Seeking ChatGPT advice on how to formula a plan for focus group research: a note for part-time MBA students

Seeking ChatGPT advice on how to formula a plan for focus group research: a note for part-time MBA students

The following account is my conversation with Assistant Bot (via poe.com) on some queries about producing a plan for focus group research related to the topic of management development programme.

Query 1

Joseph Ho (student): "I am a part-time MBA student. One of the research objectives of my dissertation project is to find out how to improve the existing management development programme for the middle-management of the Hong Kong retail company I now work for . The top management of the company is concerned that the existing middle-management team has been with the company for many years and the need to update and enhance their managerial skills. I intend to conduct a focus group with about 6 participants from the top management and middle management levels. Could you produce a plan on how to conduct the focus group session, notably on what questions to ask in the focus group session?"

Assistant bot: "Certainly, I'd be happy to help you plan your focus group session for your dissertation research. Here's a proposed plan:

Objectives:

The main objectives of the focus group session are to:

Understand the top management's concerns about the existing skill levels and development needs of the middle management team.

Gather insights from both top management and middle management on how to improve the current management development program.

Identify specific areas where the middle managers' skills need to be enhanced.

Participant Selection:

Invite 3-4 participants from the top management team and 3-4 participants from the middle management team.

Ensure a mix of tenure, functional roles, and demographics to get diverse perspectives.

Confirm their availability and willingness to participate in a 1-hour focus group session.

Focus Group Structure and Questions:

Introduction (5 mins)

Welcome participants and thank them for their time.

Briefly explain the purpose of the focus group and get consent for recording.

Set ground rules for respectful discussion and active participation.

Top Management Perspectives (20 mins)

What are the key concerns you have about the current skill levels of the middle management team?

Where do you feel their managerial skills need the most improvement?

What are the top priorities for the management development program?

How well do you feel the current program is addressing these development needs?

What kind of changes or enhancements would you like to see in the program?

Middle Management Perspectives (20 mins)

How would you evaluate your own managerial skills and capabilities?

What aspects of your role do you find most challenging?

In which areas do you feel you need the most development support?

How effective and relevant do you find the current management development program?

What suggestions do you have to make the program more useful and impactful for your needs?

Open Discussion (10 mins)

Encourage an open dialogue between the two groups to discuss any differences in perspectives.

Probe for additional insights or ideas that could improve the program.

Wrap-up (5 mins)

Summarize the key takeaways and next steps.

Thank the participants for their valuable contributions.

I hope this focus group plan is helpful for your dissertation research. Please let me know if you have any other questions!"

Query 2

Joseph Ho (student): "Can you provide some tips on how to analyze and interpret the data collected from the focus group session?"

Assistant bot: "Certainly, here are some tips on how to analyze and interpret the data collected from the focus group session for your dissertation project:

Transcription and Organization:

Transcribe the audio recording of the focus group session verbatim.

Organize the transcripts by separating the responses from top management and middle management participants.

Review the transcripts to identify key themes, patterns, and divergent opinions.

Thematic Analysis:

Carefully read through the transcripts and identify recurring themes and topics discussed by the participants.

Group related comments and responses under broader thematic categories, such as:

Current managerial skill gaps

Priorities for the management development program

Effectiveness of the existing program

Suggestions for program enhancements

Analyze the prevalence and emphasis placed on each theme by the two participant groups.

Comparative Analysis:

Compare and contrast the perspectives of top management and middle management on the key issues.

Identify any significant differences in their perceptions, concerns, and suggestions.

Analyze the underlying reasons for any discrepancies between the two groups.

Depth and Nuance:

Examine the participants' responses in-depth to uncover any underlying assumptions, motivations, or contextual factors.

Identify any insightful quotes or anecdotes that provide rich qualitative data.

Explore the rationale and reasoning behind the participants' views and recommendations.

Connecting to Literature:

Refer back to your literature review on management development programs and identify how the focus group findings relate to or diverge from existing research.

Analyze how the focus group data can contribute to or challenge the current academic understanding of the topic.

