Qualitative Research - Focus Groups, Case Studies
SPR has extensive experience conducting qualitative research as either
exploratory work during the design phase of quantitative studies or as
stand-alone qualitative studies requiring focus groups, case studies or in-depth interviews.
- Focus groups
have been conducted with: managers and logistics professionals, as part of a broader
Labour Market Information (LMI) Project to determine how the supply chain sector can best structure a labour market information system
(for the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council, 2007); meteorologists from government, the consulting sector and broadcasting, as part of a human
resources study for the meteorological sector (for EcoCanada and the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (CMOS), 2004-2005);
Canadian employers’ associations, as part of a study to examine The Balance Between Work and Family Life
(for Human Resources Development Canada, 1996-2000);
Canadian youth, as part of an examination of exchange programs (for
Canadian Heritage, 1997-1999); and anglers, as part of the design work for the Great Lakes Basin
Anglers Survey (for Health and Welfare Canada, 1990-1991).
- Case studies
have been conducted for sector councils across Canada, as part of a Summative Evaluation
of the Sector Council Program (for Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2005-2006); and
seven Canadian communities and two international communities, to examine their
response to the need for innovative planning models, services, etc. regarding the implications of an aging population
(for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2004-2005).
Case study topics have included industrial health in Ontario industries (for the Ontario Workplace Health and Safety Agency, 1995),
housing and communities, including Non-Profit Housing and Urban Native Housing
across Canada (for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 1996), and housing co-operatives in the Maritimes,
Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and B.C. (for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 1990); and have been conducted
in a variety of settings, such as Aboriginal communities, as part of case studies of family violence programs on
First Nations (for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 1993-94, 1995-96),
and Native Friendship Centres, for An Evaluation of the Native Friendship Centre
Program (for Secretary of State, 1987-88).
- In-depth interviews
have been held with: Income Security Program Managers
(for Human Resources Development Canada, 1999); senior business executives, Deputy and
Assistant Deputy Ministers, as part of a Strategic Review of Occupational Health and Safety (for
the Ontario Workplace Health and Safety Agency, 1995); and Ontario radio station
managers (for An Evaluation of the Ontario Radio Heritage Programme, 1989-90).