Part 1:
Qualitative Research Method:
Qualitative research is used in multiple disciplines like market research, social research, psychology etc. Qualitative research provides an in-depth investigation of any behavioral aspect and various factors associated or contributed towards that behavior. This research method yields very satisfactory results when applied on a small sample size. Qualitative research should be conducted when it is difficult to understand a complex case by quantitative research. To gain more insight and in-depth understanding, qualitative research should be performed. For example to understand any organizational process, it is required to have in-depth discussion with the various employees and teams.
There are various approaches for gathering data in qualitative research like ethnography, grounded theory, storytelling, phenomenology, case study and narrative research. In Qualitative research data can be collected in any form like in-depth interview, focus group discussion, and observation, recording in the form of video, audio, text, picture or any other notes. Ethnography approach is used mainly to investigate culture and associated problems. Grounded approach is based on the existing data or any observation. It involves data collected by various mediums like records, quantitative data, observation, in-depth interview, group discussions and surveys. Phenomenology is used to study any specific phenomena or event of study population.
After data collection, the next step is to analyze data. In qualitative research, the major techniques used to evaluate data are interpretive, recursive abstraction and mechanical techniques. In interpretive technique, data recorded in the form of impression and get converted in structured or quantitative form. The data get coded in numbers and analyzed with help of computer and specialized software’s. In recursive abstraction, the various datasets gets summarized and further clubbed together and again summarize. The result of this technique is a short summary. Mechanical techniques are used for huge data that is difficult to analyze manually. Word counting, identification of phrases and other content analyzing techniques gets used under this process.
After data analysis data get validate by various ways like peer debriefing, negative case study, bracketing, member check etc.
Quantitative Research Method:
Quantitative research is a systematic experiential research that is performed by using scientific techniques or approaches like statistics, mathematics. The quantitative research process gets initiated by establishing a model or hypothesis that is required to be tested by the research. Then data collection and analysis get conducted. After data analysis we compare the results of collected data and hypothesis established.
Approaches get used in gathering data in quantitative method are experimental, Quasi experimental, co-relational and survey. Data collection start based on the establish theory or hypothesis and the data is gathered in a well structured form. The data gathered by instruments are like checklist and questionnaire. The questionnaires have close ended questions and data get recorded in the form of numbers. The data which is collected through various statistical approaches gets verified and validated. The data is further recorded in specialized software like SPSS. Once data is entered in the software, it is analyzed with the help of the software.
The relationship and dependency of variables is studied by using linear or non-linear method or by performing factor analysis. The quantitative research is focused on measurement and in establishing relationship between variables unlike qualitative research which is more focused on processes and procedures.
Mixed Research Method:
Mixed method refers to a research design that involves different methods at different stages of the research. In this research, both qualitative data and quantitative data are used to conclude the findings of the research. Mixed research methods can be classified into two main categories i.e. single and mixed approach design. Single design is conducted for the research focusing on one problem whereas mixed design conducted for the research focusing on multiple problems.
Action Research Method:
Action research is also known as participatory research. Action research is mainly conducted to solve the problem of people working in a team or when they are part of a community. The research can be performed in organization to improve organizational environment and strategy. This research studies the situation, impact and consequences of any form of action. The action research studies the causes of action and provides prediction about upcoming action or changes.
Part 2:
The biggest question arises in front of managers before conducting research study is that which method needs to be used. Before deciding upon any method, it is important to decide the objective of the research. There is no theory that tells that which method is good and which one is not. All the methods yield good results if situation or objectives are favorable.
If the objective of the research is to gather a brooder and general perspective of any population, the best method is quantitative. For example quantitative methods are very useful in opinion survey, profiling of group of people like any community or society. Qualitative methods provide more in-depth understanding on any subject. It helps in understanding any process or complex situation. Sometimes only method is not able to answer all the questions of research at that time a mixed method is very useful. For example various companies conduct surveys to understand consumer behavior which include consumer socio-economic and demographic profiling and also in-depth understanding of the purchasing process of any product. Action based research is useful when the objective is to study an action taken in team or community and its consequences.
References
Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design : qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Leslie A. Curry, Ingrid M. Nembhard and Elizabeth H. Bradley. (2009). Key Issues in Outcomes Research. American Heart Association , 1442 - 1452.
Ragin, C. (1987). The Comparative Method: Moving Beyond Qualitative and Quantitative Strategies. Berkeley: University of California.
