Review: Margaret A. Morrison, Eric Haley, Kim Bartel Sheehan & Ronald E. Taylor (2002). Using Qualitative Research in Advertising: Strategies, Techniques, and Applications / Shay Sayre (2001). Qualitative Methods for Marketplace Research

Abstract

The review discusses two books, both covering very similar contents and addressing more or less the same audience. The book by SAYRE is about the use of qualitative method in marketplace research in general and is aimed at marketing students and practitioners; the book by MORRISON, HALEY, SHEEHAN and TAYLOR focuses more specifically on one area of mar­keting, namely advertising research. MORRISON et al. provide the more practical perspective, a fact that is also reflected in the writing style of the book. It is stimulating to read, even for readers fa­miliar with qualitative methods. It provides insights from the perspective of advertising agency plan­ners and demonstrates how qualitative methods are applied in a commercial context. SAYRE, in comparison, provides more details and builds her book around five theoretical perspectives. It is writ­ten by an academic for a largely academic audi­ence, containing all the basics that one needs to know when embarking on a qualitative research project. It differs from other qualitative method books in that the various steps along the way are illustrated by examples from the field of marketing. The book will, therefore, resonate well with mar­ket­ing students. Nonetheless, both books can be recommended as text books for qualitative method courses in marketing—SAYRE's book for market­ing students in general, and MORRISON et al.'s book for students specializing in the field of adver­tising. When used in a course where students conduct a small scale research project on their own, both books need to be supplemented by further readings or teacher input. Specifically, the sections on qualitative data analysis are too thin in MORRISON et al. and too broad in SAYRE in order to be useful to students without further explanation and training. Nonetheless, the two books are the best I have seen so far when it comes to selecting a book to be used in a qualitative method course for marketing students. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0401258