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Snowball Sampling in Business Oral History: Accessing and Analyzing Professional Networks in the Australian Property Industry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2019

MATTHEW BAILEY
MATTHEW BAILEY*
Affiliation:
Matthew Bailey is a lecturer in the department of Modern History at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia. He has a research interest in urban, business, and retail history. He has published a number of articles and book chapters on retail and retail property history, and is currently writing a monograph on the history of shopping centers in Australia. E-mail: matthew.bailey@mq.edu.au.
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Abstract

This article reports on the methodology for recruiting oral history interviewees for a project on the history of shopping center development in Australia. Snowball sampling produced a data set that added value to extant archival and media sources, rendering detailed information about firm operations, strategies, and innovations. The construction of the sample was also revealing of the industry itself, with interviewee referral chains connecting individuals across firms, industry sectors, and generations. These links marked not only social connections but also paths through which knowledge was transferred via mentoring or shared experience, personal friendships that developed in workplaces, and professional contacts that evolved within a complex and constantly changing industry. Snowball sampling, though, also proved to be selective and contingent on the social networks of interviewees, requiring ongoing management of the chain referral process.

Type
Special Section on Oral History
Information
Enterprise & Society , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , March 2019 , pp. 74 - 88
Copyright
Copyright © The Author 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Business History Conference. All rights reserved. 