Implications and Recommendations:

Based on your analysis, develop a set of actionable recommendations for improving the management development program.

Clearly articulate how the focus group findings support your proposed changes or enhancements to the program.

Discuss the potential impact and benefits of implementing your recommendations.

Remember to maintain objectivity in your analysis and interpretation. Triangulate the focus group data with other sources, such as company documents or previous research, to strengthen the validity of your findings".

Query 3

Joseph Ho (student): "Could you provide an example of how to structure the thematic analysis section in the dissertation?"

Assistant bot: "Certainly, here's an example of how you could structure the thematic analysis section in your dissertation based on the focus group data collected:

Thematic Analysis of Focus Group Findings

The analysis of the focus group transcripts revealed several key themes related to the current managerial skill gaps, priorities for the management development program, and opportunities for program enhancement. The perspectives of the top management and middle management participants are discussed separately, followed by a comparative analysis of the two.

Top Management Perspectives

Current Managerial Skill Gaps

The top management participants expressed concerns about the middle managers' lack of strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. As one participant noted, "Many of our middle managers seem to get bogged down in the day-to-day operations and struggle to take a step back and analyze the bigger picture." Another participant highlighted the need for better decision-making capabilities: "We often see our middle managers making reactive decisions without considering the long-term implications."

The top management team also identified weaknesses in the middle managers' people management skills, particularly in areas such as team motivation, conflict resolution, and providing constructive feedback. As one participant stated, "Our middle managers need to be better equipped to handle difficult conversations and provide meaningful developmental support to their teams."

Priorities for the Management Development Program

The top management participants emphasized that the primary focus of the management development program should be on enhancing the strategic and people management capabilities of the middle managers. As one participant explained, "We need to shift the program's emphasis from technical skills to more leadership-oriented competencies that will enable our middle managers to become more effective in their roles."

Another key priority identified was the need to foster a more proactive and adaptable mindset among the middle managers. As one participant noted, "In the rapidly changing retail landscape, we need middle managers who can anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and lead their teams through change."

Opportunities for Program Enhancement

The top management team suggested that the current management development program could be improved by incorporating more interactive, experiential learning activities. As one participant commented, "The program has been too focused on classroom-based training, and we need to provide more opportunities for our middle managers to apply their skills in real-world scenarios."

The participants also highlighted the importance of tailoring the program content to the specific needs and challenges faced by the middle managers in the retail context. As one participant stated, "The program should be more customized and relevant to the day-to-day realities of our middle managers, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach."

Middle Management Perspectives

[The section on middle management perspectives would follow a similar structure, highlighting the key themes that emerged from their responses.]

Comparative Analysis

The analysis of the focus group data revealed both areas of alignment and divergence between the top management and middle management perspectives. While both groups acknowledged the need to enhance the middle managers' strategic thinking and people management skills, the middle managers tended to place a greater emphasis on the practical, day-to-day challenges they faced in their roles.

For instance, the middle managers highlighted the difficulty of balancing operational demands with strategic responsibilities, as well as the need for more coaching and feedback from their supervisors. As one middle manager participant stated, "We're often so consumed by firefighting and meeting short-term targets that we struggle to find the time and mental space to work on our leadership development."

In contrast, the top management team's priorities were more focused on cultivating a proactive, adaptable mindset among the middle managers, which they believed would enable the organization to navigate the rapidly changing retail landscape more effectively.

[This section would continue to explore the key areas of alignment and divergence between the two participant groups, drawing insights and implications for the management development program enhancements.]".

Some overall evaluation comments

As an intelligent virtual advisor on dissertation project, the assistant bot is able to provide concrete and useful recommendation on a plan to conduct the focus group session and, subsequently, on how to analyze the group session content. With additional effort by the student to study the topic of focus group, the bot enables the student to accelerate learning to master the skill to practice focus group research. Obviously, the recommendations from the Assistant Bot need to be critically reviewed by the research student concerned and, subsequently, these recommendations need to adapted and enhanced by the research student.

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using ChatGPT.