Qualitative research books and recommended reading list
Find the recommended reading and definitive texts on qualitative research, the books suggested by your fellow qualitative researchers.
We have scoured the bookshelves for the best books on Qualitative Research and associated subjects, books which are essential reading for both the newcomer to the industry and the established professionals:
Qualitative Research Reading List
Moderating to the max (paperback) A full-tilt guide to in-depth to creative, insightful focus groups and depth interviews.
Stir it up Recipes for robust insights and red hot ideas.
Refocusing Focus Groups: A Practical Guide A quick, but seriously helpful guide to the best practices for planning, designing, conducting, and interpreting focus groups that draws upon techniques from psychology and anthropology.
Qualitative Research Subtitled "Good Decision Making Through Understanding People, Cultures and Markets", this compelling new title by Sheila Keegan provides an introduction to market research in general and the position of qualitative research within it, and goes on to give an overview of different philosophies of qualitative research and how they impinge on practice. The book also considers qualitative research from the client's perspective, and looks at the type of research issues which qualitative research can be useful for. It also includes many international case studies. Published by Kogan Page in conjunction with the Market Research Society. (272 pages)
Qualitative Research in Context Edited by Laura Marks, WARC Publications. This book represents a new and fresh approach to the subject of Qualitative Research and its practical application in both commercial and non-commercial worlds. It explains how industries have had to face up to the need to understand their public and how QR is being used effectively to move those industries forward. (285 pages)
Richard Krueger, Sage Publications, 2nd Edition 1994. A good nuts and bolts guide to qual from a respected American practitioner, covering social as well as marketing issues.
Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research
Goodthinking: A Guide to Qualitative Research Wendy Gordon, NTC Publications Ltd 1999. A comprehensive, must-read book by the one of the UK's most respected and experienced qualitative researchers.
Handbook of Qualitative Research Norman K. Denzin (Editor), Yvonna S. Lincoln (Editor), Sage Publications Ltd; 2nd Ed (May 2000).
Interpreting Qualitative Data David Silverman, Sage, Oct 1993. An accessible account of sociological perspectives on qualitative research, with useful discussions of methods and theoretical issues such as reliability and validity.
Interviewing Paul Hague, Kogan Page, May 1993. Examines the process of interviewing as a core area of market research, discussing the necessary skills and the importance of precise communication.
Qualitative Market Research, A Comprehesive Guide Dr Hy Mariampolski, Sage Publications, Paperback and Hardcover versions available. "It is all there and I wish that I'd had this book to draw on when I first set up my shingle as a qualitative researcher." Anne Ward.
Qualitative Market Research: Principle and Practice Gill Ereaut, Mike Imms and Martin Callingham (eds.), Sage Publications 2002. A seven-book set, written by experienced British practitioners. Offers comprehensive coverage of the theory and practice of qualitative market research, both for those within and those outside the industry.
Qualitative Methods in Management Research Evert Gummesson, Sage Publications Ltd, Jan 2000. Gummesson seems to believe that research and consultancy are mutually exclusive. Some would disagree with this basic premise and believe that we inevitably do both at the same time and cannot do otherwise, but interesting to read a very different perspective on qual.
Mindframes: 6 Enduring Principles from 50 Years of Market Research Wendy Gordon, Acacia Avenue International, 2016. Mindframes provides any qualitative researcher with the most useful principles and models for understanding people and their relationships with brands and businesses. It makes sense of why people respond as they do to what they hear and experience from brands. It is an essential handbook and an eye-opener about ourselves.
Excellence in Advertising Edited by Lesley Butterfield, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2nd Ed, Sept 99. Thorough DIY guide, including the context and role for research.
Ogilvy on Advertising David Ogilvy, Prion, New Ed. Sep. 95. A famous book by a famous creative? but curiously dated.
Tantrums and Talents Winston Fletcher, Admap, 2nd Rev. Ed. Dec 99. Insights into motivating and managing creative talents (including why creatives hate our debriefs)
Books about Consumer Behaviour
Consumer Behaviour Peter Chisnall, McGraw Hill, 3rd Ed. Nov 94. Not specifically about qualitative research, but a good bridge to the consumer and marketing theory that underpins why we do what we do.
How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market Gerald Zaltman, February 2003, Harvard Business School Press, Hardback. This book rather over-promises, but is interesting nevertheless. He was heavily involved in neuroscience but has gone quiet on that front. It is hugely critical of the US focus group system, and proudly describes his new ZMet technique which is a sophisticated version of collages with a lot of open-ended probing.
Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less Barry Schwartz. A populist look at how consumerism and choice can become detrimental to our psychological and emotional well being.
Pattern Recognition Paperback, June 2004, Penguin Books Ltd. A fictional tale of a cool hunter who is allergic to brands. It's easy to identify with this woman; I cringe every time I see a Tommy Hilfiger shirt stretched over a fat paunch. Story includes viral marketing, and I think a lot of researchers would enjoy it, but it is fiction.
The Strategy of Desire Ernest Dichter, 1960, revised 2002, Transaction Publishers, London. The Dichter book has me gobsmacked with the huge amount of insights into consumer behaviour he gathered. Puts a lot of contemporary research to shame.
Why we buy Paco Underhill, Texere Publishing, new edition 2 November 2000. An illuminating and enjoyable read describing how observational methods are essential for anyone working in retail.
