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Qualitative Research in Asia

Petek Cirpili  (Turkey)

Interviews taken by Piyul Mukherjee with Qualitative Researchers Worldwide

 Ø Were you an inquisitive child?

Oh, you bet! I was always out in the garden or under the water. I had a praying mantis and a lizard as pets. I gave my first oral debrief to neighbors about my mother's waxing habits when I was two. My mother says she was truly horrified when she heard me speak for the first time because I used complete sentences and never mispronounced words.

Ø Hmm, I can ‘see’ your inquisitiveness! Any particular anecdote?

When I was three, I took an egg, hid it in my sleeve, and pretended I was a chicken. After some loud cackle and a funny show of some chickenly effort, I laid my egg on the carpet. I sold this fresh and warm egg to elder family members who had a good laugh. I made good money. I guess that was when I gained my initial skills as a marketing person. Some projects remind me of this game.

Ø I’ll have to figure out why you hid it in the sleeve and not – ahem -- elsewhere. Tell me, what is distinct about qualitative research in Turkey?

I do both qualitative and quantitative research since I have an expertise in both. One cannot make a living in Turkey by moderating only. There are no specialized studios and recruitment facilities. Our company (like all others) has its own studio and a large team of recruiters.

Ø What is common to qualitative research in Turkey, with predominantly Muslim nations?

Turkey is the only secular nation in the Muslim world. It sets a good example in that sense. That is very important in our daily lives and when doing business. When doing qualitative projects, QRCs follow closely the new trends and methods, but I think they are somewhat more reserved in applying them.

Ø If you were given the option of doing just one project in the coming year, what would it be? And why?

I would love to make an ethnographic survey on the "pester power" of children. That area is not fully explored by marketers in Turkey.

Ø Your most difficult project, to date?

The most difficult (and funny) project was about the body shaving habits of men. Removing hair in the armpits and the pubic area is considered a religious must for overall cleanliness. Especially during the months they spend in the military, men are expected to shave regularly. As a result, we developed a special shaving head for razors and it was a big success. (No, of course I did not interview men myself.)

Ø Pity! What are the qualities your husband / family members admire in you? What are they exasperated at?

I guess what they admire most in me is also what exasperates them in daily life; my "wandering mind" that makes me creative in my work and helps me wriggle out of difficult situations. I live in the "now." Every morning is a new beginning for me. Once my mind is set, I never think twice. That can be really tiring for people around me who like to exercise some caution in life. I always say, " If you want to amuse God, make plans." (And what do you know, God eventually helps me out.)

Ø Your favorite time of day... why so? Time of year... why so?

My favorite time of the day is when I hit the pillow; snug and secure under the warm down quilt, with a good book in my hand. As for the time of the year, I like spring the best -- when the crisp air is full of promises of the summertime, "when the living is easy."

Ø What would your ideal meal consist of... and where would you like to have it / with whom as company?

I guess my ideal table would look like a long table of friends on a sunny Sunday in the garden with lots of appetizers followed by a hearty meal of "manti" (a kind of pasta). Typically Mediterranean, crowded and noisy with lively music, children running around, everyone drinking wine and chatting gaily. There I am, the "mamma," behind the steaming large pot. Yeah, that's me; the one with the flowered apron and a fork in her hand, shouting at the already stuffed kids to eat some more…

Ø Count me in next time! Your favorite hobbies nowadays (away from work)?

Walking long hours by the sea before the sunset, meditating, and of course, reading. Nowadays, I have been digging out recipes from very old cookbooks and testing them on family and friends. I consider myself a good cook (so far, no one survived my meals to tell me otherwise).

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