Qualitative Research in Saudi Arabia and UAE

The challenges of doing Market Research and Focus Groups in GCC and Saudi Arabia Newer methodoligies like Ethnography combined with Quantitative Research to provide robust results on Brand Equity and Consumer Research

More and more clients are focussing on Middle East and especially markets like KSA (Saudi Arabia and UAE) alongside Emerging markets like India to gain brand share in the face of their home markets stagnating. Using Multiple methodologies is crucial - Qualitative Research, Ethnography and Quantiative Research are being combined to give robust results.

Today we discuss the area of ethnography - a particularly difficult arena in closed markets like KSA and Egypt.

Using innovative methodologies, Unboxed Consulting managed to assist their clients' desire to dig deeper into consumer insights and hence delivered against business objectives

They used Ethnography as one of the methodologies used. Ethnography in Saudi Arabia is difficult and legally fraught with Perils. Though Most Agencies do conduct Quantitative and Qualitative Research, it is not so for other research Methodologies. Ethnography the scientific study of human interactive phenomenon and cultural sub-groups. It is seen as a branch of cultural anthropology, and a part of anthropology which concentrates on the study of human societies. Some people use "ethnography" and "cultural anthropology" interchangeably, although cultural anthropology includes more research techniques than just ethnography.

People who are interested in pursuing ethnography as a career should start by studying cultural anthropology. If possible, they should take fieldwork opportunities when they arise in school, to see whether or not ethnography is something that they enjoy doing. A good ethnographer is able to calculate statistics, rapidly pick up new languages, and instantly assess a range of situations. Above all, ethnography is about observation and cataloging, and written communication skills are a strong asset for someone interested in this academic field. In the field or market research it usually involves home visits, accompanied shopping and product preparation viewing In Saudi Arabia doing market research is complicated and hence finding the best agency is critical for good fieldwork. Even while doing Market research surveys in UAE or Iran or Sudan, the cultural nuances have to be kept in place.

Currently Unboxed consulting is a market research consultancy that focuses on Qualitative Research and Market Research Surveys including Quantitative Research including Usability testing, Technology research and other forms of market research in Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Egypt as well as North Africa as well as India.

The company is also doing a lot of market research in Urban and Rural India on a variety of topics.

About the Author

Unboxed Consulting is the brainchild of Dipen Mehta, a ESOMAR member and a veteran of over 19 years of Market Research and Consulting experience including a long stint in the Middle East. For more info visit : http://www.un-boxed.me