Myers Chapter6 Ed8

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Business Research Methods
Chapter 5
Qualitative Research
Copyright © 2018, 2012, 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Learning Objectives
6.1 Summarize the key characteristics of qualitative research designs.
6.2 Examine the research methods used in qualitative research, including

sampling, data collection, and data analysis techniques.
6.3 Describe the various research paradigms that traditionally use predominantly
qualitative methods.
6.4 Interpret the evaluation criteria for qualitative research methods.
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Key Characteristics of Qualitative Research

 Flexibility of method and procedure during the conduct of the study, often in
response to findings as they emerge.
 The collection of relatively unstructured data to describe the phenomena of
interest in the words or actions of those who live them.
 A scope of study that includes the observational context of the study, usually
the one in which the phenomena of interest naturally occurs.
 A scope of study that includes the subjective experiences of the researcher
and the research participant as data while also describing and analyzing them.
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Epistemological Frameworks Found in

Qualitative Research
 Postpositivism
 Pragmatism
 Phenomenology
 Interpretivism or constructivism
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Reasons for Using Qualitative Research

Methods
 To explore a topic or phenomenon of which little is known.
 To study something that is sensitive and has emotional depth.
 To capture an experience from the perspectives of those who live it and create
meaning from it.
 To delve inside a program and/or intervention.
 One is a quantitative social work researcher who has reached an impasse in

data collection, interpretation of data, and/or findings.
 To give voice to a group and merge social activism with research.
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Qualitative Sampling Techniques

 Snowball sampling - a few participants who are willing to participate in data
gathering are identified, and are then asked if they can refer any other people
who share the same problem or issue.
 Quota sampling - a quota is set for how many participants will be in each of a
set of categories (e.g., male, female; older adults, younger adults; etc.) and
then finding and interviewing participants until the quota for each category has
been met.
 Purposive sampling - participants are selected to offer the most complete and
unbiased understanding of the phenomenon being studied.
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Qualitative Data Collection Techniques

(1 of 2)
 In-person interviews – can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured
interviews.
 Focus groups and key informant interviews – a small group of people discuss
the topic of interest.
 Systematic observations – structured or unstructured observations may be
recorded on logs, in field journals, using audio/visual recordings, etc.
Techniques used to record observations include:
• Memoing
• Concept mapping
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Qualitative Data Collection Techniques

(2 of 2)
 Secondary data - Information that has already been gathered, including
recordings or written materials, can be analyzed as qualitative data.
 Client logs - Used to gather both quantitative and qualitative information on
specific events, feelings, and thoughts that are relevant to the problem.
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Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques:

Content Analysis
 Used to analyze the content included in literature, interview transcripts, client
logs, and many other types of information on a selected topic.
 Looks for patterns in the data, then for contradictions to the patterns in order to
redefine the patterns or identify new patterns.
 Can be used to transform qualitative data into quantitative data by identifying,
categorizing, and counting certain responses, ideas, etc.
 Computer programs have been developed to assist the researcher in
performing content analysis.
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Other Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques

• Coding can focus on the surface content of data, such as the actual words
included in the manuscript, or it can focus on the deeper meaning of the
material.
• Memoing is used:
– To record notes to oneself and to others involved in the research process.
– To explain the meaning of the various codes defined throughout the
coding process as well as ideas for future research.
• Concept mapping is map out the thoughts and ideas formulated during data
coding (may be in the form of a flowchart or in whatever graphic form is
meaningful to the researcher).
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Qualitative Research Paradigms

 The Case Study
 Grounded Theory
 Ethnographic Research
 Cross-Cultural Research
 Feminist Research
 Participatory Action Research
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Case Study
 Combines observations of behavior with observations of attitudes and
perceptions of research participants.
 Employs methods of data collection that rely heavily on the interviewing skills
of researchers and their capacity to establish relationships of trust.
 Is appropriate in situations where:
• little is known about the area being studied.
• it is impossible to draw a representative sample of participants.
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Grounded Theory Research

 Seeks to learn what meanings people give to certain events in their lives.
 Involves a recurring process of proposing (on the basis of analysis of

completed interview data) and checking and verifying what has been proposed
(with subsequent interviews).
 Sample selection, data collection, and data analysis occur simultaneously
rather than in a pre-established sequence.
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Ethnographic Research
 Uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to answer
research questions about individuals within their social context.
 Entails observations and measurement of behaviors (quantitative), but it also
seeks to understand the beliefs, attitudes, values, social roles, social
structures, and norms of behavior in social environments that are different from
that of the researcher (qualitative).
 Uses emic (the researcher is indigenous to the group being studied) or etic
(the researcher is studying a cultural group that is not their own) perspective.
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Cross-Cultural Research
 Seeks to describe cultural similarities (universalities that exist across cultures)
and differences between and among cultures.
 Most frequently conducted by sociologists or anthropologists although social
workers may conduct research and/or to use its findings in their practice
across multiple cultures or countries.
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Feminist Research
 Seeks to build knowledge about women, specifically, about their unique
problems and the social institutions that affect them.
 Designed to hear the voices and other communications that more traditional,
male-oriented approaches to knowledge building may miss.
 Often a form of action research: research designed to bring about change in
women’s lives by confronting sexism and attempting to alter those social
institutions that may promote or perpetuate it.
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Participatory Action Research

 Offers research participants the chance to conduct research on their own
behalf.
 Researcher serves as a resource while the participants define the research
problem and design and carry out the study.
 Used primarily to give voice to marginalized groups of people.
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Evaluation Criteria for Qualitative

Research (1 of 2)
 Explicit statement of the philosophical base of the study.
 Justifications for the number and nature of the participants of the study.
 Detailed description of the data collection procedures.
 Discussion of the biases and preoccupations of the researchers.
 Description of the steps taken to guard against biases or arguments that

should or could not be eliminated.
 Inclusion of measures of reliability, such as interrater reliability (the stability of
interpretations across different researchers) and intrarater reliability (the
stability of interpretations of the same researcher at different times).
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Evaluation Criteria for Qualitative

Research (2 of 2)
 Inclusion of measures of triangulation in terms of researchers and data types.
 Inclusion of peer-checking and member-checking procedures.
 Consciousness of the importance and development of audit trails.
 Consideration of alternative explanations for the observed findings.
 Inclusion of explanations for negative evidence.
 Clear statement of the limitations of the study.

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1

Business Research Methods

6.2 Examine the research methods used in qualitative research, including

6.4 Interpret the evaluation criteria for qualitative research methods.

Key Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Epistemological Frameworks Found in

Reasons for Using Qualitative Research

 To study something that is sensitive and has emotional depth.

 One is a quantitative social work researcher who has reached an impasse in

Qualitative Sampling Techniques

Qualitative Data Collection Techniques

Qualitative Data Collection Techniques

Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques:

Other Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques

Qualitative Research Paradigms

 Participatory Action Research

Grounded Theory Research

 Involves a recurring process of proposing (on the basis of analysis of

Participatory Action Research

Evaluation Criteria for Qualitative

 Detailed description of the data collection procedures.

 Discussion of the biases and preoccupations of the researchers.

 Description of the steps taken to guard against biases or arguments that

Evaluation Criteria for Qualitative

 Inclusion of peer-checking and member-checking procedures.

 Consciousness of the importance and development of audit trails.

 Consideration of alternative explanations for the observed findings.

 Inclusion of explanations for negative evidence.

 Clear statement of the limitations of the study.

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