Pivoting research strategy based on collected data
Problem
In the very early stages of ethnographic fieldwork it became apparent that my research design was flawed, which was leading me to ask the wrong questions. Using a grounded theory approach I was quickly able to enlist participants into research redesign that led to more productive fieldwork, data collection, and a better overall research project.
Methods used
Literature review
Semi-structured interviewing
Qualitative data coding
Focus groups
My role
This was an individual dissertation project so my role was all-encompassing. I designed the research in consultation with a committee to ensure it had alignment with their expectations and then individually conducted data collection and analysis.
The gist of it
This research project started out focused on local-level participation in the management of national forests in Japan. My research proposal was based on a thorough review of existing literature related to the topic and found alignment with my dissertation committee.
However, when I reached my fieldwork site and began asking local community members about participation in national forest management I quickly realized that my questions did not make sense. It was inconceivable to community members that they might have some role to play in the management of national forests. I shifted my central research question in order to understand why they found it inconceivable.
In order to make this quick pivot I enlisted as many participants as possible for semi-structured interviews designed to offer insights into what they perceived as the positives and negatives of living in an area surrounded by national forests. Through the interviews I also collected data on perceptions of the state and the effectiveness of its management of national forests.
Coding of data collected through interviews revealed a series of common themes that I was then able to verify and refine through focus groups. Employing this quick on-the-ground assessment allowed me to pivot my research in a more empirically sound direction that enabled rich and productive ethnographic data collection during the rest of my fieldwork.
