Lecture: 5

Topic: The Continuum of Philosophy.

❖ Quantitative Research:
Quantitative research is defined as a systematic investigation of phenomena by
gathering quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical, or
computational techniques. Quantitative research collects information from
existing and potential customers using sampling methods and sending out online
surveys, online polls, questionnaires, etc., the results of which can be depicted in
the form of numerical. After careful understanding of these numbers to predict the
future of a product or service and make changes accordingly.

An example of quantitative research is the survey conducted to understand the

amount of time a doctor takes to tend to a patient when the patient walks into the
hospital. A patient satisfaction survey template can be administered to ask
questions like how much time did a doctor take to see a patient, how often does a
patient walk into a hospital, and other such questions.

Quantitative research is mostly conducted in the social sciences using the

statistical methods used above to collect quantitative data from the research
study. In this research method, researchers and statisticians deploy mathematical
frameworks and theories that pertain to the quantity under question.

Quantitative research templates are objective, elaborate, and many times, even
investigational. The results achieved from this research method are logical,
statistical, and unbiased. Data collection happened using a structured method and
conducted on larger samples that represent the entire population.

Definitions of Quantitative Research:

Quantitative Research is an inquiry into an identified problem, based on testing a

theory, measured with numbers, and analyzed using statistical techniques.
 According to Gunderson (2002): “Quantitative research an inquiry into a social
problem, explain phenomena by gathering numerical data that are analyzed using
mathematically based methods e.g. in particular statistics”

Characteristics of Quantitative Research:

• Structured tools: Structured tools such as surveys, polls, or questionnaires are

used to gather quantitative data. Using such structure methods helps in
collecting in-depth and actionable data from the survey respondents.
• Sample size: Quantitative research is conducted on a significant sample
size that represents the target market. Appropriate sampling methods have to
be used when deriving the sample to fortify the research objective
• Close-ended questions: Closed-ended questions are created per the objective of
the research. These questions help collect quantitative data and hence, are
extensively used in quantitative research.
• Prior studies: Various factors related to the research topic are studied before
collecting feedback from respondents.
• Quantitative data: Usually, quantitative data is represented by tables, charts,
graphs, or any other non-numerical form. This makes it easy to understand the
data that has been collected as well as prove the validity of the market research.
• Generalization of results: Results of this research method can be generalized to
an entire population to take appropriate actions for improvement.

Advantages of Quantitative Research:

1. The quantitative approach allows you to reach a higher sample size.

When you have the ability to study a larger sample size for any hypothesis, then it
is easier to reach an accurate generalized conclusion. The additional data that you
receive from this work gives the outcome greater credibility because the statistical
analysis has more depth to review. A larger sample makes it less likely that
outliers in the study group can adversely impact the results you want to achieve
impartially.
2. You can collect information quickly when using quantitative research.
Researchers collect information for the quantitative research process in real-time
scenarios so that statistical analysis can occur almost immediately. Experiments,
surveys, and interviews provide immediate answers that become useful from a
data-centered approach. Fewer delays in the acquisition of these resources makes
it easier to find correlations that eventually lead toward a useful conclusion..
3. Quantitative research uses randomized samples.
When research participants suspect that a study wants to achieve a specific result,
then their personal bias can enter into the data spectrum. The answers provided
on the included materials are partial truths or outright lies as a way to manipulate
the work. That’s why the quantitative approach is so useful when trying to study a
specific hypothesis within a large population demographic.
This approach uses a randomized process to collect information. That excludes
bias from appearing in most situations.

4. Results duplication is possible when using quantitative research.

When opinions are a valid substitute for facts, then anything becomes possible.
Quantitative research eliminates this problem because it only focuses on actual
data. The work validates itself because the results always point toward the same
data, even though randomized conditions exist. There can be minute variations
found over time, but the general conclusions that researchers develop when using
this process stay accurate.

5. Quantitative research can focus on facts or a series of information.

Researchers can use the quantitative approach to focus on a specific fact that they
want to study in the general population. This method is also useful when a series
of data points are highly desirable within a particular demographic. It is a process
that lets us understand the reasons behind our decisions, behaviors, or actions
from a societal viewpoint.

Disadvantages of Quantitative Research:

1. This method doesn’t consider the meaning behind social phenomena.

The quantitative approach wants to find answers to specific questions so that a

particular hypothesis can be proven or disproven. It doesn’t care about the
motives that people have when sharing an opinion or making a decision. The
goal of this information collecting process is to paint a present-time picture of
what is happening in the selected demographic. That means this option cannot
measure the ways in which society changes or how people interpret their
actions or that of others.
2. Quantitative research sometimes creates unnatural environments.

Quantitative research works well when a verifiable environment is available for

study. Researchers can then take advantage of the decisions made in that
arena to extrapolate data that is useful for review. There can be times when
this approach generates an unnatural scenario based on the questions asked or
the approaches used to solicit information.
.
3. There is no access to specific feedback

Quantitative research could be best described as a pass-fail grade. You know

for certain that a majority of a population demographic will feel a specific
way about a particular situation because of the data that researchers
collect. You know that everyone purchases pizza, but what you don’t know is
how many people enjoyed the experience and will come back for another
transaction in the future.

4. Quantitative research studies can be very expensive.

If the price is an issue when research work must be done, then the quantitative
approach has a significant barrier to consider. A single result may cost more
than $100,000 when corporate interests are seeking more data to analyze. One
of the most popular methods when using this approach is to use a focus group.

