Researching Vulnerability: What about the Researcher?

Abstract Purpose – The aim of this paper is to explore researcher vulnerability and identify the ways in which research with vulnerable consumers can impact on consumer researchers. Design/methodology/approach – Provides a review of research literature aiming to raise awareness of researcher vulnerability. Findings – Researchers working in the domain of vulnerable consumers need to be aware that feelings of vulnerability may be reflected back to the researcher. Originality/value – Methodological concerns surrounding the research of vulnerable consumers tend to focus on the welfare of respondents; researcher vulnerability has been largely neglected within the consumer research literature. Historically, problems arising in the research process have tended to be disguised so as not to elicit negative feedback. This paper creates an awareness of such aspects of unthought-of ethical and methodological problems.