essential-guide-to-qualitative-in-organizational-research

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– USING INTERVIEWS –––––––––– 17that a phenomenon is experienced within the chosen context. Sometimes the range ofparticipants sought is defined fully in advance, to encompass variations expected to be oftheoretical and applied interest. On other occasions, there may be minimal a priori definitionof participant characteristics, with people recruited to the study as features of potential interestare identified through the process of carrying out interviews and conducting preliminaryanalysis.In the Out of Hours Protocol study, participants were recruited to cover the maingeographical areas within Calderdale and Kirklees, from those responding positively to aninvitation letter circulated to both professional groups. We tried to ensure variety in terms ofa number of personal and organizational characteristics, such as practice size and location,tenure, and experience in palliative care.As in any type of social scientific research, potential participants must be assured ofconfidentiality, and should be told clearly who the research is being carried out for and whatit hopes to achieve. These points should be repeated at the start of the interview itself, andpermission to tape-record the interview must be obtained. The interviewee should be toldwhat kind of feedback about the study he or she will receive and at least a rough idea of whenhe or she is likely to receive it.Practical issues in carrying out qualitative interviewsFlexibility is the single most important factor in successful qualitative interviewing. It is likelythat a common opening question will be used to start all interviews in a study, but beyondthat topics need not be addressed in the order in which they appear in the interview guide,or any other predetermined sequence. As an interviewer, you may allow them to be raisedby the interviewee or introduce them yourself at points where they fit naturally into the courseof the interview. Similarly, probes need not be used in any particular order, and may not berequired at all if the interviewee introduces the areas concerned.STARTING THE INTERVIEWIt is normally best for the interviewer to open with a question which the interviewee cananswer easily and without potential embarrassment or distress. More difficult or sensitivequestions should be held back until some way into the interview, in order to give time forboth interviewer and interviewee to relax and feel they are getting to know each other.Requests for factual or descriptive information can be useful opening questions. In the Outof Hours Protocol study, we normally started the GP interviews by asking participants abouttheir experience of working for and/or utilising deputising services.PHRASING QUESTIONSThe way in which questions are asked during the interview has a major bearing on how usefulthe responses are likely to be. It is advisable to avoid multiple questions, such as; ‘Why did youjoin the scheme, and do you think it has brought benefits to patients, carers and your practice?’This is in fact four questions, and in attempting to reply to them as a single question, theinterviewee may give only a partial answer, or may just become confused as to what questionthey are supposed to be answering. It is best to ask questions singly and phrase them as simplyas possible. Leading questions – ‘So you felt that the scheme had improved inter-professionalcommunication, did you?’ – should be avoided, as they impose your own perceptions on the