Sep 18, 2023
In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer speaks with ethnographer Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz about the significance of ethnographic research in understanding customer behavior and organizational culture. Ethnography, a research methodology rooted in anthropology, has found new relevance in the business world. Felicity explains that ethnographic research involves immersing oneself in the studied context, actively interacting with people, and collecting qualitative data to gain deep insights.
The episode emphasizes ethnography's value in the transport industry, highlighting various projects that have uncovered valuable insights into future mobility trends and incident management. Felicity also addresses challenges such as time constraints and the Hawthorne Effect. Business professionals looking to make informed decisions and improve organizational culture will find this episode informative and practical, offering a comprehensive introduction to ethnographic research and its applications.
In this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction,
Melina Palmer introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Felicity
Heathcote-Marcz. She mentions that ethnography is an important
method for understanding customers and lays the groundwork for the
upcoming episode on observation skills with Christian
Madsbjerg.
00:02:21 - What is Ethnographic Research?,
Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz explains that ethnographic research
originated in anthropology and involves studying cultures and local
contexts to gain a deep understanding of people and their
behaviors. She discusses how ethnography has evolved and how it is
now used in business to gain insights into customers and
organizational culture.
00:08:29 - Role of an Organizational Ethnographer,
Dr. Felicity Heathcote-Marcz describes her role as an
organizational ethnographer at Atkins, an engineering and transport
consultancy. She explains that she studies the culture within
organizations, conducts research on future trends in the transport
industry, and collects immersive data by observing and interacting
with customers in their natural environments.
00:11:05 - Impact of Ethnography on Organizations,
Felicity discusses how ethnography can provide organizations with a
deeper understanding of their customers and employees. She explains
that ethnographers can identify opportunities for improvement,
inform decision-making, and facilitate cultural change within
organizations.
00:13:26 - Ethical Considerations in Ethnographic Research,
Felicity emphasizes the importance of reflexivity and
self-awareness in ethnographic research.
00:16:19 - Ethnographic Methodologies in Business Contexts,
Felicity discusses the challenges of utilizing ethnographic
methodologies in a business context, where time constraints often
limit the depth and richness of the data collected. While some
purist academic ethnographers may object to condensed time periods,
Felicity suggests spending as much continuous time as possible with
a specific group to establish rapport and gain valuable
insights.
00:18:09 - Accompanied Drives and Ethical Considerations,
Felicity explains her approach to conducting accompanied drives,
where she sits in the passenger seat with the driver and encourages
them to share their thoughts and experiences. She emphasizes the
importance of maintaining participant anonymity and establishing
trust to overcome suspicion and encourage open communication.
00:21:28 - Nudges and Behavioral Science in Transportation,
Felicity discusses her work with local transport authorities in the
UK, focusing on designing behavioral nudges to encourage residents
to shift from private cars to public transport or active modes of
travel. She highlights the importance of considering contextual
factors, such as weather and incentives, to effectively change
behavior.
00:25:10 - The Effectiveness of Nudges in Shifting Behaviors,
Felicity presents findings from a study conducted in Manchester,
where text message nudges were used to encourage walking, cycling,
or using public transport for commuting. The results revealed that
the effectiveness of nudges varied depending on contextual factors,
such as weather, and suggested that larger incentives may be needed
to change behaviors in unfavorable conditions.
00:31:44 - Social Pressure and Incentives for Mask-Wearing,
The discussion focuses on the social pressure that exists regarding
mask-wearing in different countries and contexts. In some places,
there is a need to set up schemes to incentivize mask-wearing,
while in others, people automatically conform and penalize those
who don't.
00:33:05 - Importance of Ethnographic Research,
Ethnographic research is highlighted as a valuable approach to
understanding differing opinions and behaviors. By taking
interlocutors seriously and stepping into their worlds, researchers
can gain insights into their motivations and beliefs. This approach
requires being present and observing without bias or preconceived
notions.
00:34:13 - Understanding Beliefs and Motivations,
Ethnographic research delves beyond surface-level behaviors and
artifacts to uncover the deep-seated beliefs, cultural influences,
and personal experiences that shape people's actions. By exploring
these underlying factors, researchers can gain a comprehensive
understanding of individuals and their perspectives.
00:36:22 - Immersion and Risk in Ethnographic Research,
To truly understand certain contexts and realities, ethnographers
may need to immerse themselves in potentially risky situations.
This could involve not wearing a mask in a non-mask space or
accompanying individuals into dangerous environments. Immersion
allows for a more accurate and complete depiction of people's
experiences and challenges.
00:38:16 - Conclusion
Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you
while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come
share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as
@thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn.
Thanks for listening. Don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Android. If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show.
Let’s connect:
Learn and Support The Brainy Business:
Check out and get your copies of Melina’s Books.
Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode:
Connect with Felicity:
Top Recommended Next Episode: Hawthorne Effect (ep 117)
Already Heard That One? Try These:
Other Important Links:
Brainy Bites - Melina’s LinkedIn Newsletter