Focus Group Research: Towards an Applicable Model for Africa

Abstract

Over the last two decades, African communication scholars, educationists and researchers have realised there exist “certain limitations of the western social research methods when used in the rural areas of Africa” (Obeng-Quaidoo, 1985, p. 109). It has been observed that many of the concepts and models learnt during postgraduate study in developed countries are sometimes not workable in developing countries due to problems of illiteracy, poverty and complex social structures. Limitations manifest when Western notions of social science research are used in much of Africa and other parts of the developing world, especially in rural areas, due to their peculiarities, which distinguish them from developed environments (Obeng-Quaidoo, 1983;1 Maynard-Tucker, 2000; Vissandjée, Abdool, & Dupéré, 2002; Winslow, Honein, & Elzubeir, 2002; Laverack & Brown, 2003;). Obeng-Quaidoo (1985) observes that even though “science is universal and transferable, the methodologies and technologies for obtaining scientific knowledge are not universal” (p. 110). He argues that discussions of “methodological innovations” should be situated within specific “cultural imperatives” (p. 110). Halloran (2002)2 argues in support of situating media studies in local environments because news processes (gathering, processing and dissemination or sharing) are impinged upon by many factors, some of which are political, sociological, cultural and economic. Similarly, social science research is impinged upon by the environment in which it is conducted. The “choice of research problems and of what methodological approach is used to study these problems,” is usually influenced by social and political factors (Priest, 1996, p. 5)