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Chapter 16 The Nature of Qualitative Research
business research method (BRMM575)
Lebanese International University
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Chapter 16: The Nature of Qualitative Research
Introduction Qualitative research, unlike quantitative, deals with words but not numbers. Three other aspects must be underlined about qualitative method: Inductive approach of relationship between theory and research, i. theory is generated through the data. Epistemological position described as interpretivist. Ontological position described as constructionist. The term “qualitative research” is not straightforward. Sometimes it is defined simply as an approach to business research in which quantitative data is not collected or generated. In other cases, it is described by comparing to quantitative research. The problem issue here is that in the end we find out what quantitative research is not. Third option to describe this term is by the use of 4 traditions:
Naturalism - understands social reality in its own terms Ethnomethodology - understands how social order is created Emotionalism - concerns with inner reality of people Postmodernism - explains different ways how social reality is constructed
There are five qualitative research methods:
Ethnography/ participant observation. Researcher observes and listens to participants through period of time to understand his point of view and social culture. Qualitative interviewing. There are two types of qualitative interviews - semi-structured and unstructured. The third type of interview - structured - deals mainly with quantitative method. Focus groups. A sort of interview which consists of open-questions about particular topic or event (which researcher is interested in) to be answered by group of respondents. Language-based approaches to the collection of qualitative data, for example discourse or conversational analysis. The collection and analysis of texts and documents.
Qualitative research, as a rule, is based on inductive approach, which means that data is collected and analyzed for theory generation.
The Main Steps in Qualitative Research The picture below depicts a guideline for qualitative research.
Theory and Research As stated before, theory generates through data collection and analysis. In rare cases, however, the reverse connection between theory and research is appropriate (the same issue that was covered in quantitative research). Such approach is being used lately to greater extend. When just have started to collect data, the researcher may think of a question that probably this data collection does not lead anywhere and he might stay with nothing in the end. However, as the case flows and data is constantly collected, such hesitations, normally, disappear. Concepts in Qualitative Research There are two most common concepts - definitive and sensitizing.
Another important criterion in qualitative research is relevance, especially when it deals contribution of the topic to the literature. On the whole, different researchers vary in their definitions of all these standards while conducting their studies.
The Main Preoccupations of Qualitative Research At the level of epistemology qualitative research is influenced by interpretivism. Objects of analysis of natural science cannot attribute meaning to the environment, whereas objects of social science - people - can. Qualitative researchers, compared to quantitative, like to deal with description of their experiments. It does not mean that they are focused on describing the research, but generally they provide explanations of why things are what they are - element of causality. One of the main reasons for that is that these details emphasize importance of understanding of contextual behavior. Qualitative research views social life in terms of its processes. Frequently researchers try to show how things change over time. The main instrument for this purpose is ethnography and participant observations. However, it is also achievable by interviewing. Qualitative researchers prefer less structured form of interviews. Another form of qualitative method is life history approach. However, this method is not used widely in the field of management and business. The Critique of Qualitative Research There are several critiques made by quantitative researchers about qualitative research: Qualitative research is too subjective - it relies too much on researcher’s often unsystematic views. It is difficult to replicate qualitative data - since it is unstructured and there is no strict rules of conducting, almost impossible to replicate. Problem of generalization is highly expressed - there is a very serious concern that one or two cases are not likely to represent all cases. Qualitative research lacks transparency - sometimes studies are unclear because author does not mention which method he/she used for the study.
Some Contrasts between Quantitative and Qualitative Research The differences between quantitative and qualitative research can be summarized into the following table:
Differences between quantitative and qualitative research Quantitative Qualitative Numbers Words Point of view of researcher Point of view of participant Researcher distant Researcher close Theory testing Theory emergent Static Process
Structured Unstructured Generalization Contextual understanding Hard, reliable data Rich, deep data Macro Micro Behaviour Meaning Artificial settings Natural settings Similarities between quantitative and qualitative research
Both strive for data reduction to understand the collected data Both strive to answer research questions Both strive to related data analysis to the research literature Both strive for variation to explore the factors that are related to the variation Both strive to eliminate deliberate distortion Both debate for the importance of transparency, allowing other to judge their work Both address the occurrence of error Both argue that research methods should fit the research questions
Researcher-subject Relationships As stated before, in qualitative research the observer’s opinions and views play not the least roles. Action research is defined as follows: Experiments are on real problems in the organizations and are designed to assist with solution. Iterative process of problem identification, planning, action and evaluation. Leads to re-education and changing patterns of thinking and acting. Action research plays a big role in connecting participant and observer. Its outputs are more interesting and understandable for audience, in particular practitioners. Cognitive mapping is a method (complementary to action research) where maps are used as problem-solving devices. Cognitive mapping generally consists of several pieces of text and arrows which show the connection between them. An example of cognitive map is shown below: 1 Feminism is not suitable for quantitative research because:
It suppresses voices of women by ignoring them. It turns women into object for studying. Control is viewed as masculine approach.
On the contrary, qualitative research allows:
women’s voices to be heard exploitation to be reduced women not to be treated as objects the emancipator goals of feminism to be realized
Collaborative and participatory research assumes that research should be driven by practical outcomes rather than by theoretical understanding. It can be seen as a form of respondent
Chapter 16 The Nature of Qualitative Research
Course: business research method (BRMM575)
University: Lebanese International University
Recommended for you
Students also viewed
- Chapter 7 - 8 - Research Methods for Business Students
- Chapter 9 - 10 - Ch: 9 Collecting primary data through observation Ch: 10 Collecting primary - Research Methods for Business Students
- Chapter 11 Summary
- Chapter 13 - Research Methods for Business Students
- Chapter 25 Mixed method research
- Chapter 24 Breaking down the quantitativequalitative divid