LECTURE 1 – QUALITATIVE
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
- Qualitative research in an exploratory approach focused on understanding the how and why behind
phenomena (inductive or abductive)
o Nature of data = textual, non-numeric
o Research purpose = explanatory
o Data collection method = interviews
o Analysis methods = coding process
- Important issues
o Conceptual model to create topic list
o Collecting data
o Analyzing the data
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
- Quantitative research is a structured approach on numeric data, hypothesis testing and
generalizability (deductive)
o Nature of data = numeric, structured
o Research purpose = hypothesis testing
o Data collection method = data bases
o Analysis method = statistical analysis
- Important issues
o Development of hypotheses via theory
§ Hypothesize first then test
§ No HARKing
o Dataset building
o Reliability and validity
o Moderation and mediation
ANALYSIS AND CREATIVITY IN (STRATEGIC) MANAGEMENT
- In order to make strategic decisions u need (and also writing a master thesis)
o Facts, numbers, analysis, rules
o Creativity, intuition, judgment, insights
2.1 KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT (RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES)
- Epistemology = the theory of knowledge
- Ontology = nature of reality
- Scepticism = we cannot be certain that an individual knows what he claims to know
,2.2 KNOWLEDGE AND COMMON SENSE
- Common sense = beliefs of a group of people about a certain thing
- Priory knowledge = knowledge based on sense
- Posteriori knowledge = knowledge based on experience
2.3 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
- Describe
- Explain
- Analyze
- Understand
- Forsee
- Criticize already existing knowledge or phenomena in social sciences
The researcher has to work systematically
- How data is collected
- How data is analyzed
- What the limitations are of the research
2.4 ORIGINILAITY IN RESEARCH
- Originality is a basic condition for scientific study. Originality describes studies that create a new
dimension to already existing knowledge
o Some novel twist or fresh perspective
o New hypothesis or assumption
o New and innovative methods
2.4 DIFFERENT RESEARCH ORIENTATIONS
- Positivism = scientific, objective and measurable facts that can predict the future
- Critical realism = variety of data and methods are acceptable as long as researcher is objective and
realistic
- Pragmatism = seeking knowledge through variety of methods and their combination in providing
solution to a problem
- Interpretivism = present full richness with diverse interpretational stories along with contextual
factors to improve understanding
- Post-modernism = researcher is radically reflexive and critically sensitive
,2.5 THREE WAYS TO WORK WITH THEORY AND DATA
- Deductive research (theory before research à context of justification)
o Based on logic
o First hypothesize relationships between variables based on theory, then hypothesis testing
- Inductive research (research before theory à context of discovery)
o Based on empirical evidence
o First collect data, next try to find pattern in data, then theoretical framework on pattern
- Abductive research
o Combination of inductive and deductive
§ Not test and build theory from scratch
o A theoretical interpretation of an empirical problem that can lead to development of new
theories
o The original framework and theoretical assumptions of the researcher are continuously
modified as a result of empirical findings
2.7 DIFFERENT WAYS OF KNOWING
- Method of tenacity (vasthoudend) = holding on to what u know is true, may find ways to strengthen
this belief
o World is flat
- Method of authority = it is established that this is the case
o Bible states there is god
- A priori method or method of intuition (gevoel) = based on self-evident or agreeable to reason
o US education is inferior to European education (agreeable to reason)
- Method of science = find a way of knowing, where everybody’s final conclusion is the same
RESEARCH NEVER STOPS
, 3.1 RESEARCH PROCESS
1. Research topic or phenomena that is studied
2. More specific question is addressed
a. Present problem through concepts, models in
implicit or explicit manner
3. Choice of strategy to collect data needed to answer
research problem
4. Good measurement are prerequisite for high-quality
5. Choice of data and how to collect, from whom, what
way
6. Collecting data
7. Analyze and interpret
8. Write research
9. In business there need to be actions or results
3.2 LEVELS OF RESEARCH
- Conceptual = theoretical
- Measurement = empirical
Both are needed in master thesis, most academic literature includes both
3.3 RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE
- Main purpose of research is to produce new insights or knowledge
o Theories/models
o Concepts
o Methods or techniques
o Facts
3.5 DEFINITIONS OF ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH
- Concept = abstraction (ontleding) of an object, property of an object or phenomena. Are the
foundation of communication
o Most critical element, they direct what is captured
- Definitions = clarification and precision of concepts, describe concepts by using concepts are
conceptual definitions. Concepts should
o Point out unique attributes or qualities
o Not be circular (market exchange à exchange taking place in the market)
o Operational definition = set of procedures that describe activities to be performed to
establish empirically of a concept.