Qualitative Research:

Qualitative research is an inquiry approach in which the inquirer: explores a

central phenomenon (one key concept), asks participants broad, general
questions, and collects detailed views of participants in the form of words or
images. Qualitative research provides insights into the problem or helps to
develop ideas or hypothesis for potential quantitative research. Qualitative
research is also used to uncover trends in thoughts and opinions, and dive deeper
into the problem. Qualitative data collection methods very using unstructured or
semi-structured techniques. Some common methods include focus group (group
discussion), individual interviews and participation\ observations. The sample size
is typically small, and respondents are selected to fulfil a given quota.

According to Malterud (2001):

The aim of qualitative research is to identify the meaning of a social phenomenon

the way the participants experience it and also perceive it.

According to Reihl (2001):

Qualitative Research is a scientific inquiry that analyzes data in nonmathematical

way to understand the world an own terms.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research:

➢ Natural Setting:
Qualitative Researchers often collect data in the field at the place where
participants experience the issues or problem under study. They do not
bring individuals in to a lab (an unnatural situation), nor do they typically
send out instruments for individual to complete, such as in survey research.
Instead, qualitative researchers gather up close information by actually
talking directly to people and seeing them behave and act within their
context. In natural setting the researchers have face to face interaction and
contact over time.

➢ Purposeful:
Cases for study (e.g. people, organization, communities, cultures, events,
critical incidence) are selected because they Are information rich and
illuminative. That is, they offer useful signs of the phenomenon of interest.
Sampling is aimed at insight about the phenomenon, not empirical
generalization derived from a sample and applied to a population.

➢ Researcher as key instrument:

 Qualitative researchers collect data themselves through examining
documents, observing behavior, and interviewing participants. They may
use an instrument, but it is one designed by the researcher. They do not
tend to use or rely on questionnaires or instruments developed by other
researchers.

➢ Researcher’s personal experience and engagement:

Researcher has direct contact with and gets close to the people, situation,
and phenomenon under investigation, the researchers personal experiences
and insights are an important part of the inquiry and critical to
understanding the phenomenon.

➢ Multiple Methods:

Qualitative researcher typically gather multiple forms of data, such as

interviews, observations, and documents, rather than rely on a single data
source. They review all of the data and make sense of it, organizing it into
categories or themes.

➢ Participants meaning:
In the entire qualitative research process, the researchers keep a focus on
learning that meaning that the participants hold about the problem or
issue, not the meaning that the researchers bring to the research or writers
from the literature. The participants meaning further suggests multiple
viewpoints on a topic and diverse view. This is why a theme developed in a
qualitative report should reflect multiple perceptions of the participants in
the study.

➢ Holistic Account
The purpose of conducting qualitative research is to paint the larger picture. While
doing qualitative research, the researcher focuses on different perspectives and
determine various factors involved in the research.
The research works to develop a complex description of the research problem. A
researcher should not try to identify a cause and effect type relationship between
two or more factors but should try to establish a complex cause and relationship
between different elements.

Purpose of Qualitative Research:

Determine casual explanations of phenomena in natural setting.

Study process or natural settings

Understand culture, traditions, symbols, perception, emotion,

language and meaning of phenomena to participants.

Describe context of Phenomena.

Complement quantitative research.

Generate theories and hypothesis.

Describe unfamiliar community or culture.

Validate theory.

Formative evaluation.
Mixed Method:

Mixed Methods is a methodology that attempts to break the

qualitative-quantitative divide by integrating aspects of both
approaches. However, both methods are not just juxtaposed, but
rather used to create combined results.

Typically Mixed Methods is seen as a methodology integrating both

qualitative and quantitative approaches within one research project.
The movement is around since the 1980s when sociologists tried to
resolve the disagreement between the qualitative and quantitative
paradigm by combining both into a third way (Kuckartz 2014b, 27-28).
Of course, there are disagreements on in details, for example Johnson
et al. (2007) list 19 different definitions. Still the overall picture is clear
enough to be useful.

Qualitative methods are often constructivist and conduct exploratory

research. Quantitative methods, on the contrary, are rather
(post)positivist and focus more on hypothesis testing. Here, Mixed
Methods takes a stand in between. In this MMR is often strongly
pragmatic. Whatever is most useful for answering the research
question should be done.

• According to Kelle:

“Mixed methods means the combination of different qualitative and quantitative

methods of data collection and data analysis in one empirical research project’’
• According to Creswell& Plano Clark (2011):

Mixed methods research is a procedure for collecting, analyzing and

‘’mixing’’ both quantitative and qualitative methods in a single study or a
series of studies to understand a research problem.
Characteristics of Mixed Method:

❖ Collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data.

❖ Mix two forms of data in different ways.
❖ Can be in a single study or in multiple phases of a study.
❖ Priority in mixed methods design is when ‘’the research places more
emphasis on one type than on the other types of data in the research and
the written report’’
❖ Label the data
❖ Indicating the sequence
❖ Emphasizing the priority.

Advantages of Mixed Method:

▪ Cover holes in the theory.

▪ Can account for a broad range of variables, questions, and hypothesis.
▪ Contextual information.
▪ Respondents are free to answer any way they would like.
▪ Can identify additional research opportunities.
▪ Balances efficient data collection and analysis with data that provides
context.
Disadvantages of Mixed method:

o Challenge of methods complement.

o Duplicate data collection methods double the cost.
o It is time consuming and expensive
o Must have experience in both quantitative and qualitative
research
o Spend more time on analysis
o May be difficult to combine or interpret data