Studia i Prace WNEiZ US

Previously: Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego. Studia i Prace WNEiZ

ISSN: 2450-7733    eISSN: 2300-4096    OAI    DOI: 10.18276/sip.2018.52/2-29
CC BY-SA   Open Access 

Issue archive / nr 52/2 2018
Zastosowanie metod antropologii biznesu jako innowacyjnej koncepcji badań konsumentów
(Application of business anthropology methods as an innovative approach to consumer research)

Authors: Marek Gładysz
Akademia Leona Koźmińskiego w Warszawie
Keywords: business anthropology ethnography quality research consumer insight
Whole issue publication date:2018
Page range:10 (379-388)
Klasyfikacja JEL: A10 M20
Cited-by (Crossref) ?:

Abstract

This article presents the journey that the discipline of anthropology has undergone since colonial times, when its main purpose was to understand the culture of the tribes in their natural environment journay until nowadays, where as business anthropology it deals with understanding the culture of the organization and the search for so-called “insight” to improve the company management and provide competitive advantage in highly globalized markets. Using this advantage, companies want to be ahead of its competitors in introducing innovations that meet the needs of a wide range of consumers. Ethnography is an integral part of anthropology as a major tool for the work of anthropologists. Increasing importance for the business of this type of qualitative researches creates the interest of decision makers using the so-called the human aspect both in the employee and in the consumer field – and anthropology has been studied this matter extensively since the earliest centuries. The article ends with a description of own case study which is the research using the ethnography method for the purpose of searching innovation. This article addresses an issue of the use of ethnography treated as anthropological research method for applications in economic practice, in particular in the field of research on consumer behaviors and needs. It shows the innovative nature of anthropology and business combination, while presenting numerous practical examples of applications, it points to the growing importance of ethnography among qualitative methods. The literature review presents a journey of the anthropology since colonial times, when its main aim was to understand the culture of tribes in their natural environment to the present day, where as a business anthropology it is concerned with understanding the organization’s culture and searching for so-called “insights” aimed to improve management of the company and provide a competitive advantage in highly globalized markets. This advantage is achieved by companies overtaking their competitors in implementation of innovation according to the needs of a wide range of consumers. An integral part of anthropology is ethnography understood as the main tool of anthropologist’s work. The growing importance of this type of qualitative research for business is created by the growing interest of decision-makers in so-called human aspect, both in the employee and consumer dimension. The article ends with a description of case study, research using the ethnography method in search of product innovations in construction industry. Business anthropology in this case has fulfilled its practical role. As a result of conducted ethnography, two innovative projects were created: the first product and the second customer service. Case study is a positive example of the use of scientific qualitative method in business.
Download file

Article file

Bibliography

1.Angrosino, M. (2010). Badania etnograficzne i obserwacyjne. Niezbędnik badacza. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
2.Belk, R., Casotti, L.M. (2014). Ethnographic Research in Marketing: Past, Present and Possible Futures. Brazilian Journal of Marketing, 6, 1–17.
3.Davenport, T.H. (2007). The Rise of Corporate Anthropology. Pobrane z: www/hbr.org/2007/11/the-rise-of-corporate-anthropo.
4.Elliot, R., Janker-Elliot, N. (2003). Using Etnography in Strategic Consumer Research. Qualitative Market Research. An International Journal, 4, 215–223.
5.Hine, Ch. (2000). Virthual Entnography. London: Sage.
6.Jordan, A.T. (2010). The Importance of Business Anthropology: Its Unique Contributions. International Journal of Business Anthropology, 1, 15–25.
7.Kostera, M. (2003). Antropologia organizacji. Metodologia badań terenowych. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
8.Kozielski, R. (2013). Wyczucie klienta. Marketing w Praktyce, 6, 18–20.
9.Madsbjerg, Ch., Rasmussen, B. (2014). An Anthropologist Walks Into a Bar. Harvard Business Review, March, 80–88.
10.Maison, D. (2010). Jakościowe metody badań marketingowych: jak zrozumieć konsumenta. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
11.Morais, J.M. (2010). How Anthropologist Can Succeed in Business: Mediating Multiple Words of Inquiry. International Journal of Business Anthropology, 1, 45–56.
12.Morais, J.M., de Waal Malefyt, T. (2017). Business Anthropology Comes of Age. Anthropology News. Pobrane z: http://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2017/11/03/business-
13.anthropology-comes-of-age/.
14.Pant, D.R., Alberti, F. (1997). Anthropology and Business: Reflections on The Business, Applications of Cultural Anthropology. Serie Economia e Impresa, 42, 1–25.
15.Pink, S. (2005). Applications of Anthropology: Profesional Anthropology in the Twenty-first Century. Oxford: Berghahn Books.
16.Suri, J.F., Howard, S.G. (2006). Going Deeper, Seeing Further: Enhancing Ethnographic Interpretations to Reveal More Meaningful Opportunities for Design. Journal of Advertising Research, September, 246–250.
17.Tian, R.G. (2001). Anthropological Approach to Consumer Science: A Practical Teaching Case Study. High Plains Applied Anthropologist, 2, 157–165.
18.Tian, R.G. (2010a). The Unique Contributions and the Unique Methodologies: A Concise Overview of the Applications of Business Anthropology. International Journal of Business Anthropology, 2, 70–88.
19.Tian, R.G (2010b). What is Business Anthropology? Pobrane z: www/community.sfaa.net/profiles/blogs/what-is-business-anthropology.