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A review of "Qualitative Research in Context" (edited by Laura Marks), by Roddy Glen At a time when culture and commerce are converging and virtually everything has become a brand, fighting to maintain its share of an increasingly distracted audience, qualitative research has begun to find a broader constituency beyond traditional 'consumer marketing'. It is becoming recognised as a highly useful tool in defining the roles that institutions can play in people's lives, understanding the way their audiences segment, and developing more effective communi-cations with them. In short, helping them to engage their 'consumers' in more meaningful ways. Qualitative Research in Context is a collection of new writing on a new subject. Covering thirteen fields from Advertising to Religion and Higher Education, each chapter is written by an author who is an accepted expert within their qualitative specialism, in most cases in conjunction with a consultant author who is a respected practitioner in their field. The result is a body of knowledge impressive in both its scope and authority. It is also inherently very interesting, revealing the thinking and the orchestration behind many changes in our everyday environments which we have noticed but not examined. Clearly set out with editorial introductions and concluding summaries for each chapter, Marks' book is one of the most compelling 'textbooks' I have encountered, and I learned an amazing amount from it. Marks has ensured that it is a practical primer for both buyers and practitioners in a rapidly diversifying industry. But she has of course achieved more than this. The book stands astride and comfortably integrates the developing specialist areas of qualitative research and the 'real world'. As such, it occupies a special place in the brief history of qualitative research, effectively chronicling its coming-of-age. At the same time it provides a fascinating insight into the transformation of many of the UK's institutions at a time when they recognised that life was never going to be the same again. Truly a book for the millennium. roddyglen@mcmail.com (c) Account Planning Group 1995-2002
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