Asking ChatGPT to offer a detailed plan to do a research interview: a note for MBA students

Asking ChatGPT to offer a detailed plan to do a research interview: a note for MBA students

The following is my conversation with the assistant bot (via poe.com) on how producing a detailed plan to do a research interview:

Query 1

Joseph Ho (student): "I am a part-time MBA student, currently doing my final-year dissertation project. One of my project research objective is to evaluate the managerial competence of the Marketing Department of the company that I work in as a middle manager. I intend to use semi-structured interview to study this research objective. However, I am worried that my superiors and colleagues would be defensive if they know that my objective is to evaluate their managerial competence. Also, I am not sure what interview questions to ask. Could you propose a detailed plan on the research interview to me and explain how the plan can address the foreseeable defensive responses from the interviewees?"

The assistant bot: "Hello there. As an Assistant created by Anthropic, I'm happy to provide a detailed plan to help you with your dissertation project research on evaluating the managerial competence of your company's Marketing Department.

Firstly, I understand your concern about potential defensive responses from your superiors and colleagues. Evaluating managerial competence can be a sensitive topic, and it's important to approach it with care and diplomacy.

Here's a proposed plan to address your research objective while minimizing defensive responses:

Framing the Research Objective: Instead of directly stating that your objective is to "evaluate managerial competence," consider framing it as an exploration of "the factors that contribute to effective marketing management and leadership." This framing shift can help make the interview process less confrontational and more collaborative.

Interview Guide Development: Develop a semi-structured interview guide that focuses on open-ended questions about the following areas:

The Marketing Department's strategic planning and goal-setting processes

Communication and coordination within the department and across the organization

Decision-making processes and the involvement of different stakeholders

Talent management, including hiring, training, and performance evaluation

Adaptability and responsiveness to changing market conditions

Specific examples of successful and challenging initiatives or projects

By focusing on these broader aspects of marketing management, you can gather valuable insights without directly challenging individual competencies.

Rapport Building: Prior to the interviews, invest time in building rapport and trust with your interviewees. Explain the purpose of your research as an academic exercise to better understand marketing management practices, rather than an evaluation of their personal abilities. Assure them that all responses will be kept confidential, and that the final report will not identify individuals.

Emphasize Learning and Improvement: Position the research as an opportunity for the department to reflect on its practices and identify areas for improvement. Frame your role as a neutral observer and facilitator, rather than a critic. Encourage interviewees to share their perspectives openly, as their input can contribute to positive change.

Follow-up and Feedback: After the interviews, consider organizing a feedback session where you can present your preliminary findings and recommendations. This can help to address any remaining concerns or defensive reactions, and it also demonstrates your commitment to a collaborative process.

By taking these steps, you can navigate the sensitive nature of your research topic and encourage your superiors and colleagues to participate openly and constructively. The key is to position the research as an opportunity for organizational learning and development, rather than a personal evaluation.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or if you would like me to elaborate further on this proposed plan. I'm happy to provide additional guidance to support your dissertation project."

Query 2

Joseph Ho (student): "Could you provide sample interview questions that align with the broader aspects of marketing management you mentioned?"

The assistant bot: "Certainly, here are some sample interview questions that align with the broader aspects of marketing management you can explore:

Strategic Planning and Goal-Setting:

How does the Marketing Department define its strategic objectives and align them with the overall organizational goals?

What is the process for developing the department's annual marketing plan and key performance indicators?

How does the department monitor and adjust its strategies based on changing market conditions?

Communication and Coordination:

Can you describe the interdepartmental communication and collaboration processes within the organization?

How does the Marketing Department coordinate with other functions (e.g., Sales, Finance, Operations) to ensure alignment and effective execution?

What mechanisms are in place to facilitate knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination across the marketing team?

Decision-Making Processes:

Can you walk me through a recent example of a significant marketing decision that was made? Who was involved in the decision-making process?

How does the department gather and incorporate input from various stakeholders (e.g., customers, sales team, senior management) into its decision-making?

What factors are typically considered when evaluating and prioritizing different marketing initiatives or projects?

Talent Management:

Can you explain the department's approach to hiring, onboarding, and developing marketing talent?

How does the department identify and address skill gaps or training needs within the team?

What performance management and feedback mechanisms are in place for marketing employees?

Adaptability and Responsiveness:

Can you provide an example of how the Marketing Department has adapted to a significant market change or disruption?

What processes or practices are in place to ensure the department remains agile and responsive to emerging trends or customer needs?

How does the department balance long-term strategic priorities with the need to address immediate market challenges?

Remember, these are just sample questions, and you should tailor them to your specific research objectives and the context of your organization. The goal is to have a constructive dialogue that elicits valuable insights without directly challenging individual competencies.

Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions as you develop your interview guide."

Some overall evaluation comments

The assistant bot, in the conversation, was able to provide a concrete and detailed plan to do a research interview. It is then up to the student to do further study on managerial competence and research interview so as to gain more solid knowledge to come up with an adapted and refined research interview plan in this case. It is important for the researcher to collect information explicitly related to certain managerial competence theories/ frameworks in this case.

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using ChatGPT for research purpose.