BusinessWeek featured a story in 2006 about the use of ethnography to deeply understand customers. Titled "The Science of Desire" they go into details how ethnography is used in various companies to develop new products and improve services.

Companies have been harnessing the social sciences, including ethnography, since the 1930s. Back then executives were mostly interested in figuring out how to make their employees more productive. But since the 1960s, when management gurus crowned the consumer king, companies have been tapping ethnographers to get a better handle on their customers. Now, as more and more businesses re-orient themselves to serve the consumer, ethnography has entered prime time.

 

They also published a nice playbook with best practices on how to apply anthropological research in a corporate environment. (Click on image for full view)

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