Review Article

Focus Group Discussion as a data collection tool in Economics

This paper reviews the literature on the focus group discussion as a data collection tool and provides information for a better understanding of focus group discussion by addressing the questions of what is the meaning of focus group discussion? What are logistics needed? Its advantages and limitations, how leader behaviors necessary to keep focus group discussion going? And its application in economic data collection. The secondary data were drawn from a pool of research papers and sourced from journal articles, related books, published training manual and websites that specify key elements of the focus group discussion and find that focus group discussion has different definitions, types and it is highly valued as a qualitative research data collection tool, especially for its ability to generate in-depth understandings to a topic in an effective and timely manner. It can be a cost-effective, quick approach to data collection and relatively easier to conduct. But it has some limitations and logistical difficulties involved such as groupthink and accuracy, harder to get everyone in the same place at the same time. Above these challenges, focus group discussion as a data collection tool is seen as effective and even less resource-intensive compared to other methods. Yet it requires proper planning and organization