lOMoARcPSD|15793120
Business research methods - Qualitive
Module A
What is qualitative research?
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”
– Einstein
“Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world.” – Denzin &
Lincoln, 2005
“An umbrella term covering an array of interpretive techniques which seek to describe, decode,
translate, and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the frequency, of certain more
or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world.” – Van Maanen, 1979
“Basically, qualitative researchers are interested in understanding the meaning people have
constructed, that is, how people make sense of their world and the experiences they have in
the world.” – Merriam, 2014
Academic Research is systematic, empirical critical, (and iteractive).
1. Topic & Research Question
2. Literature Review
3. Research Design
4. Data Collection
5. Data Analysis
6. Reporting
Interpretivism vs Positivism
Interpretivist (associated to qualitative research) approach to the world
- Data is constructed with participants
- Data is expressed in language
- “Subjective”
- Linked to (particular) context
- Seeking evidence of meaning
We interpret an already interpreted world.
Positivist (associated to quantitative research) approach to the world
- Data is collected from the ‘real’ world
- Data is expressed in numbers
, - “Objective”
- Generalizable
- Seeking evidence of frequency
Example of an event that is currently being studied: COVID-19 around the world
- What could a quantitative study investigate?
: might numbers. numbers of people impacted on something. numerical measures
- What could a qualitative study investigate?
: feelings, experiences, how social practices has changed during this time.
DATA: How do we get knowledge?
We observe and question the world to find evidence of meaning.
Qualitative researchers look for ‘meaning’ Quantitative researchers look for ‘truth’
Methods for gathering interpretations… Methods for collecting frequency…
Interviews Surveys
Ethnography Polls
Case Studies Questionnaires
Document analysis Content analysis
Focus is on “etic” perspective
Focus is on “emic” perspective Concerned with eliminating bias
The researcher’s intuition can be an asset The researcher’s influence should be
minimized
Emic perspective - Perspective of the people your study, Insider perspective
Etic perspective – Outsider perspective
The Qualitative Research Process
“[Qualitative research] is an effort to understand situations in their uniqueness as part of a
particular context and the interactions there.
This understanding is an end in itself, so that is not attempting to predict what may happen in
the future necessarily, but to understand the nature of that setting – what it means for
participants to be in that setting, what their lives are like, what’s going on for them, what their
meanings are, what the world looks like in that particular setting – and in the analysis to be
able to communicate that faithfully to others who are interested in that setting… The analysis
strives for depth of understanding.” – Patton, 1985
, LOGIC: How do we arrive at new knowledge?
Inductive logic: we build understanding from our interpretations of this evidence.
Induction (Qualitative research) Deduction (Quantitative research)
Module B
Introduction to Research Design
Which of these phases doesn’t belong in qualitative research?
1) The hypothesis was supported… Not qualitative: we don’t use hypothesis; we don’t test
them. Instead, we are looking to build theory.
2) …our control group… Not qualitative: generally, not part of qualitative research. We are
not controlling.
3) The effect of diversity on firm performance was found to be positive… Not qualitative:
effect A on B and looking for whether positive/negative relationship, measuring how big
the impact = quantitative research
4) We achieved on objective stance by standardizing the interview protocol… Not
qualitative: forms of validity, objectivity, standardization, generalize ability associated to
quantitative research
5) Our research subjects were selected randomly so as to reduce bias and best represent a
population of… Not qualitative: we don’t select research subject randomly. Not try to
represent a population, bias = problem in quantitative research
A research question without a research design is just a thought.
How do you “DESIGN” research?
You don’t
- Make a plan at the start that is convenient, and then stick to it no matter what
You can
Business research methods - Qualitive
Module A
What is qualitative research?
“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”
– Einstein
“Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world.” – Denzin &
Lincoln, 2005
“An umbrella term covering an array of interpretive techniques which seek to describe, decode,
translate, and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the frequency, of certain more
or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world.” – Van Maanen, 1979
“Basically, qualitative researchers are interested in understanding the meaning people have
constructed, that is, how people make sense of their world and the experiences they have in
the world.” – Merriam, 2014
Academic Research is systematic, empirical critical, (and iteractive).
1. Topic & Research Question
2. Literature Review
3. Research Design
4. Data Collection
5. Data Analysis
6. Reporting
Interpretivism vs Positivism
Interpretivist (associated to qualitative research) approach to the world
- Data is constructed with participants
- Data is expressed in language
- “Subjective”
- Linked to (particular) context
- Seeking evidence of meaning
We interpret an already interpreted world.
Positivist (associated to quantitative research) approach to the world
- Data is collected from the ‘real’ world
- Data is expressed in numbers
, - “Objective”
- Generalizable
- Seeking evidence of frequency
Example of an event that is currently being studied: COVID-19 around the world
- What could a quantitative study investigate?
: might numbers. numbers of people impacted on something. numerical measures
- What could a qualitative study investigate?
: feelings, experiences, how social practices has changed during this time.
DATA: How do we get knowledge?
We observe and question the world to find evidence of meaning.
Qualitative researchers look for ‘meaning’ Quantitative researchers look for ‘truth’
Methods for gathering interpretations… Methods for collecting frequency…
Interviews Surveys
Ethnography Polls
Case Studies Questionnaires
Document analysis Content analysis
Focus is on “etic” perspective
Focus is on “emic” perspective Concerned with eliminating bias
The researcher’s intuition can be an asset The researcher’s influence should be
minimized
Emic perspective - Perspective of the people your study, Insider perspective
Etic perspective – Outsider perspective
The Qualitative Research Process
“[Qualitative research] is an effort to understand situations in their uniqueness as part of a
particular context and the interactions there.
This understanding is an end in itself, so that is not attempting to predict what may happen in
the future necessarily, but to understand the nature of that setting – what it means for
participants to be in that setting, what their lives are like, what’s going on for them, what their
meanings are, what the world looks like in that particular setting – and in the analysis to be
able to communicate that faithfully to others who are interested in that setting… The analysis
strives for depth of understanding.” – Patton, 1985
, LOGIC: How do we arrive at new knowledge?
Inductive logic: we build understanding from our interpretations of this evidence.
Induction (Qualitative research) Deduction (Quantitative research)
Module B
Introduction to Research Design
Which of these phases doesn’t belong in qualitative research?
1) The hypothesis was supported… Not qualitative: we don’t use hypothesis; we don’t test
them. Instead, we are looking to build theory.
2) …our control group… Not qualitative: generally, not part of qualitative research. We are
not controlling.
3) The effect of diversity on firm performance was found to be positive… Not qualitative:
effect A on B and looking for whether positive/negative relationship, measuring how big
the impact = quantitative research
4) We achieved on objective stance by standardizing the interview protocol… Not
qualitative: forms of validity, objectivity, standardization, generalize ability associated to
quantitative research
5) Our research subjects were selected randomly so as to reduce bias and best represent a
population of… Not qualitative: we don’t select research subject randomly. Not try to
represent a population, bias = problem in quantitative research
A research question without a research design is just a thought.
How do you “DESIGN” research?
You don’t
- Make a plan at the start that is convenient, and then stick to it no matter what
You can
