Analysing textual data in international marketing research

Purpose – To provide guidance for the formalised analysis of qualitative data and observations, to raise awareness about systematic analysis and illustrate promising avenues for the application of qualitative methodologies in international marketing research. Design/methodology/approach – Conceptually, the nature of qualitative research, globalisation and its implications for the research landscape, text-data as a source for international research and equivalence issues in international qualitative research are discussed. The methodology section applies these concepts and analysis challenges to a real-world example using N*Vivo software. Findings – A 14-step analytic design is developed, introducing procedures of data analysis and interpretation which help to formalise qualitative research of textual data. Research limitations/implications – The use of software programs (e.g. N*Vivo) helps to substantiate the analysis and interpretation process of textual data. Practical implications – Step-by-step guidance on performing qualitative analysis of textual data and documenting findings. Originality/value – The paper is valuable for researchers and practitioners looking for guidance in analysing and interpreting textual data from interviews. Specific support is given for N*Vivo software and its application.