Balancing rigour and practicality when conducting large-scale, longitudinal audio diary studies: guidance for business and management research

Purpose This paper aims to expand the methodological toolkit by detailing an approach for conducting large-scale audio diary studies in business and management education research. The authors address two research questions: (1) How can large-scale, longitudinal audio diary studies be conducted in a way that balances rigour and practicality? (2) What methodological challenges arise when implementing a longitudinal audio diary study at scale, and how might these be addressed? Design/methodology/approach They draw on insights from a study with 128 international students in a UK business school who provided a combined 602 reflective audio diary contributions to inform a ten-step process for conducting large-scale audio diary studies. Findings They present a flexible ten-step process, discussing challenges and recommendations regarding participant engagement and retention, technology, data quality and resource demands. Originality/value They conclude with examples of four themes for future research applications of audio diary studies: employability perceptions, mental health and well-being, ethical decision-making and corporate social responsibility awareness and innovation and entrepreneurial mindset development. These research avenues represent opportunities to promote a sustainable career trajectory for individuals and offer societal benefits via a sustainable career ecosystem.