Qualitative Methods: Interview Reflection and Summary 6
QUALITATIVE METHODS: INTERVIEW REFLECTION AND SUMMARY
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Introduction
An individual’s identity at work is always determined by a number of factors that vary from one individual to the other. In most cases, the type of experience and attitude that an individual has towards his or her job tend to work significantly towards determining their work identity (Dunbar Jr, Rodriguez, and Parker, 2003). Some of the elements that define an individual’s work identity include their level of participation in different aspects of life, their knowledge on the type if activities and works that they engage in and their knowledge on their life’s material world (Myers, and Newman, 2007). Additionally, work identity could also look at the spaces in an individual’s life, their daily routine and practices as well as the language that he or she uses to describe what he or she does as well as their relationship with those close to them.
In line to these, I carried an interview with an employee working in the telecommunication sector for purposes of finding out how they represent their identity at work. The interview was guided by the research question, “how do people represent their identity at work?” This paper therefore gives a reflection of the interview process and method of elicitation techniques that I applied, a reflection of the interview design and strategy that I applied and a detailed analysis of the interview and conversation that I engaged the interviewee in during the interview process. Lastly, the paper will also give a highlight of the ethical issues that need to be considered when using interviews and elicitation techniques to tap some information from an interviewee.
Reflection of the interview process
The interview process was easy because I had adequately prepared for the whole process by making all the necessary steps that need to be carried to make the whole process easy and smooth. The interview started at the planned time despite the interviewee showing up some ten minutes past the agreed on time. After meeting, we exchanged greetings and introduced myself to the interviewee since we had talked over the phone. The introduction was followed by a small description of why I had requested for the interview, with my focus being to explain the research topic and a highlight of the questions that were to be asked during the interview.
I also took the interviewee through the consent form for purposes of making everything clear concerning the interview. He signed his part as a proof that he had accepted to take part in the interview willingly. I also requested permission from the interviewee to record our conversation instead of taking a lot of time writing and noting down everything that we were to converse about. He accepted to my request to use an audio recorder but decline to take any videos, a condition that I accepted and went on with the interview as planned. Additionally, I noted that I would be using projective tests during the whole process to get all the information that I needed from the interviewee. After taking him through the consent form and everything that I had prepared to discuss with him during the interview, I gave him an opportunity to ask any clarification question before paving way for the interview to start. The interviewee therefore made a series of clarification questions that I managed to answer comfortably. He then gave me a go ahead to ask any of the interview questions that I felt was good to start the interview with.
The question and answer session went on well with the interviewee answering all the question that he was comfortable at answering while skipping those that he felt were not clear and he just did not want to answer. To make the questions clear, he was free to pardon me or ask for any clarification that would make him understand the question better and more adequately. Every question asked was adequately answered. Additionally, all the supporting questions that I asked during the interview were also adequately answered, thus making the interview process meet its objective. After completing the interview and getting the kind of information that I had anticipated to get, I told the interviewer to ask any question that he felt could make him understand the interview better or any of the questions that he did not get their meaning during the question and answer session. All these clarifications were done while I was packing anything that I had produced and offered to the interviewee for the interview. Most importantly, the interview ended five minutes to the planned time and it captured all the information that I was seeking for adequately and in the most effective way possible.
Interview strategy and design
To get the right information from the interviewee, I had perfectly planned to do the interview using the elicitation technique. I applied the semi-structured and face-to-face interview strategies during the research. To get the right information from the interviewee, I took a number of steps that guided me towards getting the right information from my interviewee. The steps that I adopted entailed planning and preparing for the interview in advance, building a rapport with the interviewee, and guiding the whole conversation by asking leading questions that made it easy for the interviewee to offer me with the right form of information that I needed from the interview process (Bampton, and Cowton, 2002. The interview that I carried out was guided by the research question, “how do people represent their identity at work?” and every question was administered on a one-on-one basis to the interviewee.
I also took some time to make the questions clear while at the same time focusing them towards making the interviewee give the right information concerning the main research question. The other step that followed that of taking control of the conversation was that of developing the right information to ask the interviewee. Developing the right information included developing questions that were easy for the interviewee to answer. On top of being easy, the language used to develop these questions was easy and direct to the point as opposed to what a good number of researchers use when getting information from their subjects. My research questions were perfectly formulated to help me get the right information from the interviewee. To get the right information from the interview, I made sure that everything that I asked had a follow up question that was meant to make the question better and easy for the researcher to answer.
