3 Research Approach

Research approach (or strategy) refers to whether an inductive, deductive, abductive or mixed

strategy is used by researcher (Clough & Nutbrown, 2012). In social research, it is usually

possible (and certainly popular) to characterise a research study’s methodology as qualitative; as

quantitative; or as involving both qualitative and quantitative methods, in which case it is

characteristically referred to as triangulation method (Bryman & Bell, 2015). The following sub-

sections provide a brief discussion of each research approach and justification of its use for this

study.

3.3.1 Qualitative method

Denzin and Lincoln (1998) assert that qualitative research emphasises the process of discovering

how social meaning is constructed and stresses the relationship between the investigator and the

topic studied. Qualitative research is concerned with collecting and analysing information in as

many forms, essentially non-numeric, as possible (Bryman & Bell, 2007, 2015). It tends to focus

on exploring, in as much detail as possible, smaller numbers of instances or examples which are

seen as being interesting or illuminating, and aims to achieve `depth' rather than `breadth'

(Blaxter, Hughes & Tight, 1996, p. 61; Neuman, 2006). Snape and Spencer (2003) indicated that

qualitative research is a naturalistic/interpretative approach concerned with understanding the

meaning people give to the phenomena within their social setting.

3.3.2 Quantitative method

Quantitative methods attempt to maximize objectivity, replicability, and generalisability of

findings, and are typically interested in prediction (Guba & Lincoln, 1985). Trochim and Land

(1982, p. 1) defined quantitative research design as the glue that holds the research study

together. A design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the
research project - the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programmes, and methods of

assignment - work together to try to address the central research questions.