Interpretive Research Workshop 2 1 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014 London Metropolitan University Monday 20 th January 2014

 At end of Workshop 1, we suggested that you consider your own study, identify the research tradition(s) that you think you are drawing upon and then ask three questions:  What kind of data do I wish to gather?  What do I wish to know about my respondents and/or the context?- What will the nature of my inquiry be?  What method seems appropriate for this? 2 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Briefly consider Choices linked to Interpretivist Research  Approach to Data  Nature of Enquiry  Typical Methods of Data Collection 3 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Interpretive View of Knowledge ‘ Understanding social process involves getting inside the world of those generating it’ (Orlikowski and Baroudi 1991) 4 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Choices in Research Design Approach to Data  Qualitative usually Nature of Inquiry  Exploratory Or Explanatory Method of Data Collection  Focus Group/ Action Research/Ethnography 5 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Quantitative Qualitative 6 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Interpretivist Paradigm  Subjective approach  Phenomena need to be explored in depth; real meaning emerges from understanding the respondent’s experience in their own context  Not seeking to draw general conclusions about the population  Structured  *-----  Unstructured  Usually, relies on identification of key themes that characterize the experience of respondents  Key dimensions just emerge 7 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Qualitative Data - Conveys impressions and attitudes -explores motivations ▪ Concentrates on words ▪ Enables a holistic perspective ▪ Associated with an emergent research design 8 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Interpretive View of Data ‘ What we call our data are really our own constructions of other people’s constructions of what they and their compatriots are up to’ (Geertz 1973) 9 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Approach to Data  Qualitative  Nature of Inquiry  Exploratory Or Explanatory  Method of Data Collection  Focus Group/ Interview / Action Research/Ethnography 10 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Discovery of new insights  Familiarisation with area that is under- researched  Display nature of something  Describe meaning attached to experience 11 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

12 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Factors that underlie an attitude  Motivation to undertake something  Origin of an event, phenomena  Additional Probing 13 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Objective: Characteristics: Findings: Outcome: Nature of Exploratory Research To provide insight and understanding Information needed defined loosely. Research process flexible/unstructured. Sample is small and nonrepresentative. Analysis of primary data is qualitative. Tentative. Conclusive research may follow 14 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Approach to Data  Qualitative  Nature of Inquiry  Exploratory Or Explanatory  Method of Data Collection  Multiple - Can use depth interview, or qualitative single case study  Popular= Focus Group/ /Action Research /Ethnography 15 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Focus Group  Action Research  Ethnographic Research  There are others.. 16 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Recruit group of relevant respondents for open-ended discussion  Not always treated as representative data, can be exploratory (but also explanatory)  Group’s demographic profile is important, but identities of the participants are not relevant  Discussion is 'focused' on a topic, but is allowed to range across many aspects of topic 17 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Effective where the opinions of the target population are difficult to extract, e.g.  people in relevant category currently have limited information available to them about the topic  topic is multi-dimensional  the opinions are polarised, or fluid 18 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Study conducted from within a setting e.g. by an employee or consultant  The researcher not merely observes, but also participates, typically by acting as a change agent in relation to some intervention  Achieves depth, including appreciation of dialects, contexts, and tacit knowledge  Has to cope with lack of independence 19 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Originated in anthropological studies (typically by ‘colonialists’ of ‘natives’)  Seeks detailed understanding of a focal topic  Comprises observation of, and conversation with, people in their own environment  Seeks to reflect relevant cultural factors  May be immersive (e.g. shadowing persons, spending a lot of time with respondents ) 20 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Some communication in participant observation Emerged in sociological studies - often examining life in everyday context Participant May also be an immersion into the respondent world 21 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Emic = insider view  Etic = outsider view The goal of some qualitative studies is to portray the perspective of those experiencing the phenomena under investigation – taking an emic view 22 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Oral History, Biographical Method, Narrative  Polkinghorne, 1980s ; Elliott, 2000s  While the origins of these research approaches are distinct and different, the kind of analysis presented aligns with the interpretivist research tradition  Netnography (Kozinets, 2002)  Online ethnography – now burgeoning 23 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

24 Social Media Analysis Researcher Reflexive Narratives Emerging Research in 2010s produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 In the two workshops, we have covered some brief ideas on the interpretive tradition  Taking an initial look at a complex area is, by default, schematic - there are many other nuance and complexities to consider  Speak to academics in your circle (supervisors, classmates, fellow Ph D candidates etc) who will have other views and, strangely enough, other interpretations. 25 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

Interpretive Research Workshop 1 and 2 26 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 20/01/2014

 Geertz, C.(1973), Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture. In The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. Clifford Geertz. pp 3–30. New York: Basic Books  Elliott, (2005), Using Narrative in Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches SAGE  Kozinets, R.(1998), “On Netnography: Initial Reflections on Consumer Research Investigations of Cyberculture,” in Advances in Consumer Research, Volume 25, ed., Joseph Alba and Wesley Hutchinson, Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research, pp /01/2014 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 27

 Orlikowski, W.J. and J.J. Baroudi. "Studying Information Technology in Organizations: Research Approaches and Assumptions." Information Systems Research, 2, 1, 1991: 1-28  Polkinghorne, Donald E. (1995). Narrative Configuration in Qualitative Analysis. Qualitative Studies in Education, Vol. 8, Issue 2. 20/01/2014 produced by Dr. Anne Broderick, De Montfort University 28