The interview design that I used during the research can therefore be termed as a semi-structured interview that was characterized by a number of series of closed and open-ended questions being asked to the interviewee (Dunbar Jr, Rodriguez, and Parker, 2003). I had perfectly formulated and drafted a series of questions to ask the interviewee while at the same time each question developed had an accompanying follow up question if need be. I also formulated questions that made it easy for the interviewee to offer me the right answers towards the raised questions (Myers, and Newman, 2007). All the leading questions that I asked worked well for the interview because I got the interviewee to answer them in a clear and concise manner. Importantly, all the questions were developed in a simple language that made it easy for the interviewees to follow and connect to any question that needed some reference from an initial question.
Analysis
I analyzed the recorded interview using the full verbatim method. Full verbatim is an audio transcription process that entails reproducing the audio record on a word-for-word basis (Bowen, Edwards, and Cattell, 2012). As such, during the analysis process, I made sure that I captured every element of the recorded audio accurately without leaving any of the fine details out (Halcomb, and Davidson, 2006). I made a replica of the audio record that I had captured during the interview process. I accurately captured every element of the audio noting all the important concepts that were important to note during the analysis process (Corden, and Sainsbury, 2006). My choice of this method was because it enabled me to capture the perceptions and meanings of everything that was recorded during the interview as well as noting the context in which the conversation was taking place (Attride-Stirling, 2001).
Additionally, this interview transcription method also focuses its attention on capturing three unique nonverbal and vocalization interactions (Romero-Fresco, 2009). It aims to capture all forms all forms of non-verbal interactions, all the involuntary vocalization responses, and the non-response tokens captured during the interview process (Joffe, and Yardley, 2004). These elements were meant to help me make the interview clear and understand the context of the discussion that I developed (Liamputtong, 2009).
Thematically, the interview was analyzed using the thematic analysis method (Vaismoradi, Turunen, and Bondas, 2013). The application of this approach was because it focuses on pointing, recording, and examining patterns within the recorded data (Braun, and Clarke, 2014). Thematic coding was also applied in this analysis. Coding in qualitative analysis entails identifying the recorded texts that are linked to a common theme for grouping purposes (Auerbach, and Silverstein, 2003). The coding process also entails establishing a given thematic framework in the recorded data being analyzed (Auerbach, and Silverstein, 2003). The application of these analysis methods was based on their effectiveness towards helping me capture the right information and make appropriate and adequate conclusions based on the information collected from the interview (Namey, Guest, Thairu, and Johnson, 2008). The efficiency and effectiveness linked to the application of these methods also contributed significantly towards making me choose these analysis methods.
Findings of the Interview
I was able to perfectly interview the employee on issues that related to his job identity. The interviewee was able to answer most of the questions on how he represented his identity at his place of work by giving a detailed description of all the jobs that he had engaged in during the course of his career. For example, the interviewee managed to answer the question on the type of activities that he used to engage in while working in different departments and sectors of the economy. However, it is important to note that the interviewee gave me a list of everything that he was engaged in the place of work while at the same time making a brief discussion of every task that he had stated. Additionally, the interviewee was also able to briefly discuss his routine professional activities as well as how he managed to have a balanced work and life. The answers that were offered by the interviewee is a clear indication that he understood everything that he was supposed to engage in while at work and have a balanced life without having any of his life elements interfered with.
Ethical considerations
There are different ethical issues that need to be considered by an individual while carrying out an interview. The interview that I had with the employee is not an exception and it had a number of issues that need some serious considerations to avoid getting into conflict with the existing research standards (Dunbar Jr, Rodriguez, and Parker, 2003). Some of the important ethical issues that affected the research included coming up with modalities to make sure that the information recorded stays private and safe without being exposed to any hazards that could affect its audacity and making the conversation purely professional without making any personal statements that could compromise the quality of the information collected.
Additionally, the interviewer’s influence in making the interviewee respond to the questions asked also need to be considered. The type of control put forth by an individual towards getting the right information could make them only stick to what they are being asked without having an opportunity to give their stories without any limitation (Myers, and Newman, 2007). The process of choosing the right individual to interview also needed some form of considerations because he or she was supposed to be of sound mind and be in a position to answer questions in a sober manner (Englander, 2012). As such, all these considerations needed to be factored in because they could interfere with the quality of information given as well as the authenticity of the collected information and data.
