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Volume 4 Issue 1 November 2006
Getting the most from NUD*IST/NVivo
Dr. Alison Dean and Professor John Sharp
Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
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The focus of this paper is on issues arising in the application of QSR NUD*IST and NVivo in management research.Since the most problematic areas in applying NUD*IST and NVivo are in using them for recording, collating, analysing and reporting interview data, this paper concentrates on the use of NUD*IST and NVivo for these purposes. This paper is not concerned with general problems of interviewing nor with technical details of how to use NUD*IST and NVivo but is about the practical problems of interpretation that can arise in applying NUD*IST and NVivo successfully to interview data and how the adoption of particular practices in qualitative data collection or different use of NUD*IST and NVivo can alleviate these problems. The paper examines problems that arise in the use of NUD*IST and NVivo at the different stages (Interviewing, Transcription, Structuring and Reporting) of three types of research project: a major research project, a specialist research project and a doctoral research project.
Problems may arise in interviewing (e.g., respondent motivation, organisational or cultural restraints, how to record non-verbal responses) leading to distortion, and in transcription (e.g., jargon, language and ‘translation’). These may be exacerbated by poor structuring and coding, leading to weak analysis and reporting. Suggestions are made as to how these problems can be avoided or mitigated. Conclusions are drawn about good practice in the use of NUD*IST and NVivo and suggestions are made on some enhancements that might be made to them. The paper argues that improved NUD*IST and NVivo practice along the lines indicated will lead to more transparent and consistent qualitative analysis which can be seen to conform to accepted standards of management research. Comments are also made about Interpretivism and the use of NUD*IST and NVivo and on the role of supervisors in doctoral research involving the use of NUD*IST and NVivo.
Keywords:
Qualitative research reporting; CAQDAS; NUD*IST/NVivo good practice; interview transcription, coding and reporting; interpreting data
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