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References

Bibliography of Works Cited

Building Owners and Managers Association/ National Council of Shopping Centres. Directory of Australian Shopping Centres. Armadale, Victoria: Brian Zouch Publications, 1980.Google Scholar
Dexter, Lewis Anthony. Elite and Specialized Interviewing. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1970.Google Scholar
Patton, Michael Quinn. Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1990.Google Scholar
Seldon, Anthony, and Pappworth, Joanna. By Word of Mouth: “Elite” Oral History. London: Methuen, 1983.Google Scholar
Thompson, Paul. The Voice of the Past: Oral History, 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.Google Scholar
Westfield Holdings Ltd. The Westfield Story: The First 40 Years. Sydney: Westfield Holdings, c.2000.Google Scholar
Anderson, Kathryn, and Jack, Dana C.. “Learning to Listen: Interview Techniques and Analyses.” In Women’s Words: The Feminist Practice of Oral History, edited by Gluck, Sherna Berger and Patai, Daphne, 11–26. New York: Routledge, 1991.Google Scholar
Atkinson, Rowland, and Flint, John. “Snowball Sampling.” In The Sage Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods, edited by Lewis-Beck, Michael S., Bryman, Alan, and Liao, Tim Futing, 1044. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2004.Google Scholar
Bailey, Matthew. “Absorptive Capacity, International Business Knowledge Transfer and Local Adaptation: Establishing Discount Department Stores in Australia.” Australian Economic History Review 57, no. 2 (2017): 194–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailey, Matthew. “Marketing to the Big Middle: Establishing Australian Discount Department Stores.” Journal of Historical Research in Marketing 8, no. 3 (2016): 416–433.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Biernacki, Patrick, and Waldorf, Dan. “Snowball Sampling: Problems and Techniques of Chain Referral Sampling.” Sociological Methods and Research 10, no. 2 (1981): 141–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bornat, Joanna. “Oral History.” In The Sage Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods, edited by Lewis-Beck, Michael S., Bryman, Alan, and Liao, Tim Futing, 771–772. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2004.Google Scholar
Coleman, James S. “Relational Analysis: The Study of Social Organizations with Survey Methods.” Human Organization 17, no. 4 (1958): 28–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Jong, Abe, Higgins, David Michael, and van Driel, Hugo. “Towards a New Business History?” Business History 57, no. 1 (2015): 5–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldman, Ellen F. “In-Depth Interviewing with Healthcare Corporate Elites: Strategies for Entry and Engagement.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods 11, no. 3 (2012): 230–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodman, Leo A. “Comment: On Respondent-Driven Sampling and Snowball Sampling in Hard-To-Reach Populations and Snowball Sampling Not in Hard-To-Reach Populations.” Sociological Methodology 41 (2011): 347–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Handcock, Mark S., and Gile, Krista J.. “Comment: On the Concept of Snowball Sampling.” Sociological Methodology 41 (2011): 367–371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, Charles, and Maclean, Mairi. “Capital Theory and the Dynamics of Elite Business Networks in Britain and France.” Sociological Review 56 (Supp. 1) (2008): 105–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, William S. “Methodological Approaches for Interviewing Elites.” Geography Compass 4, no. 3 (2010): 193–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heckathorn, Douglas D. “Respondent-Driven Sampling: A New Approach to the Study of Hidden Populations.” Social Problems 44, no. 2 (1997): 174–199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mikecz, Robert. “Interviewing Elites: Addressing Methodological Issues.” Qualitative Inquiry 18, no. 6 (2012): 482–493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinlan, Mary Kay. “The Dynamics of Interviewing.” In The Oxford Handbook of Oral History, edited by Ritchie, Donald A., 23–36. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.Google Scholar
Australian Financial ReviewGoogle Scholar
Inside RetailingGoogle Scholar
Coles Myer Archive, State Library of Victoria, AustraliaGoogle Scholar
Building Owners and Managers Association/ National Council of Shopping Centres. Directory of Australian Shopping Centres. Armadale, Victoria: Brian Zouch Publications, 1980.Google Scholar
Dexter, Lewis Anthony. Elite and Specialized Interviewing. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1970.Google Scholar
Patton, Michael Quinn. Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1990.Google Scholar
Seldon, Anthony, and Pappworth, Joanna. By Word of Mouth: “Elite” Oral History. London: Methuen, 1983.Google Scholar
Thompson, Paul. The Voice of the Past: Oral History, 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.Google Scholar
Westfield Holdings Ltd. The Westfield Story: The First 40 Years. Sydney: Westfield Holdings, c.2000.Google Scholar
Anderson, Kathryn, and Jack, Dana C.. “Learning to Listen: Interview Techniques and Analyses.” In Women’s Words: The Feminist Practice of Oral History, edited by Gluck, Sherna Berger and Patai, Daphne, 11–26. New York: Routledge, 1991.Google Scholar
Atkinson, Rowland, and Flint, John. “Snowball Sampling.” In The Sage Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods, edited by Lewis-Beck, Michael S., Bryman, Alan, and Liao, Tim Futing, 1044. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2004.Google Scholar
Bailey, Matthew. “Absorptive Capacity, International Business Knowledge Transfer and Local Adaptation: Establishing Discount Department Stores in Australia.” Australian Economic History Review 57, no. 2 (2017): 194–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailey, Matthew. “Marketing to the Big Middle: Establishing Australian Discount Department Stores.” Journal of Historical Research in Marketing 8, no. 3 (2016): 416–433.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Biernacki, Patrick, and Waldorf, Dan. “Snowball Sampling: Problems and Techniques of Chain Referral Sampling.” Sociological Methods and Research 10, no. 2 (1981): 141–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bornat, Joanna. “Oral History.” In The Sage Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods, edited by Lewis-Beck, Michael S., Bryman, Alan, and Liao, Tim Futing, 771–772. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2004.Google Scholar
Coleman, James S. “Relational Analysis: The Study of Social Organizations with Survey Methods.” Human Organization 17, no. 4 (1958): 28–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Jong, Abe, Higgins, David Michael, and van Driel, Hugo. “Towards a New Business History?” Business History 57, no. 1 (2015): 5–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldman, Ellen F. “In-Depth Interviewing with Healthcare Corporate Elites: Strategies for Entry and Engagement.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods 11, no. 3 (2012): 230–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goodman, Leo A. “Comment: On Respondent-Driven Sampling and Snowball Sampling in Hard-To-Reach Populations and Snowball Sampling Not in Hard-To-Reach Populations.” Sociological Methodology 41 (2011): 347–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Handcock, Mark S., and Gile, Krista J.. “Comment: On the Concept of Snowball Sampling.” Sociological Methodology 41 (2011): 367–371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, Charles, and Maclean, Mairi. “Capital Theory and the Dynamics of Elite Business Networks in Britain and France.” Sociological Review 56 (Supp. 1) (2008): 105–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, William S. “Methodological Approaches for Interviewing Elites.” Geography Compass 4, no. 3 (2010): 193–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heckathorn, Douglas D. “Respondent-Driven Sampling: A New Approach to the Study of Hidden Populations.” Social Problems 44, no. 2 (1997): 174–199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mikecz, Robert. “Interviewing Elites: Addressing Methodological Issues.” Qualitative Inquiry 18, no. 6 (2012): 482–493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinlan, Mary Kay. “The Dynamics of Interviewing.” In The Oxford Handbook of Oral History, edited by Ritchie, Donald A., 23–36. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.Google Scholar
Australian Financial ReviewGoogle Scholar
Inside RetailingGoogle Scholar
Coles Myer Archive, State Library of Victoria, AustraliaGoogle Scholar