ABSTRACT
Qualitative methods derive from a different research paradigm to quantitative methods. This chapter provides a brief description of the qualitative and quantitative paradigms and discusses their main differences. This is followed by a general introduction to the nature of qualitative research. Qualitative methods are increasingly applied to understand consumers’ and employees’ experiences in the hospitality industry. These studies use in-depth interviews, focus groups, and ethnography to generate deep insights. This chapter describes each of these methods and their limitations, along with examples highlighting their unique benefits to different areas of the hospitality industry. Finally, attention is turned to the future, identifying netnography (online ethnography) as an innovative qualitative approach. The chapter concludes that the hospitality industry and academics can greatly benefit from the increased use of qualitative research methods, in particular, online methods and social media monitoring.
