CHAPTER 3. METHOD CHOICE
3.11. e-Interviews
3.11. e-Interviews
Technological improvement and increasing access and usage of Internet communication infl uenced the development of new solutions also in qualitative interviewing (Boush & Kahle, 2005; Malhotra & Birks, 2007; Morgan & Symon, 2004). In literature and in market research practice one may meet at least four
types of interviewing that involve Internet as a mean of communication: e-mail
study (Morgan & Symon, 2004), Bulletin Board Discussion (Boush & Kahle, 2005), and e-IDIs and e-FGIs (www.iibr.pl). The main features of all four methods are shortly described in Table 3.8. As one may see, two of them are conducted not in the real time. In these types of interviews, the time from one session to another may vary and the participant(s) may choose time of responding, without or within some time constraints. Thus, the participants have more time for refl ection, what may be perceived both as an advantage and as a disadvantage depending on research goals. Also, excellent typing skills of both participants and researcher exert less infl uence upon their involvement in non-real time methods.
Table 3.8. Types of e-interviews and their main features
Individual Group
Non-real
time e-mail study/electronic interview: a series of e-mail exchanges between the researcher and participant or group of participants; researcher asks questions but also clarifi es answers of participants; answers are delayed; the communication may not have any time constraints; closer relationship may develop
Bulletin Board Discussion/non-real time focus groups: type of forum, modera-
tor presents instructions, tasks and asks questions on a common board dedi- cated for this aim, one issue in a given time, e.g., once a day to be done at a given time, participants see all answers of others and exchange opinions within given time constraints (e.g., one day for answers, two weeks for the whole study; if necessary, the moderator asks addition- al questions or helps if necessary; inter- action is minimal; a relatively large group of participants (up to even 40) is earlier recruited
Real time
e-IDI – Individual in-Depth
Interview, but in a written form instead of face-to-face interaction
e-FGI – focus group discussion in a written
form, participants’ answers may be in part visible for others, partially hidden, depending on the task
Source: own elaboration based on Boush & Kahle (2005), ww.iibr.pl; Malhotra & Birks (2007), Morgan & Symon (2004), Thorpe & Holt (2008).
Two other methods: e-IDI and e-FGI share some characteristics of its face-to- face versions. They are also a form of the Internet chat, in which moderator asks questions and participant(s) answer it in a written form. The participant(s) and moderator are meeting virtually at the same time. The moderator may ask questions spontaneously but the core questions may also be paste from a special panel. Thanks to it answers may be more spontaneous than refl exive, in particular when e-FGIs are implemented among fast typing participants. The time constraints of the interviews are predefi ned. In e-FGIs computer literacy play a huge role in the active participation in the discussion.
Till now I approached only e-mail study in the fi eld of management and economic sciences publications (see Frame 3.5. for two examples). E-mail study has some advantages that are invaluable in student and any academic work: it is convenient, rather available, cheap, and it enables to reach wide-spread group of participants. Other e-interviews methods I have met as successfully implemented in market, social or psychological research with fi eldwork done by professional research agencies that used software applicable for such aims.
Frame 3.5. Examples of e-mail method of gathering data in management and economic sciences
• Stephanie Morgan and Gillian Symon (2004) implemented this method to gather information from international staff spread around the Europe and sometimes having diffi culty in spoken English.
• Piotr Zaborek (2009b) applied this method to gather additional data from informants after the in-depth interviewing in case study research.
Above some distinctive characteristics of each of these methods, they share some characteristics, advantages and limitations (Boush & Kahle, 2005; Malhotra & Birks, 2007; Morgan & Symon, 2004). Similarly as in face-to-face interviews, in any of these methods the researcher uses a topic guide to establish the scope of the study and may clarify answers and ask additional questions. The core of analysis method is similar as in case of other qualitative methods.
Among advantages one may mention:
• opportunities to broad application: both the substitutive and comple- menting role for existing methods, access to broad scope of participants including geographical spread and other participants diffi cult to recruit for face-to-face methods (because of time-constraints or unwillingness to talk face-to-face about some topics),
• no need for transcripts: the transcripts are ready at once, thus nothing is “lost” or biased in a transcription process,
• lower fi nancial and behavioral cost: the Internet connection eliminates some costs (e.g., travelling expenses, costs of transcripts),
3.11. e-Interviews
• reduced some “status“ differences. Some information about someone’s race, religion, and also job position are not visible, what may reduce some potential barriers in developing relationship,
• wide range of techniques. Audio and visual stimuli materials may be presented to the participants, as well as the participants may attach their own materials.
However, there are still many challenges to implement e-interviews:
• recruitment process. This concerns the access to personal data such as the e-mail address as the authenticity of participants may evoke some doubts, particularly in academic environment,
• Internet access and quality of connections. Although the Internet access is easier and the quality of connections is higher, there are still some groups unavailable for this methodology,
• literacy among potential participants. Some groups and individuals may be more familiar with computer (younger, higher educated, offi ce-workers), while others may be less computer-skilled. The choice of e-interviews among the latter ones may imply a huge bias in data due to the involvement of a particular sub-group of participants,
• lack of non-verbal communication. In face-to-face interviews non-verbal signals play a huge role in building and enhancing trust and openness and may be additional source of information. Thus, other methods of developing trust, mostly explicit, have to be applied. The additional source of information can be emoticons, if necessary,
• special skills of moderators. Particularly real time e-interviews require not only good computer literacy (from both researcher and participants; some e-FGI are very involving and fast going) but also the familiarity with internet “etiquette” and language.
KEY POINTS
E-Interviews (both individual and group methods) are still rarely described in the literature despite many advantages for their usage by scholars: they are convenient, rather available and cheap, they help reach a wide group of participants. The biggest limitation in academic research is probably related with low control over recruitment process. Limited access and low literacy of participants, lack of verbal communication and special skills of moderator/ interviewer may also limit the scope of applications.
Persons who are interested in reading more about e-Interviews and their procedures in organization research may read the text by Stephanie Morgan and Gillian Symon (2004). About bulletin board discussion see Boush and Kahle (2005).