Focus Groups Essay ⋆ Business Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Focus groups are a popular qualitative research methodology that engages a number of respondents who are simultaneously involved in the discussion of a topic (or number of topics). Focus groups have been used in a wide range of disciplines such as consumer research, marketing research, human resource studies, and others. They are mainly used during the exploratory phases of a research project, when usually little is known about a specific phenomenon or topic under investigation. The method could also be used to interpret quantitative data collected in the past, contributing to the better understanding of the phenomena in question. In business contexts it could be used to initiate “brainstorming” about new products/services offered and/or practices followed by a provider.

A key to the success of a focus group is the interaction among participants. Interaction is highly desirable and crucial when the researcher would like to explore the dynamics of a specific group of respondents regarding a specific issue. Hence, an important decision when setting up the groups of respondents is the selection of either homogeneous or heterogeneous groups. The decision depends on the research question. It is common, though, that researchers usually select respondents who share some characteristics such as age, lifestyle, or experiences. The advantage of a homogeneous group is that it gives participants a sense of safety expressing their views among peers with a number of similarities, a situation that generally enhances unbiased communication. On the other side, heterogeneous groups could inspire participants in a new way of thinking.

Another key to the success of a focus group is the skill of the researcher, who is usually the moderator of the discussion. He/she is responsible for guiding the discussion so as to capture specific topic(s) of particular interest for the study. It is important that he/she should collect information by making respondents reveal their personal views and by making participants contrast them with those expressed by others in the group.

Process

The researcher first decides on the number of groups required to collect information about the topic. The appropriate selection method is purposive (and not random) since respondents are selected based on their ability to contribute to the specific topic(s) of discussion. Next is the selection of a homogeneous or heterogeneous type of group. Respondents within groups are selected based on a recruiting protocol, which describes their characteristics. Relative with the number of groups used in a study, it is generally accepted that the researcher keeps adding groups until the additional information gained is minimal (or else the researcher achieves the level of theoretical saturation as manifested by the responses from existing groups).

The literature proposes that groups should be comprised of six to 12 respondents. The rationale is that the lower the number of participants, the greater their interaction. In addition to the above, there are some practical issues to be taken into consideration. One of them is the duration of the session (a rule of thumb is around two hours so as to allow time to build rapport). Also, the researcher should carefully select the location where the group discussion will take place, taking into consideration convenience, ease of access, and lack of distractions from the environment. The internet had made this easier, allowing researchers to set up groups online.

Even though there is always the option of hiring a professional moderator, in most cases it is the researcher who plays that role. An important advantage of the latter is his/her familiarity with the topic of discussion. One drawback may be their lack of experience in playing that role. The researcher as a moderator should bear in mind his/her level of involvement. This depends on the topic of discussion. However, the logic of the method is to stimulate participants to interact and to intervene when needed. In order for the moderator to increase the effectiveness of the focus group, he/she should design the interview guide before the start of the discussion. A pre-test of the whole process would also be an advantage.

One way of analyzing information collected could be via content analysis. The advantage for a researcher being the moderator too is that he/she will have a better feel for the data collected and will perform a better quality analysis.

Advantages And Disadvantages

One major advantage of focus groups as a type of scientific inquiry is the rapid collection of desired information, since a number of respondents give their views simultaneously. This also saves money. Moreover, participants may express their views in their own words and be stimulated by the views expressed by others in the group.

One downside of the method is that the recruitment of participants may be time consuming unless the researcher has them ready at hand. Recruitment becomes even more problematic (both in terms of time and money) when the number of appropriate respondents is small, not easily accessible, and widely dispersed in a country. Another disadvantage is the usually small number of questions/topics raised. Also, participants may be influenced by the moderator’s presence. Building on the above, participants may be unwilling to reveal their views in front of others. Furthermore, the researcher should be very careful with the use of findings. Due to the limitations stemming from the respondents used, the findings are not generalizable (statistically). What the researcher could try to achieve (if required) is analytical generalizability.

Variations

An interesting variation of the “traditional” focus group type of inquiry is the so-called two-way focus groups. Its difference is that instead of one person acting as the moderator, there is a whole group of moderators. There are in effect two groups; one comprises the participants and the other the moderators.

The increasing use of the internet as a viable tool for conducting social sciences and/or business research introduced an additional type of focus groups; namely online focus groups. Internet communications help researchers overcome the issue of distance among participants. Consequently, such focus groups cost less to run. There are two types: synchronous (all participants provide answers simultaneously) and asynchronous (participants receive an e-mail with other participants’ responses and reflect on them). An important advantage is that they encourage participants to provide honest responses taking advantage of their anonymity. The results are also real-time. Furthermore, respondents can express their views without being distracted by others. However, they may feel demotivated due to the need to type their responses using keyboards, leading to either fewer or shorter responses. Another disadvantage is that it is restricted to participants who have internet access. Finally, the researcher cannot make notes on the participants’ body language.

Bibliography:

Michel Callon, Yuval Millo, and Fabian Muniesa, Market Devices (Blackwell Publishing, 2007);
David Carson, Audrey Gilmore, Chad Perry, and Kjell Gronhaug, Qualitative Marketing Research (Sage, 2001);
Robert J. Kaden, Guerrilla Marketing Research: Marketing Research Techniques That Can Help Any Business Make More Money (Kogan Page, 2006);
Bonita M. Kolb, Marketing Research: A Practical Approach (Sage, 2008);
Kumar, David A. Aaker, and George S. Day, Essentials of Marketing Research (Wiley, 2007);
Colin Robson, Real World Research (Blackwell Publishing, 2002).

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