Abstract

Use of the focus group technique is widespread in qualitative marketing research. The technique is considered here from a philosophy of science perspective which points to a confusion of three distinct approaches to focus groups in current commercial practice. An understanding of the differences among these approaches, and of the complex nature of qualitative research, is shown to have important implications for the use of focus groups.

Keywords

Focus groupFocus (optics)Qualitative researchConfusionQualitative marketing researchPerspective (graphical)Marketing researchSociologyPsychologyMarketingEpistemologyComputer scienceSocial scienceQuantitative marketing researchBusinessBusiness marketing

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Publication Info

Year
1977
Type
article
Volume
14
Issue
3
Pages
353-364
Citations
286
Access
Closed

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286
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Cite This

Bobby J. Calder (1977). Focus Groups and the Nature of Qualitative Marketing Research. Journal of Marketing Research , 14 (3) , 353-364. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224377701400311

Identifiers

DOI
10.1177/002224377701400311