ABSTRACT

This is a practical and accessible, yet sophisticated introduction to interpretive methods for doing qualitative research projects and dissertations. Bringing together concepts of qualitative research from ethnography, phenomenology, critical discourse analysis, semiotics, literary analysis, postmodernism and poststructuralism this textbook offers an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the subject. Utilising a uniquely pragmatic approach, it bridges the gap between advanced, specialised books on research traditions with more general introductory business research books.

This new edition has been fully updated to include new examples, explorations of the field, and an improved pedagogy with better exposition of key issues and concepts, as well as more schematics and diagrams to aid understanding. The first half of the book considers the practicalities of research and writing a research project, including the craft of academic writing, the critical literature review, the role of the independent research project as part of university courses, suggested projected structures, standards of academic scholarship, and the main techniques for gathering qualitative data. The book’s second half deals with abstract concepts and advanced theory by looking at key theoretical traditions that guide the interpretation of qualitative data.

It is perfect for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of marketing, management, consumer behaviour and research methods. It will also be useful as a primer for practitioners in qualitative research.

chapter |3 pages

Introduction

part 1|131 pages

Doing qualitative research projects

chapter Chapter 2|26 pages

Deciding on the topic and designing the study

chapter Chapter 3|29 pages

Writing high quality research projects

From description to critique

chapter Chapter 4|27 pages

Gathering and interpreting qualitative data sets

chapter Chapter 5|21 pages

Sociological paradigms and research philosophy

part 2|95 pages

Working in theoretical traditions of interpretive research

chapter Chapter 7|23 pages

Ethnography, digital ethnography

Autoethnography: practice theory

chapter Chapter 8|19 pages

Literary theory and qualitative research

chapter Chapter 9|17 pages

Critical research

Power, ethnicity, gender

chapter Chapter 10|13 pages

Discourse analysis