Question

Please give a thorough explanation.

Discuss the characteristics of qualitative research studies and when qualitative research is appropriate and not appropriate. It is important to understand how qualitative research differs from quantitative research, and the descriptive power inherent in the language used in this type of research.

Answer 1

The purpose of qualitative research. Research fills a vital and important role in society: it is the means by which discoveries are made, ideas are confirmed or refuted, events controlled or predicted and theory developed or refined.

Below are the three key elements that define a qualitative research study and the applied forms each take in the investigation of a research problem.

The Design

• Naturalistic -- refers to studying real-world situations as they unfold naturally; nonmanipulative and noncontrolling; the researcher is open to whatever emerges [i.e., there is a lack of predetermined constraints on findings].
• Emergent -- acceptance of adapting inquiry as understanding deepens and/or situations change; the researcher avoids rigid designs that eliminate responding to opportunities to pursue new paths of discovery as they emerge.
• Purposeful -- cases for study [e.g., people, organizations, communities, cultures, events, critical incidences] are selected because they are “information rich” and illuminative. That is, they offer useful manifestations 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.

Qualitative research can help you…

Develop hypotheses for further testing and for quantitative questionnaire development,

Understand the feelings, values, and perceptions that underlie and influence behavior

Identify customer needs

Capture the language and imagery customers use to describe and relate to a product, service, brand, etc.

Perceptions of marketing/communication messages

Information obtained in quantitative study and to better understand the context/meaning of the data

Generate ideas for improvements and/or extensions of a product, line, or brand

Uncover potential strategic directions for branding or communications programs

Understand how people perceive a marketing message or communication piece

Develop parameters (i.e., relevant questions, range of responses) for a quantitative study

Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR COMPARISON	QUALITATIVE RESEARCH	QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Meaning	Qualitative research is a method of inquiry that develops understanding on human and social sciences, to find the way people think and feel.	Quantitative research is a research method that is used to generate numerical data and hard facts, by employing statistical, logical and mathematical technique.
Nature	Holistic	Particularistic
Approach	Subjective	Objective
Research type	Exploratory	Conclusive
Reasoning	Inductive	Deductive
Sampling	Purposive	Random
Data	Verbal	Measurable
Inquiry	Process-oriented	Result-oriented
Hypothesis	Generated	Tested