Research Methods in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management

6.4.3 Participant and non-participant observation

This type of research is particularly suitable when you are working in an

organisation. You might be working part-time in a hotel, for example, or

attending an event which you are interested in researching. Whilst you are

working at or attending the event, you might observe what is happening

either around you or in a situation in which you are not directly involved.

You will have to keep notes of what is happening, either all the time or at a

later time, say in the evening when you have finished work. This diary will

then form the basis of your research. This type of research generally

provides a great deal of interesting information that can be analysed later. If

you do not reveal that you are doing the research, you will collect some

‘real’ information, but it could be regarded as unethical, particularly if the

things you see are embarrassing or, in the extreme, harmful. You could, of

course, tell people that you are doing the research, but it is important to

remember that people quickly forget that you are doing this, particularly if

the workplace is a stressful environment.