An introduction to Ethnography

Moisander, J. and Valtonen, A. (2005), Qualitative Marketing Research: A Cultural Approach, Sage: London. Chapter 3

The text on ehnographies by Moisander and Valtonen discusses first the principles of ethnography.  Ethnography is primarily a field activity involving a lot of observation. The text moves on to describing the different methods of data collection: participant observation and non-participant observation, interviews and collecting cultural artifacts and taking photos.

The author discusses different  types of ethnography. One is virtual ethnography, which is described as ethnography done in cyberspace. Online newsgroups are environments for ethnographic cyberspace research. Different virtual communities are discussed such as communities of transaction, communities of interest and communities of relationships. For marketing the author introduces virtual brand communities which are either set up by the company it represents or by customers of that brand. In these communities the brand is discussed and thoughts shared. Also related to marketing are anti-brand communities.

Another type of ethnography is critical ethnography. This type of ethnography is based on the same methods and principles as traditional ethnography, however the political nature differentiates it from traditional ethnography. 1) This means in critical ethnography the take-it-for-granted information is questioned and analyzed: assumptions are false until justified. Critical ethnography focuses on the question “what could be?”. 2) Critical ethnography looks at what role the research has on limiting or producing new alternatives. 3) It seeks to link descriptions of cultural beliefs and systems of meanings to “broader structures of power and control”.

Autoethnography is the third type of ethnography discussed. This type of ethnography is focused on the researcher trying to learn of cultural phenomena by acting out everyday activities. The researcher becomes the object and subject of the study, “observing and interpreting culture through reflecting on his or her personal life experiences.”

Theories and Methodologies

The author discusses three different methodological ways of doing ethnographic research: virtual, critical and auto ethnography. The reader is provided the contexts where each approach is applied. This allows the reader to Choose the method that best matches the research in question.

Resonse

This text provides a good overview of the different types of ethnographies available. If the research needs to be done from one physical location, then the best option may be to perform a virtual ethnography. If the research is something that needs to question the assumptions held by the researcher, then critical ethnography is suitable. If the research doesn’t need to account for an entire communities perspective, then autoethnography may be appropriate.