Features Of Qualitative And Quantitative Research

Keywords: qualitative research methods, features of qualitative research, features of quantitative research

Most of us are researchers most of the time. We dont necessarily think of ourselves as researchers but research is really about collecting information that tells us about something and it helps us make informed decisions.

Of course what we call research (as in ‘basic research methods’) is a more formal way of going about asking questions. We usually begin with something very specific we want to know. Then we ask the question or questions in a structured way. This structure is called a methodology. Research is used in all aspects of life these days. Some commonly used search areas could be.

Market research is learning about business markets, competition and opportunities.

Economic research is more towards playing with numbers and giving them back meaningfully. More towards analysis and future forecast with references to the past trends.

Scientific research is the most useful research domain. Research has played a key role in science, innovations and has discovered the world over hundreds of years.

Media research has enabled us to quantify the viewership through sampling and also checked the quality of contents through surveys.

Social research has made more significance now than any other research type. Research has played stimuli in understanding the behavior patterns, psychological profiles and emotional perceptions of human nature.

Quantitative Method of Research

This is a traditional style of research which interprets numbers and converts it into meaningful information. Quantitative research is a direct approach concerning numbers and large amount of data available in raw shape, which is then worked out using techniques and formulations to make it information (Best and Khan, 1989, 89-90)

Qualitative Method of Research

This research tends towards the new era of emotional intelligence. It gives us an idea that research is the need of social science now. In this methodology we understand the complexity of human nature and learn the trends of a society.

Qualitative research is an experimental research that doesn’t have the collected data in digits or numbers but it indicates the trend (Punch, 1998, 4)

Features of Quantitative Vs. Qualitative Methodology of Research

Qualitative Research

This research intendsto have more descriptive detailed report, pictorial and graphs also help satisfy the hypothesis.

Research may not know very little what they are looking for and going to get later on the research.

The Researcher has to conduct the gathering of data himself.

This methodology is richer, time consuming, difficult and useful for general public for later use.

Researcher gets too much involved in personal immerse within the theme and content of the research.

Quantitative Research

This research type reflects more classification of features through statistical models and explanation of conclusions

The researcher exactly know precisely what they are going to get from their research

The researcher has tools, software and even the existing data can be used to conduct the research

In quantitative research the research is more substantial for individuals, organizations or a particular state of people, less time consuming, less energy and specific.

The researcher mainly focus on the objective rather than the subjective material

In our research project

“Comparative Analysis on Advertising in Telco Industry of India & Pakistan”

We will be using Qualitative research approach as our main focus will be on the quality of concept and content in advertising placed in electronic media. With the help of questionnaires and interviews we will try to conclude our findings.

References

Punch, K (1998) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, London, Sage

Best, J and Khan, J (1989) Research in Education, Englewood Cliffs (NJ), Prentice Hall

Scholarly Article on

Small Firm, Big Opportunities

Written By:

Mohsin Mumtaz Seyal

(EMBA SPR11 – 041)

Submitted To: Prof. Rafi Javed

(An Ispiration researcher)

Small Firms, Big Opportunities

Abstract

This study shows that globalization is the key to opportunities for smaller organizations. The world has turned itself into a global village. Gender biasness, resource limitations and boundaries are not meant to be any barriers in today’s era of technology. The smaller firms are large in number consequently have more prospects of progress and ample elements of growth and development.

Introduction:

The world globalization is no more an unknown or unrealistic concept. It has proven to capture the mindset of every business firm small, medium or multi-national. The world today is converted into global village. The barriers like boundaries, long distances and enemies are no more barriers; biggest issue for both world powers and growing countries is only one word that is Economy. Where to get money to buy food, energy and development? Where for find the resource that can build local economy sustain well in the global challenges? The need of the hour is to find more markets for your product. That is what we need to do today. SMEs can globalize while contributing to sustainable and inclusive growth (Zaman, 2008). In my article we will try to elaborate on what challenges are faced by smaller firms in globalization

Literature Review:

Globalization is the key to success in this era. The societies that face boundaries in terms of business progress can never gain any respectable position among the race of economy. Gender biasness is an obstacle in third world countries. Women are not given the ultimate rights to contribute in the progress of economy in the society. A research conducted qualitatively, exploratory study on 20 business women in Australia through interviews these women have revealed that running a business is both a life changing experience and life growing experience. Being an Entrepreneur they enjoyed going global and they enjoyed extra growth being an exporter (Welch, Denice &Hewerdine, 2008). Another study states that given the same resources as males, women were found more successful in their business actions. Doing a study upon a 467 women business proprietors, they were identified to have advanced intensities of entrepreneurial orientation between both genders entrepreneurs (Runyan, Huddleston &Swinney, 2006). Exports have a vital effect on economy. With exports the foreign investment and foreign currency is coming in your country. The firms having smaller manufacturing are large in number therefore if they start exporting the number of circulation becomes utmost. Even the profits towards an individual or a business will not be a benchmark but the foreign revenues inward will defiantly play a role in the economy of the country (Lu & Beamish 2006). Taking about the major challenges faced by smaller firms throughout the world is lack of resources and mechanism but to neutralize these challenges many newer ideas in business models can be adopted like doing a partnership, collaborating with family members living abroad or doing a shareholders agreement. In a study conducting by (Zulima& Maria 2005) states that the negativity produced in family business working on a smaller scale can be eliminated by inducting other potential family members living across the globe to build essential resource and become a global identity.

So, any barrier is no barrier if one is looking beyond the expectation. The potential lying in generating business out of the global economy is immense. Small enterprises have made an impact on international trade. According to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) statistics, smaller organizations have become wide source of exporting in industrial nations. But the true influence of international entrepreneurial exposure is yet to be reviled among many countries (Knight, 2001). Having an international orientation is not enough; a commitment towards your business and ethical practices is also a need to develop in international market. This all is desirable from the top management and decision makers as they are the ones providing policies and patterns of work. Innovation and creativity comes from the decision makers. A research conducted with qualitative approach, with a sample size of 30 international small firm proprietors. They were interviewed in detail and found that there is an immense relationship between polices made and right focus on the market. A new innovative idea even on a smaller scale can spark the international buyers. One must have focus on targeting the right product for the right market(Bell, Crick & Young, 2004).

To understand the concept of positively influencing economy through globalization more clearly, we must look at the countries that have developed radical structures effecting economy persuading the smaller firms. In this regard I have found a very interesting study that I want to share with the readers, that is about the comparison of SME’s development in progressive economies of the world through a process of radical transformation. This study reveals from contemporary surveys of managers working in SME’s of food and apparel chains managers in Bulgaria, Poland and the Baltic States, which was compared with the similar study conducted in the UK and Greece. The study reveals that the export orientation in developing countries has levels in product categories. The food chains were not been able to achieve any meaning full export in UK and Greece, while the clothing industry has made a wide impact. The smaller firms having better production cost had competed with the bigger brands and captured a wide export market in Europe. However, all this export exercise mainly associated with the export promotions and reduction of govt. taxations. With this support the smaller firms could get expert export alliances internationally and become useful for the nations.

Conclusion

After going through the detail and through study regarding smaller business ventures, I have realized that they have immense opportunities. Despite the fact that all barriers should be considered as fear and that can be easily overcome with an in-depth research and market globalization orientation.

“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger–but recognize the opportunity.”

― John F. Kennedy

Organizations exist to enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

― Ted Levitt