Conclusion
The purpose of this interview was to get some information on how people represent their identity at their place of work. During the interview, I asked a number of questions that sought to tap information on the employee’ knowledge on what they participate in on a daily basis, the type of works that they engage in and their daily routines that show how best they know what they are employed to do. The type of language that the employees adopt in expressing themselves while at work was also a key consideration during the interview. All these questions were meant to help get information on how important the employee knew and did to represent their identity at work. The ability of the interviewee to answer all the questions that I asked as well as the way in which he answered the questions was an effective way to know their identity at work.
References
Attride-Stirling, J., 2001. Thematic networks: an analytic tool for qualitative research. Qualitative research, 1(3), pp.385-405.
Auerbach, C. and Silverstein, L.B., 2003. Qualitative data: An introduction to coding and analysis. NYU press.
Bampton, R. and Cowton, C.J., 2002, May. The e-interview. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 3, No. 2).
Bowen, P.A., Edwards, P.J. and Cattell, K., 2012. Corruption in the South African construction industry: A thematic analysis of verbatim comments from survey participants. Construction Management and Economics, 30(10), pp.885-901.
Braun, V. and Clarke, V., 2014. What can “thematic analysis” offer health and wellbeing researchers?. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 9.
Corden, A. and Sainsbury, R., 2006. Using verbatim quotations in reporting qualitative social research: researchers’ views (pp. 11-14). York: University of York.
Dunbar Jr, C., Rodriguez, D. and Parker, L., 2003. Race, subjective and the interview process. The Inside Interviewing: New Lenses, New Concerns, pp.111-130.
Englander, M., 2012. The interview: Data collection in descriptive phenomenological human scientific research. Journal of phenomenological psychology, 43(1), pp.13-35.
Halcomb, E.J. and Davidson, P.M., 2006. Is verbatim transcription of interview data always necessary?. Applied nursing research, 19(1), pp.38-42.
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Myers, M.D. and Newman, M., 2007. The qualitative interview in IS research: Examining the craft. Information and organization, 17(1), pp.2-26.
Namey, E., Guest, G., Thairu, L. and Johnson, L., 2008. Data reduction techniques for large qualitative data sets. Handbook for team-based qualitative research, 2(1), pp.137-161.
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Appendices: Interview transcript
This transcript gives a guideline of the questions that were asked during the interview. A short description of the answers that were offered by the interviewee has been offered under each of the question asked.
Part A
How old are you?
36 years
For how long have you been working in this organization?
5 years and 6 months
What influenced you to join this sector and this organization in particular?
I am a trained professional who has taken some time in school to be professionally trained on this very profession. I was however influenced by my parents to join this profession because they were all very successful in their own line of duty.
Part B
Do you like your job?
Yes
What are your key professional practices in the organization?
Do you enjoy what you are employed to do?
Yes, I enjoy every bit of practice that I engage in professionally
Would you be happy if you were given an opportunity to change your professional practices?
It will depend on the kind of change presented. There are definitely change opportunities that I won’t take even if they pay more than what I get
Do you enjoy your daily practices?
Definitely yes
Do you find it enjoyable working alone or in a team?
I am good working alone compared to when working in a team
What are some of the specific elements that you enjoy in your daily operations?
I enjoy every bit of my professional engagement. I however do not like being assigned duties meant for other employees
Do you have any other activity linked to what you are doing professionally?
No
Where do you drive your motivation for this type of a job?
From my everyday life, I always strive to improve my daily experiences in the best way possible
What extra engagements do have in this organization apart from what has been assigned to you by the management?
I only help some of my colleagues carry out their operations
Do your daily life practices tally with your daily professional practices?
Yes
Part C: The spaces of organizational life
What populations are you supposed to serve in the organization?
I serve both the population within and outside the organization
Do you share any of your responsibilities with any employee in the organization?
No
What effects do your daily practices bring to the organization?
My daily practices have contributed significantly towards changing my life perception and all the organizational goals that could be affected by my daily practices.
Do you require any internal or external certification to carry out your daily practices?
No
Part D: Language
Do you opt to use formal or informal language in your organization?
I prefer using both based on the situation at hand
Between written and spoken language, which one do you prefer?
I prefer written communication to verbal communication due to its ability to keep copies of whatever is being meant.