Books about General Business Theory
Blog Marketing Jeremy Wright. Explores how to maximise the opportunities of blogging in marketing, building customer relationships, advertising, and increasing sales.
Inside Organisations: Anthropologists at work Edited by Eric Hirsch and David N. Gellner, May 2001, Berg Publishers. Most of us work in or for one, but there are surprisingly few sustained analyses of the problems and peculiarities of organizations. This is a signal, and essential, contribution to the literature of social theory and research. Slightly patchy, but quite interesting.
No Logo Naomi Klein, Harper Collins, Jan 2000. Klein patiently demonstrates, step by step, how brands have become ubiquitous, not just in the media and on the street, but increasingly in schools as well. Gradually, a new generation is beginning to fight consumerism with its own best weapons and the first skirmishes are documented here.
The Fifth Discipline Peter Senge, Random House, new ed. May 93. The art and practice of the learning organisation? if our information is the learning fodder of such organisations, we ought to know about this.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Steven Covey, Simon & Schuster, audio Jan 94. These habits probably seem unexceptional to researchers, but the significance of the book is its influence on management thinking, which has been considerable.
The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell, Little, Brown & Co, May 2000. A fascinating book about social trends and the spread of ideas.
The Trusted Adviser David Maister, Rob Galford and Charles Green, January 2002, Free Press. Recommended by London Business School, this book explores consulting skills. It is a bit Californian and not especially new but it fits with the qual researcher holy grail of wanting different/closer/longer term relationships with clients.
Unpopular Culture: The Ritual of Complaint in a British Bank John R Weeks, December 2003, University of Chicago Press. John R Weeks based his study on long-term observations made at the British Armstrong Bank in the UK. Not one person, from the CEOs to the junior clerks had anything good to say about its corporate culture, yet the way things were done never seemed to alter.
Researching Society and Culture Edited by Clive Seale, Sage, 1998. A good collection of basic essays on key methods and theories, including chapters on ethnography, interviewing and semiotics.
Teach Yourself Successful Market Research in a Week Written by Judy Bartkowiak, a leading expert on market research as both a coach and a practitioner, this book quickly teaches you the insider secrets you need to know to in order understand your consumers.
The Practice of Market and Social Research: An Introduction Yvonne McGivern, FT Prentice Hall, 2002. This is the recommended text for the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market Research Practice. There is a companion website (www.booksites.net/mcgivern) and an Instructor's Manual with additional case studies and slides for tutors adopting the book.
The Industrial Market Research Handbook Paul N Hague, Kogan Page, 3rd ed., Oct 92. Provides a practical and comprehensive guide to the techniques and applications of industrial market research in a variety of business contexts.
Communities Dominate Brands: Business and Marketing Challenges for the 21st Century Tomi Ahonen. How digitally connected customers, using blogs, videogaming and mobile phones are creating new communities, leading to a revolution in how businesses interact with their customers. It explores new technology and its impact on marketing techniques.
Creating Powerful Brands Leslie de Chernatony & Malcolm H B McDonald, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2nd Ed. April 98. The only effective book on brands and branding that I've come across.
Customers That Count Tony Cram. How to Build Living Relationships with Your Most Valuable Customers.
Even More Offensive Marketing Hugh Davidson, Penguin, Oct 97. A useful antidote to academic texts, this is a thorough, practical how-to book for practitioners.
Marketing Genius Peter Fisk. A contemporary manual of marketing, referring to current brands including Google and Innocent.
Marketing Management Philip Kotler, Prentice Hall, Tenth Ed. Aug 99. The definitive (American) business school text on marketing. Thorough, but surprisingly little about brands.
Marketing Management and Strategy Peter Doyle, Prentice Hall, Second Ed. Oct 97. A very accessible book by one of the UK's most respected marketing academics.
Secrets of Success in Brand Licensing Andrew Levy and Judy Bartkowiak. Licensing takes many forms and can be highly complex. This book steers us through what could be a potential minefield.
The Guru Guide Joseph H Boyett & Jimmie T Boyett, John Wiley & Sons, 2nd Ed. June 98. A useful description and critique of virtually all the important management thinking.
The Marketing Director's Handbook Tim Arnold and Guy Tomlinson, The Marketing Directors Ltd, Hardback, 416 pages, published September 2008. A comprehensive and practical guide for anyone managing or aspiring to manage a marketing function at board level. The book is structured to help you lead a marketing department, undertake key marketing activities and solve marketing problems.
The Mental World of Brands Giep Frannzen and Margaret Bouwman, NTC Publications, Paperback, 499 pages, April 2001. The Mental World of Brands provides a compelling new startpoint for developing new and better relationships between brand and consumer. It asks: how does the brain work? How does it form memories and associations, and how can we make best use of this knowledge to leverage brands and protect and expand market share?
Understanding Brands by 10 People Who Do Edited by Don Cowley, Kogan Page, new ed. Sept 96. Each chapter, written by a leading expert in the field, deals with a different aspect of branding research, advertising, media planning, marketing, packaging, creativity, evaluation, international.
Beyond Bullet Points Cliff Atkinson's book is about using classical story structures to inform, motivate and inspire. There is also a PowerPoint add-in you can download to help you build your stories using his structure.
Have we missed something off the Qualitative Research Reading List?
Have we missed out an important book? If you would like to suggest other titles to add to the bookshop, or add to the information about books we have already listed, please contact us. Please remember to tell us the Title, Author, Publisher and ISBN numbers of any books you suggest so we can track them down.
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