1st Edition

Qualitative Market Research A Practitioner's and Buyer's Guide

By Wendy Gordon, Roy Langmaid Copyright 1988

    This book opens the black box of qualitative market research and reveals the inner workings of the qualitative process. The influence of group dynamics on the data itself, the significance of body language in the interaction between researcher and respondent and the application of techniques to discover the private world of the individual are all exposed. So too, is the least visible part of all research projects - the interpretation of content given the fact that people often 'don't say what they mean' and 'don't mean what they say'. This book brings together a detailed overview of procedures and techniques in contemporary qualitative market research. These evolving techniques are making qualitative research increasingly influential. A clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses is therefore vital to anyone involved in research - whether market, industrial, social, governmental or medical.

    Contents: Introduction; Problems and methodology; Planning and designing qualitative studies; Group discussions - philosophy, mechanics and process; Group dynamics; Interviewing - getting better; The individual 'depth' interview; Non-verbal communication; Projective and enabling techniques; One-way mirror; The interpretation of qualitative research; Recruitment; The presentation of qualitative research; Research with children; Research stimulus material; Qualitative and quantitative hybrid methodologies; Bibliography; Index.

    Biography

    Wendy Gordon and Roy Langmaid run successful qualitative research practices in London. They are also actively involved in the advertising and market research industries and teach and write on a broad range of contemporary issues in this field.