what is ethnography
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What is ethnography?
Sam Ladner, PhDConsultant and Principal
What is Ethnography?
• What is ethnography?• Ethnographic skills
• Interviewing• Observing
• Types of observations• Overt vs. covert• Ethical issues
• Corporate ethnography case studies• Nokia• Novo Nordisk• Intel• Prada
• Famous Ethnographies
What is ethnography?
• Ethno = culture; graphy = writing• A method, a product• Immersive• Extended period of time• Often focused on a particular culture
Observing
Ethnographic skill No. 1
Toronto, Ontario: Intentional manipulation of corporate logo: symbolizes resistance.
Denver, CO: Scooters in local supermarket: represents shoppers’ need to avoid walking while shopping
Interviewing
Ethnographic Skill No. 2
Can happen in a workplace “culture”
Or in a “foreign” culture
Overt versus covert
Types of observation
Overt Covert
Ethnographer informs participants of their study and is transparent about research.
Ethnography does not inform participants of the study and must balance ethical issue of deception.
Ethical implications
• Informed consent• Protection of privacy• Harm to participants• Deception
Great ethnographies
• Crestwood Heights, John Seeley: classic study of what is now known to be Toronto’s Forest Hill neighbourhood
• All of Our Kin: Carol Stack’s nuanced study of African American women’s intertwined lives
• Street Corner Society: William Foote Whyte’s “Chicago school” of urban ethnography
• Learning to Labour: Paul Willis’s study of working class British boys becoming working class men
Gaining access to closed sites
Open• Communities• Malls• Raves
Closed• Firms• Schools• Hospitals
Need permission and introductions from a gatekeeper
No permission required, but must be accepted by the group. Go through gatekeepers.
Case studies
Corporate Ethnography
Researched how consumers in developing countries deal with diabetes. Uncovered unmet needs in diabetes treatment
Employs 24 full-time ethnographers to research computer use in the home, at work, and in the mobile space
Ethnography in Asia and Africa lead to “image only” cell phone design with long battery life
Case Study: Prada shopping
Corporate Ethnography
Mirrors have a 5-second delay allowing shoppers to see the view from behind
Embedded RFID tags in clothes so shoppers can easily find complete outfits
Created frosted glass doors for changing rooms that turn to windows at the touch of a button