BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

Interview
Interview is an interactive process of listening in and asking questions, between
interviewer and interviewee about research topic.
OR
Interview a person to person interaction or debate between two or more individual
with a specific purpose in mind.

Types of interviews:
There are several types of interviews that are as follows
1. Telephone Interview
2. Email Interview
3. Ethnographic Interview
4. One-on-One Interview
5. Group Interview
(Gilham B. (2005), Research Interviewing: the range of
techniques)

Type of
interview

Definition

Advantages

telephone
interview

It is an interview method in
which the researcher conducts
interview on telephone in a
mutually responsive way in
order to get highly productive
and quality information from
persons at a distant location.

Can combine virtues

of survey sampling and in-depth
interviewing

Gen
nui
unw

Has some of the

qualities of face-to-face interviewing

Non
mis

Interviews not
bound by geographical distance

Dur
lim

It is an interview method in
which the researcher conduct
interview using email based on
internet technology, accessing
enormous information in an
instant, speedy and flexible
way.

Instant
communication access worldwide

Email
interview

Acceptable to those
reluctant to participate in a face-toface interview
Extremely
economical on time
Response is at
interviewees convenience

Disadv

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rese

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BUSINESS RESEARCH
METHODS

No transcription
required

Ethnograp
hic
interview

One-onone
/Individual
Interview

It is an interview method in
which the interviewer acts as
participant observer and
collects data in a natural
setting from the respondents.

It is an exploratory interview
method to have deep
understanding of the people
who come to your site one-onone by probing their attitudes,
beliefs, desires, and
experiences.

High validity:
naturalistic, unguarded

Can be crossreferenced to other data

Gives access to
people who could not be
interviewed in other ways

In-depth exposure
to a persons experiences
More time to
discuss topics in detail.

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con

group dynamics
Full attention to the
interviewee

It is an exploratory interview
method in which open and
unspecific discussion is
performed on a research topic
by the group members in order
to get deep understanding of
research topic.

rec
imm

No worry about the

Group
interview

on

ind
is s
per
bet
inte

Customized
interviewing style to draw out a shy
user or keep another user on topic.

Valuable as an
initial, exploratory technique

May reveal
dynamics through interaction, and
issues not apparent in individual
interviews

Provides early
indication of a range of views

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