interviews informed the preliminary organisational and leadership competency frameworks. Both frameworks are outlined in the paper. Key determinants of successful service integration – at both an organisational and individual leadership level – are also presented.

Research limitations/implications

This is a one-organisation case study and the competency frameworks presented are preliminary. However, the study findings provide a foundation for further research focusing on the longer-term success of service integration.

Originality/value

Service integration in health is a new and emerging area, and there is little extant research exploring the organisational and leadership competencies underpinning its success. The competency frameworks presented in the paper may be of interest to other consortia and organisations engaged in service integration and other forms of merger and collaboration.

Details

Leadership in Health Services, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1751-1879

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2019

Bradley Edward Roberts

Phenomenology is widely recognised for its power to generate nuanced understanding of lived experience and human existence. However, phenomenology is often made inaccessible to…

Abstract

Purpose

Phenomenology is widely recognised for its power to generate nuanced understanding of lived experience and human existence. However, phenomenology is often made inaccessible to prospective researchers due to its specialised nomenclature and dense philosophical underpinnings. This paper explores the value of the researcher’s lived experience as a pathway into phenomenological inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to improve the accessibility of phenomenology as a method for qualitative analysis. It achieves this by aligning Husserl’s concept of phenomenological epoche, or bracketing of preconceptions, and the author’s lived experience as a practitioner of kendo, or Japanese fencing.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs the narrative vignette as a means of illuminating the intersections between kendo practice and the application of phenomenological epoche as it applies to the understanding of embodied sensemaking. Reflections on the narrative vignette identified a suite of techniques from kendo practice that were applied to a phenomenological approach for critical incident interviews. These techniques were then applied to 30 critical incident, semi-structured interviews as part of a PhD research project into embodied sensemaking.

Findings

The results from these interviews suggest that the kendo-derived techniques were effective in generating thick narratives from participants during semi-structured interviews. Examination of the results provided insights into the linkage between phenomenology as a continental philosophy and eastern perspectives such as those found within the Zen traditions and other aesthetic practices.

Originality/value

This research suggests that lived experience such as kendo practice can provide a ready-to-hand pathway to phenomenological inquiry.

Details

Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1443-9883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2015

Thi Quynh Trang Nguyen

The purpose of this paper is to discuss several cultural and psychological aspects that the author experienced in the interview fieldwork with Vietnamese and the strategies to…

3537

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss several cultural and psychological aspects that the author experienced in the interview fieldwork with Vietnamese and the strategies to deal with these methodological issues. It aims to assist non-Vietnamese researchers planning their qualitative fieldwork with Vietnamese participants.

Design/methodology/approach

The results are drawn from using an autoethnographic approach, in which the author presents and analyses the experiences of conducting individual semi-structured interviews with 15 Vietnamese college teachers in the PhD qualitative study on the Vietnamese concept of facethê diên.

Findings

The author argues that in interviews with Vietnamese participants, an interviewer should be mindful of the interviewees’ unfamiliarity with the ethics approval procedure, their reliance on relationship and trust, their self-face concern and low level of elaboration. It is important that the interviewer be seen as an “insider” by the Vietnamese interviewees, not an “objective” outsider researcher. In addition, an interviewer needs to be sensitive to detect any subtle cues that may emerge, and be flexible enough to adjust the interview questions if necessary and employ suitable techniques to adapt to these changes.

Research limitations/implications

The findings were limited to the scope of experiences within a PhD study with a small group of college teachers. Experiences with larger groups of Vietnamese participants from diverse backgrounds may be needed to confirm the findings of this paper.

Originality/value

This paper addresses the gap in the discussion of conducting qualitative research with the Vietnamese. It also discusses several issues that have not been discussed before, such as the Vietnamese unfamiliarity with the paperwork required for ethics approval and their face concerns in interviews.

Details

Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1443-9883

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 August 2021

Björn Ekström

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how a methodological coupling of visualisations of trace data and interview methods can be utilised for information practices…

1327

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how a methodological coupling of visualisations of trace data and interview methods can be utilised for information practices studies.

Design/methodology/approach

Trace data visualisation enquiry is suggested as the coupling of visualising exported data from an information system and using these visualisations as basis for interview guides and elicitation in information practices research. The methodology is illustrated and applied through a small-scale empirical study of a citizen science project.

Findings

The study found that trace data visualisation enquiry enabled fine-grained investigations of temporal aspects of information practices and to compare and explore temporal and geographical aspects of practices. Moreover, the methodology made possible inquiries for understanding information practices through trace data that were discussed through elicitation with participants. The study also found that it can aid a researcher of gaining a simultaneous overarching and close picture of information practices, which can lead to theoretical and methodological implications for information practices research.

Originality/value

Trace data visualisation enquiry extends current methods for investigating information practices as it enables focus to be placed on the traces of practices as recorded through interactions with information systems and study participants' accounts of activities.

Article
Publication date: 2 August 2018

Liviu Florea, Sorin Valcea, Maria Riaz Hamdani and Thomas W. Dougherty

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individual interviewers’ dispositional cognitive motivations may influence interview interactions and outcomes. More specifically…

2183

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individual interviewers’ dispositional cognitive motivations may influence interview interactions and outcomes. More specifically, this study explores the influence of the need for cognition, need for cognitive closure, and accountability on the relationship between first impressions and selection decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 41 graduate students were assigned the role of interviewers and were tasked to interview 331 undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university. The selection interview was designed to recruit qualified undergraduate students to the MBA program of the university.

Findings

First impressions significantly influenced selection decisions, but did not influence interviewers’ behaviors. Moreover, multilevel analyses reveal that interviewers’ need for cognition and accountability moderate the relationship between first impression and selection decisions, albeit in different direction. Need for cognition strengthens, whereas accountability weakens the relationship between first impression and selection decision.

Research limitations/implications

A potential interviewer bias is apparent, where interviewers high on need for cognition tend to weight first impressions more in the decision process. However, this bias was not directly observable, since interviewers’ behaviors during the interview were not affected by first impressions.

Originality/value

The present study goes beyond previous research on first impressions in the employment interview, finding that dispositional differences account for the tendency to weigh first impressions in the selection decision.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 48 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 25000