A study note on semi-structured research interview that employs the phenomenological approach (information from perplexity.ai)
My question 1: "What is a semi-structured research interview using the phenomenological approach all about with reference to the fields of business management and housing studies?"
The reply: "A semi-structured research interview using the phenomenological approach is a qualitative data collection method designed to explore and understand participants' lived experiences and the meanings they attach to those experiences. This approach combines a flexible interview framework with a focus on deep, subjective insights into human phenomena.
What is a Semi-Structured Interview?
A semi-structured interview involves asking participants questions based on a predetermined thematic framework, but the order and phrasing of questions are flexible. This allows the interviewer to adapt questions in response to participants' answers, encouraging an open, conversational flow that uncovers rich, detailed information. The method balances the consistency of structured interviews with the depth and flexibility of unstructured interviews, making it well-suited for exploratory research where understanding complex human experiences is key125.
Phenomenological Approach in Research
Phenomenology as a research method focuses on examining the lived experiences of individuals to understand how they perceive and make sense of particular phenomena. It prioritizes capturing the essence and meaning of experiences from the participant’s perspective, often using in-depth or semi-structured interviews to gather detailed narratives. The analysis typically involves interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), which seeks to explore how individuals make sense of their experiences in context36.
Combining Semi-Structured Interviews with Phenomenology
Using semi-structured interviews within a phenomenological framework allows researchers to explore participants’ subjective experiences in a flexible yet focused manner. The interviewer guides the conversation around key themes but remains open to emergent topics, enabling a nuanced understanding of how participants live and interpret their experiences. This method is particularly effective for capturing the complexity of human perceptions, emotions, and social contexts26.
Application in Business Management
In business management, this combined approach is used to explore entrepreneurs' and small business owners' lived experiences, particularly in contexts like digital transformation and innovation. Phenomenological studies with semi-structured interviews help reveal the meanings and personal strategies entrepreneurs attach to their business activities, offering rich insights into their motivations, challenges, and decision-making processes. This approach supports the development of context-sensitive theories and policies by providing detailed, qualitative data on the entrepreneurial experience6.
Application in Housing Studies
In housing studies, semi-structured interviews using a phenomenological approach are employed to understand residents' lived experiences related to housing environments, safety, and community. For example, studies on older adults moving into extra care housing or experiencing housing hazards use this method to capture detailed personal narratives about well-being, safety, and adaptation to new living conditions. The approach helps uncover how individuals perceive their homes and communities, as well as the impact of environmental and social factors on their quality of life347.
Summary
Semi-structured interviews provide a flexible, open-ended way to collect qualitative data guided by thematic questions but adaptable to participant responses.
Phenomenological research aims to understand the essence of lived experiences from the participant’s viewpoint.
Together, they enable deep exploration of complex, subjective human experiences.
In business management, this approach uncovers entrepreneurs' personal meanings and experiences, especially in digital and small business contexts.
In housing studies, it reveals residents' perceptions of home, safety, and community, particularly among vulnerable populations like older adults or those facing housing instability.
This combination is valuable for generating rich, contextual insights that can inform theory, policy, and practice in both fields."
My question 2: "What are the generic steps and techniques involved in a semi-structured research interview using the phenomenological approach with reference to business management and housing studies?"
The reply: "A semi-structured research interview using the phenomenological approach involves a series of generic steps and techniques designed to deeply explore participants’ lived experiences while allowing flexibility in the interview process. This method is widely applicable in fields like business management and housing studies to capture rich, subjective insights.
Generic Steps in Semi-Structured Phenomenological Interviews
- Determine the Purpose and Scope of the Study
- Identify and Recruit Participants
- Ethical Considerations and Informed Consent
- Develop the Interview Guide
- Establish Rapport and Conduct the Interview
- Memoing and ReflectionAfter interviews, write reflective memos to capture initial impressions, emerging themes, and contextual notes that aid later analysis4.
- Data Analysis
- Demonstrate TrustworthinessUse strategies like member checking, triangulation, and audit trails to ensure the credibility and reliability of findings4.
- Present FindingsReport findings emphasizing participants’ voices and the meanings they ascribe to their experiences, often illustrated with direct quotes4.
Techniques Specific to Phenomenological Semi-Structured Interviews
Open-Ended Questions: Encourage participants to describe their experiences in their own words without leading or restricting responses16.
Flexible Question Order: Adapt the sequence of questions based on the flow of conversation to explore relevant themes naturally2.
Probing and Follow-Up: Use prompts to clarify, deepen, or expand on participants’ responses, exploring emotions, perceptions, and contextual details26.
Multiple Interview Sessions (Optional): In some phenomenological studies, multiple interviews per participant may be conducted to revisit and deepen understanding of experiences5.
Conversational Style: Maintain a balance between guiding the interview and allowing participants freedom to express their lived experience fully5.
Application in Business Management and Housing Studies
- Business Management:Researchers explore entrepreneurs’ or managers’ lived experiences, such as coping with digital transformation or business challenges, by asking about their perceptions, emotions, and decision-making processes using semi-structured interviews guided by phenomenology9.
- Housing Studies:Studies focus on residents’ experiences with housing environments, safety, or transitions (e.g., moving to extra care housing). Interviews probe how participants perceive their homes and community, and how these experiences affect their well-being9.
This structured yet flexible approach allows researchers in business management and housing studies to capture the depth and complexity of human experiences, facilitating meaningful insights and practical implications."
