Methods in Sales Research: Ethnography as a Method for Broadening Sales Force Research: Promise and Potential

Abstract

Ethnography has deepened the understanding of consumer behavior, and has rich potential for sales force research. Sales researchers can use ethnography to broaden their understanding of selling in terms of both topics investigated and conceptual frameworks employed. Ethnography, an inductive method, is described and compared to traditional deductive research approaches. Illustrations from the literature show how ethnography can broaden inquiry beyond the dominant psychological and individualistic view of human behavior that currently guides sales research. Finally, criteria for selecting sales topics for ethnographic inquiry, and other considerations such as limitations, costs, and advantages of using ethnography are given.