Application of projective techniques in an e-business research context: A response to'Projective techniques in market research - Valueless subjectivity or insightful reality?'

This paper is a response to Boddy's (2005) paper, published in the International journal of Market Research, 47, 3, which called for more evidence on projective techniques applied to a research problem. Specifically this paper will present research-based analysis and understanding of an investigation of owner-managers' perceptions of government support for e-business developments within knowledge-intensive business services in Ireland and New Zealand. It introduces the reader to the quasi-quantitative mapping technique (content analysis and a modified matrix) as a means of analysing data to help overcome issues of measurement and interpretability of the qualitative information gleaned from projective instruments. It also discusses the value derived from the methodology. The paper concludes that projective techniques are reliable, valid, trustworthy, significant and appropriate research instruments that have provided insightful reality, not valueless subjectivity relative to the research problem. © 2006 The Market Research Society.