Business Project
Nicos Rodosthenous PhD
09/12/2014
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09/12/2014
Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
1
Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
1. Introduction
 The term ‘qualitative’ is used to describe
research methods and techniques which use
qualitative rather than quantitative
information.
 Qualitative approach tends to collect a great
deal of ‘rich’ information about relatively few
cases instead of a limited information for a
large number of cases.(quantitative research)
09/12/2014
Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
2. The qualitative research process
 Generally requires a more flexible approach to
overall research design and conduct than other
approaches.
 Most quantitative research tends to be sequential
in nature. (figure 8.1)
 Much qualitative research involves a more fluid
relationship between the various elements of the
research, called recursive approach. (figure 8.1)
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
 Quantitative and qualitative methods can both
involve sequential and recursive approaches.
 Grounded theory, which is concerned with the
generation of theory from research, it is also used
in the analysis of qualitative research process.
3. The range of methods
 Qualitative techniques commonly used in tourism
research include: in-depth interviews; group
interviews or focus groups; participant
observation; textual analysis; biographical
methods and ethnography.
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
4. In-depth interviews
 Usually conducted with a relatively small
number of subjects
 Interview guided by a checklist of topics of rather
than formal questionnaire
 Interviews often tape-recorded and verbatim
transcript prepared
 Interviews typically take at least half an hour and
may extend over several hours
 Repeat interviews possible
09/12/2014
Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
5. Group interviews/focus groups
 Similar to in-depth interviews but conducted
groups of people together than individually.
 The interviewer becomes the facilitator of a
discussion rather than an interviewer as such.
 A group usually consists between five and twelve
participants.
 Usual procedure is to tape-record the discussion
and for the researcher to produce a summary.
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
6. Participant observation
 Researcher gathers information by being an
actual participant with the subjects being
studied.
 Researcher may be known by the people or
may be incognito.
 Recording of information can create problems,
especially if the researcher is incognito.
09/12/2014
Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
8
Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
7. Textual analysis
 Analysis of the content of ‘texts’, including print
and audio-visual media.
 The term text is used to include not only printed
material, but also pictures, press coverage,
posters, recorded music, firm and television
coverage.
 Studying ‘material culture’ or artifacts, may
include dress fashions, national flags and
archeological study of garbage.
09/12/2014
Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
8. Biographical research
 Biographical research covers oral history, memory
work and personal domain histories.
 There are many published accounts of lives of
business leaders, like the best known Walt Disney
biography.
 Oral history involves tape-recording eye-witness
accounts of events and typically storing the tapes
in an archive as a source for research.
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
 In the Memory work, participants are asked to
write a short account of an experience related to
the research topic. i.e. holiday experience.
 Personal domain histories study the various
changes in life circumstances such as marriage,
birth of a child, change of job.
9. Ethnography
 It is an approach drawing on a variety of
techniques and particularly associated with
‘cultural studies’ such as youth sub-cultures and
ethic groups.
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
10. Analysis of qualitative data
 Traditionally qualitative data have been analyzed
manually and this continues, but in recent years
computer software speed-up the whole process.
(SPSS)- Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.
 Regardless of whether data are analyzed
manually or by computer, consideration should
be given to the security and confidentiality of
data and tapes.
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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B. Qualitative analysis using computer software
Running Nvivo software:
Starting up
Creating a project
Creating documents
Document attributes
Setting up a coding system
Coding text
Analysis
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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Collecting primary data using semi-structured
and in-depth interviews
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Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
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