IJMR Research Methods Forum 2009:
 Stop asking, start listening
The Royal Society, London
4 November 2009
The theme for 2009 was Stop asking, start listening - should research methods be more concerned with listening to what consumers and citizens say, rather than pre-framing the agenda by asking pre-defined questions or using discussion guides?
Two research models emerged in the 1930s. Gallup developed the Q&A approach, adapted from the methods first applied by social researchers in the late 19th century. In this model, researchers set the research agenda based on their needs rather than necessarily considering those of the interviewees. In contrast, Mass Observation used methods developed by ethnographers and anthropologists to actively listen to, and observe, communities. By the 1950s, the Gallup approach had become the dominant method while the ethnographic approach had become little more than a niche market. However, the 2008 Forum demonstrated that web 2.0 is leading the research sector to question whether the traditional Gallup model needs re-thinking in today’s world of social networks and consumer/citizen power.
This raises some interesting questions, such as:
- Is the Mass Observation model about to go mainstream?
- Are ‘respondents’ now ‘participants’, equal partners in the research process?
- Is co-creation the way forward in market research and what does this mean in research methodological terms?
- Will consumers/citizens always be aware in future that they are participating in a research project?
- Are the boundaries between research and marketing becoming rather blurred?
- Are there new ethical issues to consider?
The speakers, all leaders in their field, addressed the theme considering: the methodological challenges; the most appropriate methodologies to meet today’s needs; where ‘asking’ and where ‘listening/observing’ fit into the research model; and likely methodological developments. They argued the case for whether, for their specialist field, the future will be ‘asking’, ‘listening/observing’ or a mix of both.
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