Explain The Key Elements Of Conducting A Focus Group And Provide Reasons Why A Focus Group Can Be Useful. (Essay Sample)

An Overview of Focus Groups
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An Overview of Focus Groups
Explain the key elements of conducting a focus group and provide reasons why a focus group can be useful.
Focus groups are essential gatherings which immensely aid in elevating the status of any given institution. The focus groups are made up of individuals who brainstorm in an interactive session to propose progressive ideas which can elevate the productivity of the organization. One of the significant elements of a focus group is the location. The focus group should be located in a neutral position where none of the individuals has prior knowledge of the place. Another significant element is the presence of a skilled moderator who controls the events and the exchange of ideas from one individual to another. Participants are also critical parts of a focus group and they should be homogeneous in nature which means they should have a common agenda. A focus group is set with the purpose of deliberating ideas that can aid in propelling the status of an institution. In this case, the fundamental elements that should be considered are the results emanating from the focus group. All these factors work together to guarantee the success of the team.
Focus groups are useful because of various reasons. One of the key reasons is that it harbors individuals from diverse backgrounds, and thus it helps to suggest productive ideas which have been vetted and certified. Kruger notes that focus groups also play an immense role in promoting teamwork in the workplace (Krueger and Casey, 2014). Additionally, through the focus group, the innovative and creative idea of the participants can easily be explored and this works to improve the overall status of the particular institution. Therefore, this proves the essence of encouraging a focus group in any given organization as it also helps in conflict resolutions and even scheming ways of creating a competitive edge over the rest of the players in the global scene.
Describe what could go wrong in conducting a focus group and how you would prevent these potential problems from happening.
There are different challenges which can emanate from conducting a focus group and it is the task of the moderator to give sound advice on how to handle such situations. Krueger notes that the success of any focus group depends on the ability of the members to embrace diversity and welcome the contrasting opinions of other members in the pact (Krueger and Casey, 2014). In the focus group, some individuals may regard another individual as inferior and that their opinion does not count. Having such notions may produce a rift between the individual thus crippling the entire function of the institution. Another element which could go wrong in the focus group is moderating individuals who are not ready to operate within the set guidelines. The rowdy individuals also tend to derail the team and its processes.
The highlighted setbacks can be addressed by observing some guidelines. Krueger asserts that setting a proper recruiting process will help to bring on board individuals who have substance and can reason with each other (Krueger and Casey, 2014). Proper recruiting is immensely beneficial as it aids bringing experts who respect each other and have something to bring on board. Recruiting also helps to gather individuals who share almost the same intellectual capability. Moderation can also assist in addressing the highlighted issues. Restraint can come about with strict legislation which can allow the moderator to punish individuals who do not operate within the confines of the group. In this case, as a moderator, one should be strict and firm so that he or she can earn respect from the other members of the focus group. Hence, through performing these two actions, sanity can be restored in the focus group.
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