Pilot Study Experiences of Researchers: SMEs’ Crisis Learning Behaviour

The importance of conducting a pilot study in qualitative research is presented in this article. The researchers are shared their experience of conducting a pilot study to explore the crisis learning behaviour of tourism SMEs in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The benefits and challenges involved in carrying out a pilot study are highlighted with a purposively selected sample of six tourism SMEs in preparation for the main study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with participants to learn about the experiences of entrepreneurs on crises. The interviews were then transcribed, translated, analysed, and themes were identified. The engagement in an emerging area that is of methodological interest that also provides valuable insight into an overlooked feature of qualitative research was undertaken. Thus, a positive contribution to the main study was made by the preliminary research effort through the facilitation of the formulation of research design. The preliminary research effort positively contributed to the main study by facilitating the formulation of a research design that would help meet the research objectives, including trialling phenomenology data collection, verifying research instruments and techniques, deciding the data analysis method, abiding by ethical considerations, and enhancing the validity of the research. Important aspects of conducting a pilot study while highlighting the associated challenges are informed through the findings.