o When moved from conceptual to empirical level, concepts become variables
(independent/dependent)
- Theory = set of interrelated concepts, definitions and propositions that present a systematic view of
specifying relations among variables to explain and predict phenomena.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
- Qualitative research in an exploratory approach focused on understanding the how and why behind
phenomena (inductive or abductive)
o Nature of data = textual, non-numeric
o Research purpose = explanatory
o Data collection method = interviews
o Analysis methods = coding process
- Important issues
o Conceptual model to create topic list
o Collecting data
o Analyzing the data
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
- Quantitative research is a structured approach on numeric data, hypothesis testing and
generalizability (deductive)
o Nature of data = numeric, structured
o Research purpose = hypothesis testing
o Data collection method = data bases
o Analysis method = statistical analysis
- Important issues
o Development of hypotheses via theory
§ Hypothesize first then test
§ No HARKing
o Dataset building
o Reliability and validity
o Moderation and mediation
ANALYSIS AND CREATIVITY IN (STRATEGIC) MANAGEMENT
- In order to make strategic decisions u need (and also writing a master thesis)
o Facts, numbers, analysis, rules
o Creativity, intuition, judgment, insights
2.1 KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT (RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES)
- Epistemology = the theory of knowledge
- Ontology = nature of reality
- Scepticism = we cannot be certain that an individual knows what he claims to know
,2.2 KNOWLEDGE AND COMMON SENSE
- Common sense = beliefs of a group of people about a certain thing
- Priory knowledge = knowledge based on sense
- Posteriori knowledge = knowledge based on experience
2.3 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
- Describe
- Explain
- Analyze
- Understand
- Forsee
- Criticize already existing knowledge or phenomena in social sciences
The researcher has to work systematically
- How data is collected
- How data is analyzed
- What the limitations are of the research
2.4 ORIGINILAITY IN RESEARCH
- Originality is a basic condition for scientific study. Originality describes studies that create a new
dimension to already existing knowledge
o Some novel twist or fresh perspective
o New hypothesis or assumption
o New and innovative methods
2.4 DIFFERENT RESEARCH ORIENTATIONS
- Positivism = scientific, objective and measurable facts that can predict the future
- Critical realism = variety of data and methods are acceptable as long as researcher is objective and
realistic
- Pragmatism = seeking knowledge through variety of methods and their combination in providing
solution to a problem
- Interpretivism = present full richness with diverse interpretational stories along with contextual
factors to improve understanding
- Post-modernism = researcher is radically reflexive and critically sensitive
,2.5 THREE WAYS TO WORK WITH THEORY AND DATA
- Deductive research (theory before research à context of justification)
o Based on logic
o First hypothesize relationships between variables based on theory, then hypothesis testing
- Inductive research (research before theory à context of discovery)
o Based on empirical evidence
o First collect data, next try to find pattern in data, then theoretical framework on pattern
- Abductive research
o Combination of inductive and deductive
§ Not test and build theory from scratch
o A theoretical interpretation of an empirical problem that can lead to development of new
theories
o The original framework and theoretical assumptions of the researcher are continuously
modified as a result of empirical findings
2.7 DIFFERENT WAYS OF KNOWING
- Method of tenacity (vasthoudend) = holding on to what u know is true, may find ways to strengthen
this belief
o World is flat
- Method of authority = it is established that this is the case
o Bible states there is god
- A priori method or method of intuition (gevoel) = based on self-evident or agreeable to reason
o US education is inferior to European education (agreeable to reason)
- Method of science = find a way of knowing, where everybody’s final conclusion is the same
RESEARCH NEVER STOPS
, 3.1 RESEARCH PROCESS
1. Research topic or phenomena that is studied
2. More specific question is addressed
a. Present problem through concepts, models in
implicit or explicit manner
3. Choice of strategy to collect data needed to answer
research problem
4. Good measurement are prerequisite for high-quality
5. Choice of data and how to collect, from whom, what
way
6. Collecting data
7. Analyze and interpret
8. Write research
9. In business there need to be actions or results
3.2 LEVELS OF RESEARCH
- Conceptual = theoretical
- Measurement = empirical
Both are needed in master thesis, most academic literature includes both
3.3 RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE
- Main purpose of research is to produce new insights or knowledge
o Theories/models
o Concepts
o Methods or techniques
o Facts
3.5 DEFINITIONS OF ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH
- Concept = abstraction (ontleding) of an object, property of an object or phenomena. Are the
foundation of communication
o Most critical element, they direct what is captured
- Definitions = clarification and precision of concepts, describe concepts by using concepts are
conceptual definitions. Concepts should
o Point out unique attributes or qualities
o Not be circular (market exchange à exchange taking place in the market)
o Operational definition = set of procedures that describe activities to be performed to
establish empirically of a concept.
o When moved from conceptual to empirical level, concepts become variables
(independent/dependent)
- Theory = set of interrelated concepts, definitions and propositions that present a systematic view of
specifying relations among variables to explain and predict phenomena.
