qrca Archives

The Moderator Reimagined: Lessons from a Season Away

April 27, 2026 0

Veteran moderator Judithe Andre draws on her experience as a national board-certified health & well-being coach and wellness studio operator to reimagine what it means to listen. In this reflective, practice-focused article, she explores how motivational interviewing, mindfulness, and behavioral science can strengthen qualitative research. Her integrated approach—what she calls Moderator Methodology—offers a roadmap for researchers seeking to balance presence with precision, empathy with insight, and human care with analytical rigor. […]

Why AI-Moderated Surveys are a Qualitative Opportunity

April 27, 2026 0

Traditional surveys? They’re overdue for reinvention. Data quality is slipping, participants are disengaged, and rigid formats no longer reflect how people actually express themselves today. With qual-infused-quant, we can bring back what was missing all along—empathy, rapport, and human connection. Discover how adding a qualitative dimension can transform quantitative research into something more engaging, enabling, and exploratory. […]

FROM SKIN TO SELF: BEAUTY BEYOND GENDER

April 27, 2026 0

Globally, genderless beauty and semiotic design are reshaping the cultural meaning of skincare. Moving beyond traditional gendered marketing, it reveals how emerging visual codes, materials, and color systems invite consumers to express identity with greater fluidity and authenticity. Discover how semiotics, shifting aesthetics, and Gen Z and Gen Alpha are driving a more fluid, expressive, and value-driven beauty landscape. […]

Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering

April 27, 2026 0

Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders and The Rise of Social Engineering is Malcolm Gladwell’s thought-provoking follow-up to his popular book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. He’s written this book to explain his theories on social engineering, which is when a seemingly small change is purposefully made by a person or persons in a position of power to influence people’s behavior for a desired social outcome. Such a change is typically non-transparent and involves the design of policies, environments or communications. He contends that we all share responsibility for ensuring that social engineering is not used in a way that is harmful for our democracy. […]

“Buen Camino” to Our Milestone Pilgrimage–85 Miles of Learning and Reflecting from the Camino de Santiago

December 19, 2025 0

Two seasoned qualitative researchers turn an 85-mile journey on Spain’s Camino de Santiago into a powerful lens on reflection, connection, and the craft of insight. Blending ancient pilgrimage traditions with modern research sensibilities, they uncover lessons about traveling light—both physically and mentally. Their week-long trek is a story of movement, meaning, and the surprising clarity that emerges when we step away to walk with intention. […]

Demystifying Pricing Research

December 19, 2025 0

Most companies set prices by looking at history, or even key competitors, and hope for the best. But a price that is set too low leaves revenue behind, while a price set too high risks rejection and share loss. This article shows how blending qualitative insights with quantitative tools reveals the attributes that can justify a premium, reduce resistance, and keep pricing decisions grounded in customer reality. […]

When Grocery Shoppers Say One Thing but Buy Another—A Qualitative Research Approach to Decoding Clean Eating Contradictions

December 19, 2025 0

Research expert Carly Fink presents an innovative qualitative framework for understanding the complex contradictions between a consumer’s stated desires for clean, sustainable grocery products and their actual purchasing behaviors. Drawing from extensive industry experience, she provides actionable methodologies, including System 1 techniques, ethnographic interviews, and journey mapping to help brands build authentic trust. Readers will learn practical strategies for designing research that capture real-life decision-making contexts and translating consumer insights into business solutions that align stated values with shopping cart reality. […]

Global

MALE IN THE MIDDLE: Understanding the untold story of middle-class men in Indian households

December 19, 2025 0

India’s urban middle-class men—one of the country’s most influential yet increasingly misunderstood consumer groups—are undergoing a profound identity renegotiation shaped by feminism, changing family structures, shifting career paths, and fast-evolving media narratives. This article uncovers the complex tensions shaping their lives. For brands and researchers, this segment’s layered psyche represents an urgent—and largely untapped—opportunity. This piece offers a rich, insight-packed roadmap for anyone seeking to understand or influence India’s evolving male consumer. […]

TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves

December 19, 2025 0

Author Alison Wood Brooks describes why the art of conversation is difficult for so many of us. Whether you’re a skilled moderator or a student seeking your first job, conversing is difficult. Learn about Brooks’ ‘TALK’ strategy: topic choosing, asking more/better questions, levity when understanding someone’s story, and kindness—which will inspire your future conversations. […]

2026 QRCA Annual Conference – Where Qualitative Research Professionals Thrive

December 19, 2025 0

Join QRCA February 2–5, 2026 in San Antonio for an unforgettable annual conference at the Westin San Antonio North. This year’s location offers easy access to the Texas Hill Country and downtown’s blend of cowboy heritage and vibrant Mexican culture. Explore historic missions, lively markets, authentic cuisine, and the River Walk while connecting with fellow researchers. From rodeos and Western art to Tex-Mex feasts and German Hill Country traditions, San Antonio is the perfect backdrop for learning, networking, and a uniquely Texas experience. […]