Faculty of Business: Marketing
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Undergraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 24309 Introductory Marketing Research
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Handbook description

Qualitative research is a growth area in both academic and commercial marketing research. This subject introduces students to a different methodological approach from that which is commonly emphasised in market research subjects. Alternative research designs are considered, along with the associated instrumentation, data collection and analysis. Communication of results for a range of academic and industry audiences is also considered.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Evaluate research problems and apply appropriate qualitative techniques to their solution.
2. Conduct various types of qualitative research in an ethical way.
3. Analyse data collected using qualitative techniques.
4. Communicate findings generated from qualitative data analysis.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject is part of the Advanced Marketing Research sub-major. It presents a theoretically grounded set of marketing research techniques to be used for preliminary research to assist in designing quantitative follow-ups. Students are exposed to various approaches to qualitative research design, collection methods and analysis. The theoretical underpinnings as well as the techniques are considered in enabling students to both evaluate and use qualitative research.

Teaching and learning strategies

The lectures and workshops will incorporate a range of teaching and experiential learning strategies including discussion, scenarios, debates, readings and presentation.

Content

• Scope and nature of qualitative research
• Tools of qualitative research
• Communication in research
• Design issues
• Observational-Based methods
• Case study methods
• Focus Group Data Collection
• Depth Interview Data Collection
• Projective Techniques and Interviewing
• Design and Analysis

Assessment

Class Presentations and Assignments (Individual or Group)	30%
Addresses objectives 1-3.
Major Qualitative Project (Individual or Group)	70%
Addresses objectives 1-4.

The very nature of the subject, whereby each project is unique, ensures its security. Free-riding, if any, will be picked up quickly.

To pass the subject, students must achieve at least 50% of the final overall grade.

Recommended text(s)

Glessen, Corrine, (1998) Becoming Qualitative Researchers, London, Addison Wesley

Janesick, V. (2004) Stretching Exercises for Qualitative Researchers 2nd ed. London, SAGE

Indicative references

Lofland, John and Lofland, Lyn (1994) 'Qualitative Observation and Analysis' Wadsworth, London

Miller, Gale and Dingwall, Robert (1997) 'Context and Method in Qualitative Research' Sage Publications, USA

Stake, Robert (1995) 'The Art of Case Study Research' Sage Publications, USA

Weiss, Robert (1995) 'Learning from Strangers' Free Press, London

Woods, P. (1999) 'Successful Writing for Qualitative Research' Sage Publications, USA