Issues in the Analysis of Focus Groups: Generalisability, Quantifiability, Treatment of Context and Quotations

In this paper I discuss some concerns related to the analysis of focus groups: (a) the issue of generalisation; (b) the problems of using numbers and quantifying in the analysis; (c) how the concrete situation of the focus groups could be included in the analysis, and (d) what formats can be used when quoting from focus groups. Problems with respect to generalisation are discussed; types of generalisation are presented which can be used in focus group research. Arguments are made against using a primarily quantitative perspective in the evaluation of focus group data. It is argued that the situation of the particular group discussion should be taken into account in the analysis. A scheme for analysis that has been developed by the author is presented. Suggestions are made for the characteristics of the quotations in the analyses

Online fókuszcsoportok alkalmazása – lehetőségek, korlátok és tanácsok a hatékonyság növelésére

Az utóbbi évtizedekben a fókuszcsoportos módszernek számos, különböző online változata jelent meg. Ide tartoznak a szövegalapú csoportok, ahol a résztvevők begépelik válaszaikat, a videós fókuszcsoportok, ahol látják és hallják is egymást, valamint a 3D virtuális, grafikus környezetben zajló fókuszcsoportok. A cikkben a szerző először a különböző online fókuszcsoport-típusokat mutatja be, majd a szövegalapú online fókuszcsoportokat középpontba állítva ezek előnyeit és hátrányait elemzi az offline csoportokhoz, valamint a többi internetes csoporttípushoz képest. Amellett érvel, hogy a szöveges kommunikációt tartalmazó csoportoknak számos praktikus előnyük van; és még manapság amikor videós fókuszcsoportokra is sor kerülhet, érdemes alkalmazni őket. Ugyanakkor nagyon oda kell figyelni arra, hogy hogyan történik az ilyen virtuális fókuszcsoport kivitelezése, mert nem megfelelő kialakítás esetén a kapott eredmények túl szegényesek lehetnek. A cikk tárgyal számos olyan opciót, amelyeket alkalmazva egy-egy gépelt csoport hatékonysága növelhető. Ezeken felül kitér arra is, hogy a teljesebb kép kialakítása érdekében hasznosnak bizonyulhat egy kutatás során mind szinkron, mind aszinkron begépelős fókuszcsoportokat alkalmazni. A szövegesen is zajló csoportokat érdemes lehet gazdagítani fotó- és videófeltöltési lehetőségekkel is. Megfontolandó az is, hogy az online kvalitatív kutatási lehetőségek még jobban kiaknázhatók, ha kihasználják a közösségi oldalakat is az adatgyűjtéshez és a lebonyolításhoz, valamint, ha az online fókuszcsoportokat kombinálják egyéb online kutatási módszerekkel – akár egy netnográfiai projekt keretein belül

"Gene-fouled or gene-improved?" – Media framing of GM crops and food in Hungary

This paper presents results from a research which analyzed the reporting on genetically modified crops and food in the Hungarian tabloids and political papers with the highest circulation from 1 May 2007 to 31 October 2009. Both quantitative and qualitative media analysis was conducted. It was found that in contrast to some Western countries the issue had low salience in the investigated period; it featured especially marginally in the tabloids. Two distinct valenced frames could be differentiated: a dominant ANTI-GM (Threat) frame – which was particularly frequent compared to what has been found for some other countries, and a minority PRO-GM (Advancement and Benefits) frame. Despite a range of similarities with what had been reported by previous research from some other countries, argumentation on the GMO topic in the Hungarian press had several distinct characteristics, one of which was the relative prominence of economic arguments against the technology

Improving data quality and avoiding pitfalls of online text-based focus groups: A practical guide

Despite the fact that there are several practical advantages of online typed focus groups, this type of group questioning has not spread as widely as had been expected when it appeared as a new research option. One of the reasons for that might be that a major risk of these text-based focus groups is inadequate data quality. Unless certain measures are taken to prevent this, an analysis can face the problem of not being rich enough and not digging deep enough – which are often important criteria for good qualitative analysis. This article discusses how to deal with the problem and other possible pitfalls of this type of group discussion, and gives practical advice on how to obtain the best results from such discussions. It also gives suggestions which can be useful if a free chat platform is being used to conduct these groups. It argues that even nowadays with other online techniques available, online text-based focus groups can be useful – if executed properly

GM Crops in Hungary: Comparing Mass Media Framing and Public Understanding of Technoscientific Controversy

