Unloved, unwanted, misunderstood, or just forgotten? Exploring the mystery of qualitative secondary data in management research

Students who undertake small-scale research projects as part of their coursework program often rely on secondary data. However, they face multiple challenges with this type of data, including unclear terminology, limited published examples, and insufficient clarity about sources of data. This paper explores why there is a shroud of mystery surrounding qualitative secondary data, and why this is important for management educators. By analysing qualitative secondary data drawn from academic management journals, the findings indicate how relatively underused qualitative secondary data is in management research. Additionally, the findings show that researchers seem to be reluctant to use the term ‘secondary data,’ even when specifically discussing it. The paper concludes by outlining implications for management education, and discussing future research directions.