Qualitative research has much relevance in marketing as a tool in searching for relevant information about markets and their uses in formulating marketing strategies and programmes. This course aims to develop the concept of scientific research and provide an understanding of the nature of qualitative research. Students should be able to command basic qualitative data collection approaches and basic qualitative data analysis techniques and to develop the ability to design, execute, and report qualitative marketing research project.

By the end of this course the successful student will be able to: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the distinct nature of qualitative inquiry and varieties of qualitative research in business discipline. 2. Understand and reflect on different qualitative research traditions and approached and their relations with methodological choices. 3. Formulate research problems, conduct literature review and justify research questions leading to qualitative inquiry. 4. Discuss arguments for a particular research perspective/approach, the selection of research site(s), and application of particular research methods/techniques of data collection and analysis; as well as assess the quality of qualitative of qualitative research. 5. Competently conduct observation and interviews and apply several data analysis methods and in particular the relationship between research and practice and between researchers and subjects researched. 6. Understand and debate ethical aspects of qualitative research.