My question 3: "Please provide some more clarification of the techniques employed in phenomenological data analysis in this regard."
The reply: "Phenomenological data analysis in semi-structured interviews involves specific techniques aimed at uncovering the essence and meaning of participants’ lived experiences. These techniques focus on describing and interpreting how individuals perceive and make sense of their experiences, which is particularly useful in fields like business management and housing studies where subjective understanding is crucial.
Key Techniques in Phenomenological Data Analysis
1. Bracketing (Epoché)
This involves the researcher consciously setting aside their own preconceptions, biases, and prior knowledge to approach the data with an open mind. The goal is to view the participants’ experiences freshly and without judgment, focusing purely on the phenomena as described by them1.
2. Horizonalization
In this step, every statement or piece of data is given equal value initially. The researcher treats all data as important to identify significant statements that reveal aspects of the experience. This helps in capturing the full range of the participant’s perspective before narrowing down themes1.
3. Clustering of Themes
After horizonalization, the researcher groups significant statements into clusters or themes that reflect common patterns or essential qualities of the experience. These themes represent the core elements of the phenomenon under study12.
4. Phenomenological Reduction (Textural and Structural Description)
Textural Description: Focuses on describing what the experience is like - the detailed, qualitative features and the participant’s narrative of the experience.
Structural Description: Explores how the experience happened, including the context, conditions, and underlying structures that shape the experience. Together, these provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon3.
5. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
IPA combines phenomenology with hermeneutics (interpretation) and idiography (focus on individual cases). It involves:
Line-by-line coding: Detailed examination of transcripts, assigning codes to each sentence or phrase that capture the participant’s meaning.
Developing emergent themes: Grouping codes into broader themes that reflect shared meanings.
Searching for connections: Exploring relationships between themes within and across participants.
Double hermeneutic: The researcher interprets the participant’s own interpretation of their experience, adding depth to the analysis679.
6. Thematic Analysis
Often used alongside phenomenological methods, thematic analysis involves identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within the data. It provides a structured way to organize the rich qualitative data into meaningful categories while remaining grounded in participants’ perspectives25.
7. Textualization and Writing Up
The final step is to write a rich, detailed narrative that conveys the essence of the experience, supported by direct quotes from participants. This narrative integrates the themes and interpretations to tell a coherent story about the phenomenon1.
Application in Business Management and Housing Studies
- Business Management:Phenomenological analysis helps interpret entrepreneurs’ or managers’ subjective experiences, such as coping with digital transformation or business challenges, by identifying themes around emotions, decision-making, and meaning-making processes through line-by-line coding and thematic clustering.
- Housing Studies:It reveals how residents experience housing environments, safety, or transitions by capturing detailed textural descriptions of their lived realities, then interpreting structural aspects like social or environmental conditions influencing these experiences.
These techniques collectively enable researchers to produce nuanced, in-depth insights into how people in business management and housing contexts experience and interpret their worlds."
My question 4: "Please provide some more advice on how bracketing can be employed to study the semi-structured research interview transcript in this case"
The reply: "To effectively employ bracketing when studying semi-structured research interview transcripts in phenomenological research-such as in business management or housing studies-you need to deliberately set aside your own preconceptions and biases throughout the data analysis process to faithfully capture participants’ lived experiences. Here is detailed advice based on current phenomenological research practice:
How to Employ Bracketing in Analyzing Semi-Structured Interview Transcripts
1. Acknowledge and Document Your Preconceptions Before Analysis
Before engaging with the transcripts, explicitly identify and write down your own beliefs, assumptions, and prior knowledge related to the phenomenon under study (e.g., assumptions about entrepreneurs’ decision-making or residents’ housing experiences). This can be done through:
Analytical memos or reflective notes
- Reflexive journaling documenting your values, experiences, and potential biases
2. Conduct a Bracketing Interview (Optional but Recommended)
Engage in a self-interview or be interviewed by a colleague about your views and experiences related to the research topic. This process uncovers implicit biases and emotional reactions that might otherwise unconsciously influence your interpretation of participants’ data28.
3. Maintain a Bracketing Mindset During Transcript Review
When reading and coding transcripts:
Approach the data with openness and curiosity, focusing on what participants say rather than what you expect or want to find.
Resist the urge to interpret or judge based on your prior knowledge.
Treat each statement as equally significant initially (horizonalization).
Use open-ended coding to capture participants’ meanings without imposing your framework36.
4. Use Reflexive Memos Throughout Analysis
Write ongoing memos reflecting on your thought processes, emerging themes, and any moments where your assumptions might be influencing interpretation. This reflexivity supports continuous bracketing and transparency23.
5. Engage in Collaborative or Group Bracketing (If Possible)
Discuss your transcripts and preliminary analyses with peers or supervisors who can challenge your interpretations and help identify potential biases. Group discussions can reveal hidden assumptions and promote more faithful representation of participants’ perspectives8.
6. Include Bracketing Reflections in Your Research Report
Document your bracketing process explicitly in your methodology section, including how you identified and managed your preconceptions. This enhances the credibility and trustworthiness of your findings38.
7. Member Checking to Validate Interpretations
Share your emerging themes or interpretations with participants to confirm that your understanding aligns with their experiences, further ensuring that your analysis remains grounded in their perspectives rather than your biases6.
By systematically applying these bracketing techniques, researchers in business management and housing studies can ensure that their phenomenological analysis of semi-structured interview transcripts authentically represents participants’ lived experiences, free from undue researcher influence1238."
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