Respected Scholars, Please assist me in the following matter:
1. A Qualitative research study is being started in Pakistan on the matter of Brand equity at doctoral level in which i am collaborating
2. The title the research study is: The implications regarding trademarks to become brands and their collective value effect on firms from marketer and consumer perspective
3. According to research onion:
a. Research philosophy : Subjectivism
b. Research approach: Inductive
c. Research strategy: Descriptive study involving the observation and survey technique
Sources for (c) are:
Jackson, S.L. (2009). Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach 3rd edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
http://www.researchgate.net/post/What_do_we_mean_by_Descriptive_Research
Methodological fit (Edmondson & Mcmanus, 2007)
d. Methodological choices: Mono method (Qualitative descriptive study)
e. Time horizon: Cross sectional
f. Data collection (sampling + analyses): Stratified purposive sapling & Thematic content analysis.
4. Research Problem:
There are two paradigms and seven approaches or school of thoughts in Brand equity study (1985 till present) out of which the researcher came to know that the two school of thoughts, identity and consumer based theory, are bonded by cognitive theory, but has not been observed to be studied anywhere . The reason behind it is that most of the developing countries as Pakistan are concentrating on quantitative research in contrast to the depiction of the brand equity scholars, that the research in brand equity or brand equity management became softer as we move away from the 1990s literary work. Thus, the “cognitive construct” is the gap, which needs to be studied, between the positivistic and constructivist approaches in accordance to the loss of brand equity from marketer and consumer side.
5. Proposed Research Questions:
a. How cognitive construct can be the source of marketer and consumer based loss of brand equity in firms?
OR
b. What kind of loss the marketer and consumer is facing in terms of brand equity in firms while the cognitive construct is being neglected?
Questions from the RESEARCH GATE COMMUNITY are:
1. How can the researcher use Nvivo for this in an effective manner?
2. Is there any other software that can be more efficient ?
3. Will the researcher face problem by coupling observational and survey technique (open-ended questions) in Qualitative descriptive research strategy?
4. The researcher is using stratified sampling technique because in universities, enforcement agencies, and corporations... a hand full of people know about my problem area. Can the sampling technique be problematic for me?
5. Simply the researcher wants to about the loss which is happening to the marketer in terms of trademark and brand. From the consumer side, what loss the consumer bears and transfers back the negative effect to the marketer in terms of image, reputation and awareness loss. Intellectual property organisation of Pakistan is working on this area but there are many loop holes that have to be filled by the literary society. Having said that, the researcher be going for case studies or the detail i mentioned above is ok ?
6. Some say that Nvivo can only be used when you are having case study and Grounded theory. Is that right ?
7. What is the difference between descriptive and narrative research? how can i find its logic from research onion?
8. Can triangulation be used in terms of analysis, theory and data collection sources ?
9. Any comments on the researcher’s samples and sampling technique as below :
Purposive Sampling Stratified Samples/Strata/Stratums
1. Universities (i)research facilities (ii)Professors (iii)IPO representatives
2. Businesses (i)IPO representatives (ii)Research facilities (iii)Owners of small and medium enterprises
3. Legal fraternity (community) (i)Judges (ii)Attorneys
4. Enforcement agencies (i)Senior Police officers (ii)Senior FIA officers
(iii)Custom officers at Anti-Piracy Cells (APCs)(iv)FBR officers (v)PEMRA representatives for IPR
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_do_we_mean_by_Descriptive_Research
http://users.business.uconn.edu/jgoodman/MGMT%206201%20Assigned%20Readings%202008/1%20Theory%20and%20research%20design/Edmondson%20and%20McManus%202007%20.pdf
I am sorry I cannot offer much on the specifics of the research questions but I do have some opinions about software and design.
1,2, 6 - I believe that researchers can effectively use NVivo for most if not all qualitative approaches. Essentially NVivo simply facilitates data management based on the researcher's design and organizational decisions - although these data management capabilities fortunately also include multiple ways to manipulate or report the data. Still, it is the researcher who decides what and how much to code, and what coding scheme(s) to use, so it seems that most qualitative methodologies can be fit one way or another (some more easily than others; I think IPA in NVivo would be a challenge). I think the same can be said for several other qualitative analysis programs.
Where I have found most difficulty with NVivo is when I generate a large number of lengthy codes during first cycle coding, so I sometimes use Word for first cycle coding and perform second cycle coding on a document containing the first cycle codes (my first cycle codes tend to look more like phrases or short sentences than 1-2 word descriptions). NVivo is more effective I think when you can see the coding hierarchy as you go, so it may work better for those who code from the data source directly into a preselected code list - whether it is based on the interview guide, or the areas of research interest. Certainly this is not a requirement but with a larger number of codes, you lose some of the advantages of visualization provided by NVivo unless you are able to quickly create hierarchies or relationships within open or in vivo codes and nodes.
3- My personal opinion is that having two types of qualitative data strengthens the findings and does allow more opportunity for contradictory (or confirming, or clarifying) data to emerge. And NVivo supports multiple data types so the observational data can be incorporated whether it is in text or another format, even including video recordings.
4- Purposeful sampling, that I believe includes stratified sampling schemes, is certainly a common feature in qualitative research; according to one source I read, it is wasteful to include participants who cannot add much to the research question. That said, and in looking at your research questions (which are very far from my area of expertise), I would not necessarily dismiss grounded theory (GT), especially for question A. I see this as a 'process' question which I understand that GT is a good approach for, also researchers often solicit participants who represent different roles, or different views of the same thing in GT studies. If this is a possibility, you might consult the books on GT by Charmez because I believe her interpretation of GT is a bit more qualitative-focused and also (I think) more flexible and accessible than Glaser and Strauss or Strauss and Corbin. Question 5b., on the other hand, does fit better with the descriptive approach that was outlined. I think you could also address 5a with a descriptive study but I think the data might additionally provide information that could help with theory building.
Best of luck to the researcher with this project! I am certain that the qualitative approach will help add some depth that prior quantitative research might not have provided.
sheryl c.
Thanks Sheryl Chatfield, i am highly obliged by your concentrated answer. Please do forward my query to the ones who seem to be of my area or can give any assistance. I have posted my question on forums and messaged it to the people of my area. It is good to know that literary community of research gate is doing a global social development by having people like you who spare their time to share knowledge and valuable opinions on research. Thanks again.
I will pass along the research specific segments to anyone I think might respond. A lot of US academics are not working for the next 7-10 days, some even longer, but after Jan 1st 2015, you might see many more helpful response.
I guess I'm confused at what you're actually asking here. If it is whether a descriptive study would yield results I'd say yes and I'd like to hear where your project went.
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