Title: Ethnography in Business: Applications to New Product Development

Date: 27 March 2013
Time: 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Venue: Potential – Floor 13, Connexis (North tower), Fusionopolis (MRT Circle Line: one-north)
(RSVP by: 22 March 2013 to Norfadhilah at awangnb@i2r.a-star.edu.sg )

Programme
5.30pm – Registration
6.00pm –  Ethnography in Business in Asia: Some stories of use – by Juliana Koh and Manisha Dikshit
7.00pm – Refreshment
7.30pm – Ethnographic Films and Business – Julien Cayla
8.30pm – End

Abstract
Over the last few years, new markets and consumer segments have opened in Asia and digitisation has changed existing cultures rapidly. Corporates in Asia have become interested in the idea of using Ethnography to understand their users and relevant cultures. This presentation shares stories from the field and our experience as researchers using Ethnography for commercial organisations. The presentation talks about the processes, methods, tools and outcomes of using Ethnography. It discusses the benefits of this as well as the constraints, challenges and misconceptions in the area.

About the Speakers
Manisha’s love for looking into the real lives of people and being touched by the humanity of day to day life is what has kept her interested in the commercial world of Qualitative research for more than 20 years.  Her aim has been to tell the stories of consumers to inspire brands to bring about change. Manisha specialises in research in the early stages of product development and has been involved in new product development, positioning and consumer profiling work across Asia Pacific and Middle East region.

Juliana started her journey as researcher as a hard core Econometrician.  By chance she was drawn into the Qualitative world and became intrigued by the emotional and psychological aspects of consumer behaviour and cultures. Since then she has been immersed in understanding consumers, what drives them and uses this understanding to provoke and inspire clients and be a catalyst for change.

Manisha and Juliana are the founders of Consumer Faces Pte.Ltd.

Julien Cayla is Assistant Professor of Marketing at Nanyang Business School and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Asian Consumer Insight in Singapore. Professor Cayla received his PhD from the University of Colorado (Boulder, United States) where he majored in marketing and minored in cultural anthropology. Before joining NTU, Julien was Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the Australian School of Business (Sydney, Australia). In his research, he tries to integrate anthropological theories and methodologies to the study of marketing in the global marketplace.

RSVP required by 22 March 2013. For more information, please see http://hfe.i2r.a-star.edu.sg

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