Seeking advice from ChatGPT on how an insider researcher can tactfully conduct research interview: a note for MBA students

Seeking advice from ChatGPT on how an insider researcher can tactfully conduct research interview: a note for MBA students

The following is an account of my conversation with ChatGPT (via poe.com) for learning how an insider researcher can tactfully conduct research interview:

Query 1

Joseph Ho (the research student): "I am a part-time MBA student. Currently, I am doing a dissertation project with one of its research objective being to evaluate the management innovation capability of the company which I work in as its Human Resource Manager. My concern is that I do not how I can tactfully conduct my research interview to meet this research objective as the interviewees (i.e. the top managers and middle-managers) are my colleagues in the company. Could you give me some advice how to conduct the research interview more tactfully in this case?"

The assistant bot: "As an HR Manager conducting research interviews with your colleagues in a dissertation project, I can understand your concern about tactfully collecting the necessary information. Here are some suggestions that may help:

Disclose your research purpose upfront: Be transparent about the purpose of your research and your role as a part-time MBA student. Explain that you are conducting this research interview as an academic exercise, not as part of your HR responsibilities. Assure your colleagues that their participation is voluntary and that their responses will be kept confidential.

Maintain professional boundaries: While your colleagues may be familiar with you in the workplace, it's important to establish a clear distinction between the professional and academic context of the interview. Conduct the interviews in a private setting, avoid casual conversation, and focus solely on the research questions.

Emphasize confidentiality: Reassure your colleagues that their responses will be anonymized and that you will not link any specific information back to them or their positions within the company. This can help them feel more comfortable sharing their honest perspectives.

Use open-ended questions: Craft your interview questions to elicit detailed responses rather than simple yes/no answers. This will give your colleagues the opportunity to share their insights and experiences more fully.

Listen actively and avoid interruptions: Allow your colleagues to express their thoughts without unnecessary interruptions. Demonstrate that you are actively listening by making eye contact, nodding, and asking follow-up questions to clarify or expand on their responses.

Avoid using your HR "hat": During the interviews, refrain from using your HR knowledge or perspective. Approach the conversations as a neutral researcher rather than as a representative of the company's HR department.

Offer to share the research findings: Once your dissertation is complete, consider offering to share the anonymized research findings with your colleagues. This can help build trust and demonstrate the value of their participation.

By implementing these tactful approaches, you can create an environment where your colleagues feel comfortable sharing their insights, while maintaining the necessary professional boundaries and research integrity. Let me know if you have any other questions!"

Query 2

Joseph Ho (the research student): "Could you provide an example of how to phrase the interview questions to maintain professional boundaries?"

The assistant bot: "Certainly, here are some examples of how you could phrase interview questions to maintain professional boundaries as an HR Manager conducting research interviews with your colleagues:

Opening the interview:

"Thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview for my MBA dissertation research. As you know, I am currently enrolled in a part-time MBA program, and this research project is separate from my role as the HR Manager at our company. I want to assure you that your responses will be kept completely confidential, and I will not attribute any specific information back to you or your position within the organization."

Asking about management innovation capabilities:

"From your perspective as a [job title], can you describe the key ways in which our organization approaches and supports management innovation? What processes or structures do you feel enable or hinder the development of new management practices and capabilities?"

Exploring challenges and opportunities:

"What do you see as the primary challenges our organization faces in terms of cultivating a culture of management innovation? Conversely, what do you believe are the greatest opportunities we have to enhance our management innovation capabilities?"

Probing for specific examples:

"Can you provide a specific example of a recent management innovation initiative that you have been involved with or observed? What were the drivers behind this innovation, and how was it implemented within the organization?"

Closing the interview:

"Thank you again for your time and valuable insights. As I mentioned, I will keep all of your responses confidential, and I'm happy to share the anonymized research findings with you once my dissertation is complete. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns."

The key is to maintain a professional and academic tone throughout the interview, avoid using your HR "hat," and continuously reassure your colleagues about confidentiality and the separation between your research and your HR role. This can help create an environment of trust and openness during the interview process."

Query 3

Joseph Ho (the research student): "Could you provide more details on how to maintain a professional tone throughout the interview process?"

The assistant bot: "Certainly, here are some additional tips to help you maintain a professional tone throughout the interview process:

Use formal language and avoid casual speech:

Instead of "Hey, how's it going?" use "Good morning/afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today."

Avoid contractions (e.g., "don't," "can't") and use complete sentences.

Steer clear of slang or colloquialisms that you may use in a more casual workplace setting.

Dress professionally:

Wear business attire, even if your normal work attire is more casual. This helps establish the formal interview context.

Avoid wearing anything too casual, like jeans or t-shirts, even if that's typical for your workplace.

Use an interview script or guide:

Prepare an interview guide with your questions and topics to cover. This will help you stick to the research agenda and avoid casual conversation.

Refer to your guide throughout the interview to maintain structure and focus.

Avoid personal questions or comments:

Resist the temptation to make small talk about personal topics or shared workplace experiences.

Keep the conversation strictly focused on the research questions and objectives.

Be an active, neutral listener:

Nod, make eye contact, and use neutral verbal cues like "I see" to show you're listening.

Avoid nodding excessively or making sounds that could be interpreted as agreement or disagreement.

If your colleagues veer off-topic, politely redirect them back to the research questions.

Take notes discreetly:

Use a notebook or laptop to take notes during the interview, but avoid frantic or disruptive note-taking.

Try to maintain eye contact as much as possible rather than constantly looking down at your notes.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a professional, academic atmosphere that is distinct from your typical workplace interactions. This will help your colleagues feel more comfortable providing candid responses for your research."

Some overall evaluation comments

The assistant bot was capable to offer informed and concrete advice on an insider researcher how to conduct research interview with tact. It is up to the research student to seek for further advice to address some additional personal and idiosyncratic concerns on this topic. At the same time, the research student is recommended to study the relevant  reading materials on Research Methods with a heightened sense of direction by heeding the assistant bot's advice.

Reference: a collection of blog notes using ChatGPT for research purpose.