Final Thesis: Market Research on the B2B CAQDAS Market
Abstract:
Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) is a quintessential practice of theory building in academia, commercial research contexts and more. Analyzing unstructured text for themes, sentiments, and speakers is done in nearly every field of research from social sciences to information systems. Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) supports the collection and categorization of this unstructured data. QDAcity is one of these softwares that is a potential new contender in the well established market of CAQDAS products.
This thesis outlines the feasibility of entering the existing CAQDAS market by combining three methods of research. Furthermore, this thesis specifically addresses the Business-to-business market, where QDAcity would seek to sell licenses specifically to other organizations – as opposed to selling licenses to individual consumers. The method triangulation, more specifically is a market analysis of CAQDAS sourced from openly available market data, a competitive analysis of the key players in the CAQDAS market, and finally a survey targeting researchers who analyze qualitative data in group contexts.
The outcome determines there is untapped potential for CAQDAS within the contexts that are analyzed – namely academic research and the market research industry of which QDAcity could take advantage. This outcome is based on the market analysis showing a positive forecast trend of independent software vendors (ISVs) as well as the CAQDAS market and academic literature that indicates a growth of instructional research classes utilizing CAQDAS as the teaching medium. The competitive analysis shines a light on features that differentiate QDAcity in the CAQDAS market. Finally, the survey with 84 respondents who conduct QDA provides a view into user expectations of CAQDAS that can be leveraged into a marketable strategy for QDAcity.
Keywords: Market Research, Value Propositions, Competitive Analysis, Market Testing, QDAcity
PDF: Master Thesis
Reference: Rebecca Dooley. Market Research on the B2B CAQDAS Market. Master Thesis. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg: 2022.