QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

UNDERSTAND THE REASONS
BEHIND THE BEHAVIOUR.

Qualitative research helps us explore the motivations, perceptions, experiences, needs and decision-making process behind what people do.

OUR QUALITATIVE METHODS

Focus Group Discussions-FGDs

Small-group moderated discussions with selected participants.

How it works

Participants are recruited against defined criteria and guided through key topics by a trained moderator. The moderator probes responses, explores differences in viewpoints and identifies common themes.

Best Suited For:

Brand perceptions
Consumer needs
Product experiences
Motivations
Reactions to ideas and concepts

Questions FGDs can help answer

What do customers think about this product?
Why do people respond differently to the same proposition?
How do customers describe their experience?
What perceptions are shared and where do opinions differ?

Group interaction can surface ideas and perspectives that may not emerge during one-to-one interviews.

In Depth Interviews-IDIs

One-to-one interviews designed to explore an individual’s views in depth.

How it works

A trained interviewer follows a semi-structured discussion guide, using probing questions to understand experiences, attitudes, motivations and decision-making.

Best Suited For:

Sensitive topics
Personal experiences
Complex decisions
Individual perspectives

Questions IDIs can help answer

What is the individual experience behind this issue?
Why does this matter to this particular customer/shareholder?
What experiences shaped the decision?
What would need to change to alter their behaviour?

Key Informant Interviews-KIIs

Interviews with people who possess specialist knowledge of a market, sector or issue.

Participants may include

Industry experts
Market players
Retailers
Distributors
Other informed stakeholders

Best suited for

Market dynamics
Competition
Distribution
Regulation
Industry trends
Operational realities

Questions KIIs can answer

What is happening within this sector that isn’t immediately visible?
What are the forces shaping the market?
What barriers are organizations facing?
How is the competitive or regulatory environment changing?

HOW CLERKMASTER STRENGTHENS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Clear research objectives and structured discussion guides-
We begin with a defined research objective and a structured discussion guide.
Purposeful respondent selection-Participants are selected according to the target audience and research question.
Experienced moderators and interviewers-
Moderators and interviewers probe beyond surface-level responses to uncover deeper explanations.
Systematic coding and thematic analysis-
Responses are coded and analysed thematically to distinguish recurring patterns from isolated opinions.
Triangulation where appropriate-
Where appropriate, we compare findings across respondent groups and research questions.
Findings translated into market implications and recommendations-Findings are translated into market implications and practical business recommendations.

WHEN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IS THE RIGHT CHOICE

Sometimes you don’t need another number, you need to understand the story behind it

Qualitative research is particularly useful when you need to:

01

Explore an unfamiliar problem

You don’t yet know all the factors influencing the issue.

02

Understand why behaviour is occurring

You can see the behaviour, but not the motivations behind it.

03

Explore customer or consumer needs

You need depth rather than simply measuring the prevalence of a need.

04

Understand perceptions

You want to know how people interpret your brand, product, service or proposition.

05

Explore a new idea

You need to understand reactions to a concept, product or proposition before deciding what to measure at scale.