Situated in the context of key marketing research activities including new product development and understanding consumer behaviour, this module explores the design and practice of qualitative research. The module aims to provide learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and techniques to make evidence based decisions both within the research process, and from research findings. To this end, the module will enable learners to: 1. Identify a current research problem through critical review of previous research. 2. Design and execute a consistent, problem-centric, and ethically sound qualitative study. 3. Synthesise insights from extant theory and primary research findings to formulate and defend recommendations for real-life business situations. Consistent with this applied approach, the module incorporates guest lectures from industry practitioners, and integrated assessment with Marketing Management, DMKT H3016.
The Research Process
Introducing Research and Marketing Research; Exploring the Iterative Nature of Research Practice; Situating Qualitative Research within the Research Process; Considering Qualitative Research for Marketing Research
Developing the Research Problem
Literature Reviewing; Qualitative Research Questions and Objectives
Addressing the Research Problem - Qualitative Research Designs
Case Study; Grounded Theory; Ethnography; Discourse Analysis; Phenomenology
Data Collection
Ethics & Access; Interviews (Semi-Structured, Unstructured, Storytelling & Narrative Inquiry); Focus Groups; Observation (Participant Observation e.g. mystery shopping & Non-Participant Observation); Additional Methods (Documents, Diaries, Projective & Enabling Techniques)
Data Analysis
The Process and Practice of Qualitative Data Analysis; Key Approaches (Grounded Analysis, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis & Thematic Analysis); Computers & Qualitative Data Analysis
Solving the Research Problem
Presenting Your Research Findings; Research Findings & Making Evidence Based Decisions; Evaluating Qualitative Research; Revisiting the Qual-Quant Relationship
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |