Qualitative research methods
BA year 2 – Radboud University Nijmegen
Overview
First theme: Introduction to qualitative research
1. Qualitative research methods
2. Research design
3. Theory, philosophy and qualitative methods
Second theme: preparing the fieldwork
4. Collecting data and documents
5. Participant observations
6. Interview techniques
Third theme: reporting and reflection
7. Writing, publishing and reflection
8. Q&A preparing for the exam
Literature:
- Mik-Meyer and Justesen: Qualitative research methods in organization
studies
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
- Michael D. Myers: Qualitative research in Business & Management
Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18
- Evers, Janina & Boer, Fijgje de (2012). The Qualitative Interview: Arts and
Skill. eBook, pages 31-103 and 137-146 (82 pages)
- Jorgensen, D. (1989). Participant obersvation, Applied Social Research
Series. Sage: Newsbury Park. Pages 40-68 and 82-106 (52 pages)
,First theme: Introduction to qualitative research
Lecture 1: qualitative research methods
Characteristics of qualitative research methods
Why qualitative research?
It gives insight in patterns and meanings
Emic perspective (from within)
Exploration (open mind and open questions)
It will help researchers with understanding what people say and do and give insight in the
cultural context in which people live
e.g. the role of coaching in motivating employees
Research = an original investigation undertaken in order to contribute to knowledge and
understanding in a particular field involving inquiry of an empirical or conceptual nature
A qualitative study starts with curiosity translated into a research problem into
research question methodology
Qualitative vs. quantitative research
Advantages of qualitative research instead of quantitative:
- Whenever you want to study a subject in depth or for explanatory research or
whenever a topic is new and there is not much previously published research on that
topic.
- When studying the social, cultural and political aspects of people and organizations
Disadvantage of qualitative research:
- It is often difficult to generalize to a larger population
Qualitative research
Describes phenomena in context and provide an interpretation that leads to a greater
understanding of the phenomenon
, Enable researchers to study social and cultural phenomena. Qualitative data are mostly a
record of what people have said. These data can help us to understand people, their
motivations and actions and the broader context within which they work and live
Qualitative implies an emphasis on the qualities of entities and on processes and
meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured in terms of quantity, amount,
intensity or frequency
Triangulation
= The idea of doing more than just one thing in a study
Allows you to gain a ‘fuller’ picture of what is happening. Mind the difference between
triangulation of data, methods and researchers
Triangulation is ideal if you want to look at the same topic from different angles
Triangulation is challenging if the research methods are substantially different in their
underlying philosophy or approach (e.g. when combining qualitative and quantitative
research methods)
Easier way to achieve triangulation include multiple researchers then every
researcher brings their own methods and techniques to the table
The relevance of research in business schools:
Rigorous research:
- Scientific research
- Emphasis on meeting scientific standards such as validity and reliability
- Subject to academic peer review
- Published in academic journals
- Theoretical contribution
Relevant research
- Relevant to business practitioners
- Emphasis on being immediately relevant to practice
- Published in consulting reports and industry magazines
- Practical contribution
Research objective and research questions
External goal
The external goal describes the contribution of the research to:
Either: a theoretical objective
- Developing theory about career opportunities in matrix organizations
- Contributing to theory about inclusion and exclusion processes
Or: a practical objective
- Improving career opportunities in matrix organization X
- Giving advice to student fraternity Y on increasing the inclusiveness of their initiation
rites
Internal goal
Achieving external goal by generating knowledge
, External goal by internal goal
Internal goal in order to external goal
Research question:
- Is consistent with research objective
- Generates knowledge (does not solve a practical problem)
- Is clear and precise
- Is relevant
- Is feasible and narrowed down
Transform the internal goal into a question is a good first step in formulating a sound
research
Lecture 2 – research design
Research questions (bis) and sub questions
Research design = the plan for an entire qualitative research project. This should be written
in a research proposal that says what you are going to do
Main purpose of research design: providing a road map of the whole research project
Research proposal = an argument intended to convince the reader that the proposed
research is significant, relevant and interesting, that the design of the study is sound, and
that the researcher is capable of successfully conducting the study
One of the best ways to improve the quality of your research questions and the literature
review is to make sure you cite mostly the top journals in your particular discipline
Research question steps:
1. Choose a topic, based on your interests and preliminary reading of literature
2. Choose the concepts that are relevant
3. Describe what knowledge gap you are going to address
4. Describe choice of (branch) of organizations / research unit
Other way around:
- Problem within organization
- Find literature addressing this problem
- Describe what knowledge gap you are going to address
Research questions: formulate research objective
formulate internal and external research goal
Research question: based on internal goal
formulate your central research question based on the internal goal
BA year 2 – Radboud University Nijmegen
Overview
First theme: Introduction to qualitative research
1. Qualitative research methods
2. Research design
3. Theory, philosophy and qualitative methods
Second theme: preparing the fieldwork
4. Collecting data and documents
5. Participant observations
6. Interview techniques
Third theme: reporting and reflection
7. Writing, publishing and reflection
8. Q&A preparing for the exam
Literature:
- Mik-Meyer and Justesen: Qualitative research methods in organization
studies
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
- Michael D. Myers: Qualitative research in Business & Management
Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18
- Evers, Janina & Boer, Fijgje de (2012). The Qualitative Interview: Arts and
Skill. eBook, pages 31-103 and 137-146 (82 pages)
- Jorgensen, D. (1989). Participant obersvation, Applied Social Research
Series. Sage: Newsbury Park. Pages 40-68 and 82-106 (52 pages)
,First theme: Introduction to qualitative research
Lecture 1: qualitative research methods
Characteristics of qualitative research methods
Why qualitative research?
It gives insight in patterns and meanings
Emic perspective (from within)
Exploration (open mind and open questions)
It will help researchers with understanding what people say and do and give insight in the
cultural context in which people live
e.g. the role of coaching in motivating employees
Research = an original investigation undertaken in order to contribute to knowledge and
understanding in a particular field involving inquiry of an empirical or conceptual nature
A qualitative study starts with curiosity translated into a research problem into
research question methodology
Qualitative vs. quantitative research
Advantages of qualitative research instead of quantitative:
- Whenever you want to study a subject in depth or for explanatory research or
whenever a topic is new and there is not much previously published research on that
topic.
- When studying the social, cultural and political aspects of people and organizations
Disadvantage of qualitative research:
- It is often difficult to generalize to a larger population
Qualitative research
Describes phenomena in context and provide an interpretation that leads to a greater
understanding of the phenomenon
, Enable researchers to study social and cultural phenomena. Qualitative data are mostly a
record of what people have said. These data can help us to understand people, their
motivations and actions and the broader context within which they work and live
Qualitative implies an emphasis on the qualities of entities and on processes and
meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured in terms of quantity, amount,
intensity or frequency
Triangulation
= The idea of doing more than just one thing in a study
Allows you to gain a ‘fuller’ picture of what is happening. Mind the difference between
triangulation of data, methods and researchers
Triangulation is ideal if you want to look at the same topic from different angles
Triangulation is challenging if the research methods are substantially different in their
underlying philosophy or approach (e.g. when combining qualitative and quantitative
research methods)
Easier way to achieve triangulation include multiple researchers then every
researcher brings their own methods and techniques to the table
The relevance of research in business schools:
Rigorous research:
- Scientific research
- Emphasis on meeting scientific standards such as validity and reliability
- Subject to academic peer review
- Published in academic journals
- Theoretical contribution
Relevant research
- Relevant to business practitioners
- Emphasis on being immediately relevant to practice
- Published in consulting reports and industry magazines
- Practical contribution
Research objective and research questions
External goal
The external goal describes the contribution of the research to:
Either: a theoretical objective
- Developing theory about career opportunities in matrix organizations
- Contributing to theory about inclusion and exclusion processes
Or: a practical objective
- Improving career opportunities in matrix organization X
- Giving advice to student fraternity Y on increasing the inclusiveness of their initiation
rites
Internal goal
Achieving external goal by generating knowledge
, External goal by internal goal
Internal goal in order to external goal
Research question:
- Is consistent with research objective
- Generates knowledge (does not solve a practical problem)
- Is clear and precise
- Is relevant
- Is feasible and narrowed down
Transform the internal goal into a question is a good first step in formulating a sound
research
Lecture 2 – research design
Research questions (bis) and sub questions
Research design = the plan for an entire qualitative research project. This should be written
in a research proposal that says what you are going to do
Main purpose of research design: providing a road map of the whole research project
Research proposal = an argument intended to convince the reader that the proposed
research is significant, relevant and interesting, that the design of the study is sound, and
that the researcher is capable of successfully conducting the study
One of the best ways to improve the quality of your research questions and the literature
review is to make sure you cite mostly the top journals in your particular discipline
Research question steps:
1. Choose a topic, based on your interests and preliminary reading of literature
2. Choose the concepts that are relevant
3. Describe what knowledge gap you are going to address
4. Describe choice of (branch) of organizations / research unit
Other way around:
- Problem within organization
- Find literature addressing this problem
- Describe what knowledge gap you are going to address
Research questions: formulate research objective
formulate internal and external research goal
Research question: based on internal goal
formulate your central research question based on the internal goal
