Collecting qualitative data via video statements in the digital era

Qualitative research methods in organisational research, such as interviews, observation and focus groups, provide detailed insights into business phenomena. In the social sciences, new methods have emerged enabled by the digital era, such as video methods particularly suitable for capturing participant interaction and obtaining non-verbal cues. Slowly, video methods are also gaining recognition in organisational research, opening up innovative possibilities for applying them beyond the traditional focus purely on interaction. This research presents an alternative video method: video statements. This time- and cost-efficient data collection method is characterised by participants who self-record their experiences following a guideline to gather multimodal (visual, audio and textual) data. Hence, video statements can be collected remotely. In our sample study, the approach generates genuine impressions, providing insights into an emerging organisational phenomenon. The output is used as a form of data and a basis for follow-up discussion by participants to add meaning to the video representations. Overall, video statements offer an alternative approach to data collection, supporting researchers in providing richer knowledge for business and management.