Researching vulnerable participants: The role of critical reflexivity in overcoming methodological challenges

Mona Nikidehaghani, Freda Hui-Truscott, and Corinne Cortese

In this paper, we critically reflect on the methodological challenges encountered during a qualitative research project that examined the effectiveness of the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Introduction

Vulnerability and marginalisation have been the focus of debate in several disciplines, including marketing (Mackenzie et al., 2014). Despite multiple articulations of vulnerability (Baker et al., 2005), the term 'vulnerable population' is yet to be clearly defined in marketing research as there is no consensus about what constitutes vulnerability (Hill & Sharma, 2020). Individual characteristics, social stereotypes, business and environmental forces (Hill & Sharma, 2020: p. 551) can all impact vulnerability and "shape the experience of it" (Shultz & Holbrook, 2009: p. 124). For the purposes of this work, we recognise vulnerability as a state of powerlessness that may...

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