BRM II - Articles summary [Exam 2]
Welch et al. (2002)………………………….………….………………………........2
Tracy (2013) ………………….………….….…………………………………………...6
Kelly, U. (1997)..…………….………….………….………………….……………….13
Pratt, M.G. (2009)……….………….………….…………….……………………….17
Merriam (2014): Appendix ……...………….………….……………….……….20
1
,Welch et al. (2002) - “Corporate elites as informants in qualitative
international business research”
Introduction
Topic: Elite interviewing
4 main themes identified on elite interviewing, discussed in the paper:
1. Obtaining access to elites
2. Managing the power asymmetry between interviewer and interviewee
3. Assessing the openness of elite interviewees
4. Providing feedback to elite interviewees
Purpose of paper:
Examine specific methodological challenges associated with interviewing corporate elites in
international firms, and the implications of these challenges for obtaining valid data for theory
development and testing.
Reflexive analysis → Focuses on processes underlying data collection, interpretation and reporting
empirical data.
Strength of qualitative research used in International Business (IB):
Its ability to examine the dynamic, context-dependent and interactive phenomena which are the
subject of international business research.
Weakness of qualitative research used in International Business (IB):
Only existing guides to qualitative methods which were developed for other fields of study (notably
sociology) → these guides usually assume that the researcher is interviewing people from
“non-elite” social groups while a typical respondent in IB research is a powerful elite person
representing e.g. management. The higher the status of the company informant being
interviewed, the more ‘reliable’ and powerful the data.
● corporate elites tend to be visible individuals both inside and outside their organizations and
affect the interview situation and quality of the data in many ways.
Definition of elites
Why is elite interviewing not explicitly addressed in qualitative interviewing?
● A possible explanation for this neglect is that while qualitative interviewing techniques have
been refined and popularised in a wide range of fields, one significant influence was the
‘Chicago School’ of sociologist who were committed to voicing experiences of socially
marginalised groups.
(1) Definition of an elite in the popular language: ‘group in society considered to be superior because
of the power, the talent, privileges etc. of its members’.
2
, (2) Definition of an elite in traditional business organisations - ‘elite group can be seen to comprise
the top echelons of the firm’
● However, according to this definition, elites are synonym with top management
(3) Definition of an elite in IB - (Applied in Welch’s study)
● An informant who occupies a senior or middle management position.
○ Has functional responsibility in an area which enjoys high status in accordance with
corporate values.
○ Has considerable industry experience and frequently also long tenure (period of being
the office) with the company.
○ Possesses a broad network of personal relationships.
○ Has considerable international exposure.
● This definition has two advantages:
1. unlike previous definitions, it is focused on IB operations
2. this definition does not assume that elites are necessarily confined to the senior
management of the firm.
Elite interviewing: key themes of the literature
4 main themes of elite interviewing:
1. Access to elites
● Compared to non-elites, gaining access to elites is particularly difficult because elites
○ (by nature) “establish barriers that set their members apart from the rest of society”
→ process is more time-consuming and costly.
○ strategies for gaining consent and the cues they respond to are different when
interviewing non-elites compared to elites.
○ Researchers are advised to handle non-elites and elites differently, see table below:
Non-elites Elites
Reassuring statements Proof of your professional
credentials (=achievement) and
standing.
Avoid using complicated “You get useful data from elites if
terminology when interacting you know others that they know
and respect” (Ostrander, 1993)
draw attention to researcher’s
institutional affiliation, use
personal connection, seek
sponsor.1
1
Such techniques, however, entail certain costs and bias in sampling may be unavoidable.
3
Welch et al. (2002)………………………….………….………………………........2
Tracy (2013) ………………….………….….…………………………………………...6
Kelly, U. (1997)..…………….………….………….………………….……………….13
Pratt, M.G. (2009)……….………….………….…………….……………………….17
Merriam (2014): Appendix ……...………….………….……………….……….20
1
,Welch et al. (2002) - “Corporate elites as informants in qualitative
international business research”
Introduction
Topic: Elite interviewing
4 main themes identified on elite interviewing, discussed in the paper:
1. Obtaining access to elites
2. Managing the power asymmetry between interviewer and interviewee
3. Assessing the openness of elite interviewees
4. Providing feedback to elite interviewees
Purpose of paper:
Examine specific methodological challenges associated with interviewing corporate elites in
international firms, and the implications of these challenges for obtaining valid data for theory
development and testing.
Reflexive analysis → Focuses on processes underlying data collection, interpretation and reporting
empirical data.
Strength of qualitative research used in International Business (IB):
Its ability to examine the dynamic, context-dependent and interactive phenomena which are the
subject of international business research.
Weakness of qualitative research used in International Business (IB):
Only existing guides to qualitative methods which were developed for other fields of study (notably
sociology) → these guides usually assume that the researcher is interviewing people from
“non-elite” social groups while a typical respondent in IB research is a powerful elite person
representing e.g. management. The higher the status of the company informant being
interviewed, the more ‘reliable’ and powerful the data.
● corporate elites tend to be visible individuals both inside and outside their organizations and
affect the interview situation and quality of the data in many ways.
Definition of elites
Why is elite interviewing not explicitly addressed in qualitative interviewing?
● A possible explanation for this neglect is that while qualitative interviewing techniques have
been refined and popularised in a wide range of fields, one significant influence was the
‘Chicago School’ of sociologist who were committed to voicing experiences of socially
marginalised groups.
(1) Definition of an elite in the popular language: ‘group in society considered to be superior because
of the power, the talent, privileges etc. of its members’.
2
, (2) Definition of an elite in traditional business organisations - ‘elite group can be seen to comprise
the top echelons of the firm’
● However, according to this definition, elites are synonym with top management
(3) Definition of an elite in IB - (Applied in Welch’s study)
● An informant who occupies a senior or middle management position.
○ Has functional responsibility in an area which enjoys high status in accordance with
corporate values.
○ Has considerable industry experience and frequently also long tenure (period of being
the office) with the company.
○ Possesses a broad network of personal relationships.
○ Has considerable international exposure.
● This definition has two advantages:
1. unlike previous definitions, it is focused on IB operations
2. this definition does not assume that elites are necessarily confined to the senior
management of the firm.
Elite interviewing: key themes of the literature
4 main themes of elite interviewing:
1. Access to elites
● Compared to non-elites, gaining access to elites is particularly difficult because elites
○ (by nature) “establish barriers that set their members apart from the rest of society”
→ process is more time-consuming and costly.
○ strategies for gaining consent and the cues they respond to are different when
interviewing non-elites compared to elites.
○ Researchers are advised to handle non-elites and elites differently, see table below:
Non-elites Elites
Reassuring statements Proof of your professional
credentials (=achievement) and
standing.
Avoid using complicated “You get useful data from elites if
terminology when interacting you know others that they know
and respect” (Ostrander, 1993)
draw attention to researcher’s
institutional affiliation, use
personal connection, seek
sponsor.1
1
Such techniques, however, entail certain costs and bias in sampling may be unavoidable.
3
