An Overview of Semi-Structured Interviews in Business Statistics

This report provides an overview of semi-structured interviews as a sampling strategy within business statistics, contrasting it with questionnaires and exploring its applications in qualitative research. It emphasizes that semi-structured interviews involve open-ended questions, fostering detailed discussions and gathering in-depth insights into opinions and perceptions. The report highlights the use of non-probability sampling in these interviews, where sample selection is based on subjective judgment rather than random selection, making the data theoretical and specific. While questionnaires can be structured, unstructured, or quasi-structured, interviews are less structured, limiting the options for question creation. The report concludes that semi-structured interviews are valuable for gathering detailed information, though they offer fewer options compared to questionnaires; students can find more resources and solved assignments on Desklib.

Business Statistics and Research

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.............................................................................................................................3
Semi structured interviews as sampling strategy...................................................................3
Options applicable to semi structured interviews..................................................................3
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
There are various methods in statistics which are used for the purpose of collection
of the data which can be utilized in the qualitative analysis and research. This report provides
an insight into the semi structured interviews and the various options applicable to the such
interviews. In addition to this, a comparison is made with the questionnaire.
MAIN BODY
Semi structured interviews as sampling strategy
The semi-structured interview is one in which the interviewer does not strictly
follows the stated list of questions and is more focused on asking more open-ended questions.
This results into allowing for the discussion with the interviewee and mainly avoids the direct
question and answer format (Pawa, Robson and Hull, 2017). The data received from the
semi-structured interviews cannot be generalized in the statistical form and is mainly
theoretical in nature as the samples are chosen and no random sampling is carried out. Such
interviews provide valuable information mainly in regard to the when assisting the other
methods of data collection. In terms of sampling strategy (Evans and Lewis, 2018). There are
mainly two methods, one is probability and the other non-probability sampling. In the former,
the sample is selected at random and each of the sample is having the same probability of
being selected. While under non-probability, the researcher selects the sample which is based
upon the subjective judgement instead of random selection. Therefore, in semi structured
interviews, non-probability sampling is widely used as it is more detailed and not everyone
has the appropriate answer to the questions which leads to another questions. The interview is
based on certain theme, issues, stories or the emerging topic which results into making the
sample size of the sample limited and specific.
Options applicable to semi structured interviews
In terms of options available, it is mainly done through interviews in which majority
of the questions are developed during the interview which allows both interviewer and
interviewee to go into details when needed. On making comparison with the questionnaire, it
can be either structured and unstructured and a combination of these 2 is called as quasi-
structured questionnaire. In the structured questionnaire, there are pre-coded question having
a defined pattern which follows a sequence of questions (Roulston and Choi, 2018). On the
other hand, in the unstructured questionnaire is the open-ended and opinion type question and
is mainly used by focused groups for discussion. Interviews are less structured as the
questions are developed based on the answers given by the interviewee which results into

limiting the options for conducting the interviews and question creation which is not so in
case of questionnaires.
CONCLUSION
Based upon the above, it can be stated that the semi structured is an important
method which helps in gathering wider and in-depth details or information pertaining to the
interviewee in terms of their opinion, perception, though process etc. Thus, the number of
options applicable to it are limited in contrast to the questionnaire.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Evans, C. and Lewis, J., 2018. Analysing semi-structured interviews using thematic analysis:
Exploring voluntary civic participation among adults (pp. p1-6). SAGE Publications
Limited.
Roulston, K. and Choi, M., 2018. Qualitative interviews. The SAGE handbook of qualitative
data collection. pp.233-249.
Pawa, J., Robson, J. and Hull, S., 2017. Building managed primary care practice networks to
deliver better clinical care: a qualitative semi-structured interview study. British
Journal of General Practice. 67(664). pp.e764-e774.