Online ethnography

Netnography, Eng. Netnography, means the transfer of ethnographic research methods to the Internet. It is a coined by marketing professor Robert Kozinets portmanteau, which merges the two concepts of ethnography and the internet.

• 4.1 advantages
• 4.2 Limitations

Definition

The approach of netnography based on the Broad ethnography, so the observation of the behavior of groups and their individual members.

Ethnography is a special form of ethnographic research and translates ethnography. The central concern of ethnography is to understand life and the social structure of foreign cultures and communities from their perspective.

The Internet offers the possibility of all kinds of information exchange. Web 2.0 creates through its interactive platforms new ways to interact with each other.

Web Information Retrieval

Another close relationship of the netnography is with the computer science attributable approach of Web information retrieval. This approach deals with the information retrieval and information gathering based on a computer-based, content-based search approach to web-based data sources. The netnography contrast, is characterized by its qualitative character and the intense engagement of the researcher with the research topic, in which case the members and discussion of online communities, over a longer time period.

Netnography as a research method

Netnography is an observational research method. Observations are empirical basis of data. The scientific observation should be objective and repeatable. In the empirical research, a distinction between participating and non-participating observation. Was it necessary to infiltrate before the Internet age in a group netnography allowed in the age of online communities to observe the flow of communication within the group, without the community itself actively join. Netnography can thus be classified as non- participant observation, in the context of the conversation and social interaction of members in online communities is unobtrusive and unaffected observed. Thus, in contrast to the classical ethnography, not the group members themselves but their communication and social interaction subject of the investigation. Netnography is at the core " ( ... ) a written documentation of field work, based their data on (...) Internet-based communications. " Since this documentation the researchers will be given the opportunity to observe unobtrusively and without artificially created environment, consumers and their communication. Since the data based on the analysis represent text, so there is a substantive proximity to the Content and Discourse Analysis.

Method

Kozinets, the netnography ago as a four-step methodology for the study of consumer behavior in cyber-space. It describes " ... how to identify communities, which should be considered when making contact with communities, like the observation and intelligence gathering done, how can verify the trustworthiness of the results obtained and the ethical guidelines must be taken into account in the research ... ".

Advantages and limitations of the method

Benefits

Due to the observational and non-intrusive nature of the method uninfluenced and unbiased information can be obtained. Compared to other qualitative research methods, a study in the familiar environment of the group takes place. This can ergebnisverzerrende outside influences such as interview effect or artificial laboratory conditions can be avoided.

The problem of social desirability response behavior in the context of difficult issues can be circumvented by netnographische analyzes or at least alleviated. The anonymity of users in forums and groups guarantees truthful, unadulterated statements taboo, intimate and / or controversial issues, and thus also allows insight into the secret desires and actual users' opinions, which may differ from the generally prevailing values ​​and ideals.

The method allows highly explorative research design. True to the spirit of the Grounded Theory takes place in the context of data analysis, a combination of inductive and deductive approach, which answers to questions arising in the course of an investigation that could have not asked before data collection and analysis.

The obtaining results in the customer's language is a further advantage, and allows a deep understanding of the studied consumers. The quality and depth of content and richness of the original sounds make statements often only really understandable, since they represent knowledge very plastic and get to the point.

The universal applicability of the method for various application fields or issues are among the strengths of netnographischen method. The method also allows the simultaneous data collection in several countries and remains invisible to competitor.

Limitations

A problem of netnography method results in terms of the representativeness of the results obtained. Therefore, the method must be regarded as a complement to existing innovations and marketing instruments. To substantiate the results of the netnographischen method, triangulation with other data should be made.