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際際滷 9.1
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Chapter 9
Collecting primary data through observation
際際滷 9.2
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Observation as a data collection
method
Observation involves the systematic
observation , recording, description
analysis and interpretation of peoples
behaviour
Saunders et al. (2009)
際際滷 9.3
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Types of observation
The two main types
 Participant observation  emphasises the discovery
of meaning attached to actions (qualitative)
 Structured observation  is concerned with
frequency of actions
(quantitative)
際際滷 9.4
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Participant observation (1)
Definition
Where the researcher attempts to participate
fully in the lives and actions of subjects,
enabling them to not merely observe what is
happening but also feeling it
Adapted from Gill and Johnson (2002)
際際滷 9.5
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Choice of participant observer role
Determining factors
 Purpose of the research and time available
 Degree of suitability felt by the researcher
 Organisational access
 Ethical considerations
際際滷 9.6
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Data collection and analysis (3)
Points to consider
 Threats to validity
 The perspective of the subject - not the researcher
 Advantages and disadvantages of participant
observation are summarised in Table 9.1
Saunders et al. (2009)
際際滷 9.7
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Advantages
 It is good at explaining what is going on in particular
social situation.
 It heightens the researchers awareness of significant
social process.
 It is particularly useful for researchers working within their
own organization.
 Some participant observation affords the opportunity for
the researcher to the experience for real the emotions of
those who are being researched.
 Virtually all data collected are useful.
際際滷 9.8
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Disadvantages
 It can be very time consuming.
 It can pose difficult ethical dilemmas for the researchers.
 They can be high levels of role conflict for the researcher.
 The closeness of the researcher to the situation being observed can
lead to significant observer bias .
 The participant observer role is a very demanding one, to which not all
researchers will be suited
 Access to organizations may be difficult.
 Data recording is often very difficult for the researcher.
際際滷 9.9
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Structured observation (1)
Points to consider
 Structured observation is systematic and aims to
establish straightforward facts
 Structured observation was an important part of
Mintzbergs (1973) study of managerial work
 Proliferation of the Internet potentially widens the
scope of participant observation
 Advantages and disadvantages of structured
observation are summarised in Table 9.2
Saunders et al. (2009)
際際滷 9.10
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Structured observation (2)
Data collection and analysis
 Choosing an off the shelf coding schedule
 Designing your own coding schedule
 Combining both types of schedule
 Use of simple (manual) or complex
(computer) methods of analysis
際際滷 9.11
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Structured observation (3)
Threats to validity and reliability
 Subject error
 Time error
 Observer effects and strategies to overcome this 
habituation and minimal interaction Robson (2002)
際際滷 9.12
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Summary: Chapter 9
 Participant observation is used in a wide range of
social settings
 Participant observation means adopting a
number of potential roles
 Roles are differentiated according to the degree
of concealed identity and participation in events
adopted by the researcher
際際滷 9.13
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Summary: Chapter 9
 The aim of participant observation is to develop
theory and avoid mere story telling
 Structured observation is concerned with the
frequency of events. It is characterised by high
levels of predetermined structure and
quantitative analysis
 The main threats to reliability and validity are
subject error, time error and observer effects

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Chapter eight (1)

  • 1. 際際滷 9.1 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Chapter 9 Collecting primary data through observation
  • 2. 際際滷 9.2 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Observation as a data collection method Observation involves the systematic observation , recording, description analysis and interpretation of peoples behaviour Saunders et al. (2009)
  • 3. 際際滷 9.3 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Types of observation The two main types Participant observation emphasises the discovery of meaning attached to actions (qualitative) Structured observation is concerned with frequency of actions (quantitative)
  • 4. 際際滷 9.4 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Participant observation (1) Definition Where the researcher attempts to participate fully in the lives and actions of subjects, enabling them to not merely observe what is happening but also feeling it Adapted from Gill and Johnson (2002)
  • 5. 際際滷 9.5 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Choice of participant observer role Determining factors Purpose of the research and time available Degree of suitability felt by the researcher Organisational access Ethical considerations
  • 6. 際際滷 9.6 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Data collection and analysis (3) Points to consider Threats to validity The perspective of the subject - not the researcher Advantages and disadvantages of participant observation are summarised in Table 9.1 Saunders et al. (2009)
  • 7. 際際滷 9.7 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Advantages It is good at explaining what is going on in particular social situation. It heightens the researchers awareness of significant social process. It is particularly useful for researchers working within their own organization. Some participant observation affords the opportunity for the researcher to the experience for real the emotions of those who are being researched. Virtually all data collected are useful.
  • 8. 際際滷 9.8 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Disadvantages It can be very time consuming. It can pose difficult ethical dilemmas for the researchers. They can be high levels of role conflict for the researcher. The closeness of the researcher to the situation being observed can lead to significant observer bias . The participant observer role is a very demanding one, to which not all researchers will be suited Access to organizations may be difficult. Data recording is often very difficult for the researcher.
  • 9. 際際滷 9.9 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Structured observation (1) Points to consider Structured observation is systematic and aims to establish straightforward facts Structured observation was an important part of Mintzbergs (1973) study of managerial work Proliferation of the Internet potentially widens the scope of participant observation Advantages and disadvantages of structured observation are summarised in Table 9.2 Saunders et al. (2009)
  • 10. 際際滷 9.10 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Structured observation (2) Data collection and analysis Choosing an off the shelf coding schedule Designing your own coding schedule Combining both types of schedule Use of simple (manual) or complex (computer) methods of analysis
  • 11. 際際滷 9.11 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Structured observation (3) Threats to validity and reliability Subject error Time error Observer effects and strategies to overcome this habituation and minimal interaction Robson (2002)
  • 12. 際際滷 9.12 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Summary: Chapter 9 Participant observation is used in a wide range of social settings Participant observation means adopting a number of potential roles Roles are differentiated according to the degree of concealed identity and participation in events adopted by the researcher
  • 13. 際際滷 9.13 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, 息 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Summary: Chapter 9 The aim of participant observation is to develop theory and avoid mere story telling Structured observation is concerned with the frequency of events. It is characterised by high levels of predetermined structure and quantitative analysis The main threats to reliability and validity are subject error, time error and observer effects