Unlike some Western societies, in Hungary there has not been intensive public debate on the issue of genetically modified crops. The mass media has published little to inform Hungarian lay people about GM crops or their relevance to the country. Nevertheless the media did convey some general impressions, mainly from within an Anti-GM Threat frame. Several elements from the mass media were present in lay focus group discussions – e.g. GM crops branded a food risk, general focus on risks, health risk identified as important risk, foreign companies regarded as source of the problem and as being ‘just out for profit’, image of corn, rhetoric of deterioration, etc. This overlap is in consonance with theories postulating such similarities, whereby the media framing provides a resource which can be appropriated for public understanding. At the same time, there were also differences: some elements of the dominant media frame were mentioned only vaguely or in a somewhat modified way. Other issues raised in the media frame, not resonating with wider cultural themes, were absent from focus group discussions (e.g. environmental concerns). And participants were also able to rely on other conversational resources (analogous reasoning, cultural themes) to formulate some additional issues beyond the media reportage. KEY WORDS: GM CROPS, PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS, MEDIA FRAMIN

Fertility myths, technology myths and their sources - Lay reasoning about age-related fertility decline

In many societies the average age for giving birth is rising. One factor which could contribute to the timing of childbirth – which has not been explored to a sufficient degree with qualitative research – is lay understanding of fertility and the possibilities offered by reproductive technology. Twelve focus groups were used to examine the reasoning of female university students in Hungary about agerelated fertility decline, how they thought reproductive technologies could help, and how they drew on information sources. Although in many groups the existence of age-related fertility decline was acknowledged, fertility and technology myths – namely, overly positive misbeliefs – surfaced repeatedly. Building on some elements of the contextual model of Science and Technology Studies, I discuss how socialpsychological phenomena such as resistance to the idea of personal risk can be important in lay interpretations of age-related fertility decline, as well as how exemplification processes can contribute to these myths

Exploring Gender Culture at a Telecommunications Company

Abstract Purpose (mandatory) The study interprets the expectations, the norms and values related to gender, within the concept of organizational culture. Over the past decades organizational researches have paid great attention to cultural research, and feminist theories have increasingly examined organizations from the angle of gender. The research we conducted in a business organization attempts to link these two areas. Design/methodology/approach (mandatory) We used the focus group discussion method at a telecommunications company in the spring of 2011 in Central Hungary. Findings (mandatory) The employees interviewed made a sharp distinction between professional and managerial competencies of female managers, accepting the former and often questioning the latter. Female managers met with lack of understanding and reserve if they returned to work while their children were still very young – not a common practice in Hungarian society – or if they worked in a top managerial position. Research limitations/implications (if applicable) The findings cannot be generalized. Practical implications (if applicable) Social implications (if applicable) Although women managers’ acceptance is widespread on the level of rhetoric, they face prejudices in several situations in workplaces. Originality/value (mandatory) Novelties of the research include examining the compatibility of priorities based on traditional gender expectations and priorities based on high level of investment in women’s human capital in a highly competitive organizational context within a post-socialist society. The paper presents new insights linked to gendered organizational culture, which has been rarely analysed and presents data from a Central Eastern European society which differs in many respects from previously investigated countries. Keywords: gender culture, management, competencies, work-life balanc

A fókuszcsoportos vizsgálat kimenetelét befolyásoló tényezők

Az utóbbi években a fókuszcsoportok Magyarországon is egyre népszerűbbek. Ezek csoportos interjúk, vagy talán még találóbb, ha csoportos beszélgetésként definiáljuk őket. A csoportok fókuszáltak abban az értelemben, hogy valamilyen kollektív tevékenységre irányulnak, vagy legalábbis a résztvevők egy témára koncentrálnak (Barbour és Kitzinger 1999). A fókuszcsoportos beszélgetéseken többnyire 6–12 fő vesz részt. A fókuszcsoportot az úgynevezett moderátor vezeti. A moderátor feladata, hogy biztosítsa, hogy a résztvevők a témára fókuszálnak, és õ teszi fel a főbb kérdéseket. Gyakori, hogy a résztvevőket bátorítják az egymással való interakcióra, beszélgetésre, és arra, hogy tegyenek fel egymásnak is kérdéseket. A fókuszcsoportnak minimális kritériuma, hogy a résztvevők hallgatóságot jelentsenek egymás számára (Kitzinger 1994). A fókuszcsoportokat általában videokamerával rögzítik