Conducting Research via Interviews

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Collecting & analyzing interview data

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Sekaran & Saks Texts Example of structured interview

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Rudermann et al article

Why conduct interviews

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To form OR test hypotheses

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To identify samples needed for hypothesis-testing research

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To gather more detailed info

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Before vs. after data collection

Issues to consider

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Interview Participants Methods of interviewing How to increase interviewee motivation Structure of interviews Avoiding Bias Questioning Techniques

Interview Participants

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Opportunity vs. Representative samples

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Benefits to generalization Benefits to having formal/informal group Leaders in org/market research

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Source of ‘rich’ data

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Adding credibility to study

Interview Methods

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Face-Face Telephone

Interview Methods

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Face to face

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Direct observation

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Non-verbal body cues, work context, response to physical/visual stimuli

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Cost

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Time, geographic constraints, more personnel, safety

Interview Methods

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Telephone

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Response rate issues

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Relatively higher than face-face interview

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Completion rate issues

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Restricts complexity & length of interview

Interviewee motivation

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Interviewees perceptions of the value of research Providing information about Sponsor Rapport

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Interviewer’s Listening skills & empathy Topic & format Setting

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Work vs. non-work

Interview Structure

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Unstructured Structured

Interview Structure

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Unstructured

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Uncover preliminary issues to identify variables needing further study

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Broad, open questions

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Job-level and work type

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Monosyllabic answers

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Positive vs. negative responses

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Non-cooperative interviewees

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Supervisory vs. non-supervisory employees Sekaran

Interview Structure

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Structured Interviews

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Qs focus on relevant factors Each P asked same qs

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Sometimes deviate from interview protocol to uncover new factors

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Use of Visual aids & physical stimuli

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Marketing, children, issues that are hard to articulate

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Advantages over questionnaire Terminating data collection Sekaran, Saks

Avoiding Bias

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Sources of Interviewer bias

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Lack of trust & rapport Mis-interpretation/distortion responses Encouraging or discouraging certain types of responses via gestures/facial expressions Not Listening attentively Not Paraphrasing answers Not Repeating/clarifying questions Not Being tactful Sekaran

Avoiding Bias

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Sources of Interviewee Bias

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Not revealing true opinions/experiences

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Interviewee says what s/he thinks interviewer wants to hear

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Not understanding questions

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Not liking interviewer

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Giving ‘socially desirable’ responses Sekaran

Avoiding Bias

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Situational bias

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Reasons for non-participation

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Unwillingness, inability

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Different levels of rapport/trust across different participants/interviewers

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Physical setting

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Degree to which it inhibits honesty Sekaran

Questioning Techniques

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Funnel technique

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Sequence & Level of specificity of questions

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Familiarity w/interviewee’s understanding

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Contamination of responses

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Perceived spontaneity, decreased self consciousness, rapport

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Probes & follow-up qs Sekaran, Saks

Questioning Techniques

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Unbiased questioning

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Loaded/leading questions Clarifying Issues

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Re-stating/rephrasing Helping respondent think through issues

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Rephrase depending on verbalization ability Sekaran

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Questioning Techniques Note Taking

Intrusiveness

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Focus on summarizing

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Focus on behavior

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Effect on self-consciousness Effect on rapport Permission for taping

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Effects on interviewee inhibition

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Take notes (or tape) after interview Saks

Conducting Research via Interviews

• •

Collecting & analyzing interview data

–

Sekaran & Saks Texts Example of structured interview

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Rudermann et al article

Rudermann et al Study

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Benefits of non-job roles for managerial women

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Hypothesis: Experiences in personal roles enrich managerial skills

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What percentage of women mention this hypothesis in their interviews?

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What percentage of all responses to interviews support this hypothesis?

Participants

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74% of women participating in a women only leadership devel’t prg Avg. Age=40 (range=26-57) 92% White Avg. Salary =~78K (SD= ~32k)

Participants

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Rank

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Middle =49%,

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Upper middle =34%

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Exec=17% Figure?

51% had post-graduate education 50% had children under 18 yrs 71% in committed relationships 84% in Fortune 500 corporations

Procedure

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Faxed qs to participants a few days before interview Pilot tested interview qs on 28 women managers Tape-recorded and transcribed each interview

Measures

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Open-ended questions on

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Different types of roles managers held

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Challenges faced in roles

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Are there any dimensions/aspects of personal life that enhance your professional life?

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Use of follow up qs and probes to obtain details on roles

Data Analysis

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Applied grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) Coding techniques Boyatzis (1998)

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Developed initial hypotheses during interviews with pilot and study 1 participants

Interview Coding

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2 raters read 30 interviews many times Developed excerpts of each P’s answer Summarized excerpts Organized summaries & sample quotes Compared & contrasted quotes and summaries for each case to id 13 patterns & themes Examined remaining interviews for add’l themes

Interview Coding

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13 themes reduced to 6 categories Reviewed all excerpts to confirm categorization Developed codebook explaining 6 themes

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66.7% to 90.9% inter-rater agreement on coding of themes

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Not good according to Boyatzis, 1998

Non-work roles provide… Opportunities to enhance inter personal skills Psychological benefits

Results

% of Sample Stating 42 23 Emotional support & advice 19 % Rater Agree ment 90.2

75.9

90.9

Discussion

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Tentative support for hypothesis Alternative ways of presenting data to support hypothesis