‘ Breaking Down the Barriers : Using Focus Groups to Research Small and Medium Sized

In recognition of the limitations of more traditional methods such as surveys and quantitative techniques, small business researchers are making increasing use of qualitative methods. This paper reports on a relatively novel qualitative method in small business research the use of longitudinal focus groups, conducted twice a year in 5 locations around England, as a means of tracking the experiences and views of owner-managers. The paper reports some findings and discusses the methodological issues which have arisen.