Research is a systematic inquiry process that describes a phenomenon and aims to develop and test concepts and theories. The ultimate aim of research is to contribute to the scientific body of knowledge. The research process is systematic in defining its objectives, managing data, and communicating findings. A research project can be quantitative or qualitative in nature. Researchers can prefer using one of the two types of research depending on strengths, limitations, and data collection. There are differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods that can overlap in multiple ways.
Quantitative Vs. Qualitative Data Collection Approaches
Quantitative research is a type of research that collects information about quantities. The research deals with numbers and statistics and the nature of the study is descriptive. The phenomenon investigated is one that can be observed and measured. Standard quantitative data collection methods include observations by recording numbers, experiments, and surveys with close-ended questions. On the other hand, qualitative research collects and analyzes non-numerical data like language. Qualitative research explores the experience of an individual and understands experiences, thoughts, and concepts. Data collection methods for qualitative research include interviews with open-ended questions, literature reviews, and observational descriptions that explore theories and concepts.
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Benefits and Limitations of Each Approach
The primary benefits of quantitative data are that it is objective and can be replicated. The data is interpreted through statistical analysis based on mathematics principles; it is thus viewed as rational and objective. The objective nature of the data makes it a useful tool in testing and validating already created theories. Quantitative data is replicative, and the measured values can be checked by others (Leppink, 2017). The data is also less open to ambiguities. The use of sophisticated software ensures rapid analysis that can be replicated by other individuals.
The main limitations of quantitative data are its context and variability in the quantity of data. Quantitative research does not take place in a natural setting. Participants have limited choices regarding the meanings of the questions. A large sample size is usually required for accurate data analysis, and mall scale studies are usually perceived as less reliable.
Qualitative data are beneficial because of close involvement with the researcher, and they can be used to suggest other possible relations. Gathering data in qualitative research involves the researcher being involved with the participants and data collection. The interaction enables the researcher to understand the phenomenon better (Queirós et al., 2017). Qualitative research is also beneficial as it enables one to critically analyze a situation and suggest possible causes, effects, and relationships in the processes. The researcher can critically analyze the contradictions and ambiguities in the data.
The limitation of qualitative research is in the reliability or validity of the data and the time and costs. The subjective nature of the data makes replicating it by other researchers difficult. The study cannot be accurately used in qualitative comparative analysis, and its validity is usually put into question (De Block & Vis, 2019). Qualitative data also requires a lot of time and enormous costs for data collection, analysis, and interpretation (Vindrola-Padros & Johnson, 2020). The analysis and interpretation of the data are challenging and may require experts knowledgeable in a specific subject.
Major Differences
Quantitative data seeks to discover facts about a phenomenon, while qualitative data seeks to understand human behavior from the researcher’s perspective. Data collection for quantitative data is through measurement, and the data is analyzed through numerical comparisons and statistical analysis (Rutberg & Bouikidis, 2018). Qualitative data collections involve participant observations and interviews. The data is then analyzed by summarizing and categorizing major themes and descriptions from participants. Quantitative data is reported through numbers, graphs, and tables, while qualitative data is reported through expressed words and language.
Part 2: Analysis of a Research Topic
The research topic chosen for analysis would be “Workplace diversity and productivity in organizations.” The research question would be, “is there a relationship between workplace diversity and productivity in organizations?”. The research would strive to understand whether workplace diversity would result in improved productivity in an organization. Workplace diversity involves multiple strategies that strive to include and appreciate individuals from different races within the organization. It is expected that workplace diversity should improve productivity as it improves job satisfaction, reduces employee turnover, and improves talent management.
Quantitative Approach
A quantitative approach will be applied in the study to show the correlation between workplace diversity and productivity. Data to be collected could be the number of different races in an organization, close-ended questions where employees provide a diversity score on the organization’s diversity efforts, and employees' satisfaction or performance with the organization’s diversity efforts. A sample of employees will be selected to participate in the study. A statistical linear regression analysis will show the relationship between the diversity score and satisfaction from employees. It is expected that there will be a positive correlation between the two variables.
Qualitative Approach
A qualitative approach for the study will involve describing the phenomenon. Employees can answer questions regarding the diverse nature of the organization and whether it impacts their performance. The responses will be analyzed by examining various keywords in the responses. Responses such as “I feel appreciated” and “I feel the organization values my culture” indicate that diversity improves performance. On the other hand, a response with the keyword “discrimination” and “stress due to discrimination that impacts performance” will indicate that the lack of diversity impacts performance negatively.
Limitations
The limitation of analyzing workplace diversity and organization productivity through a quantitative approach is that it requires expertise to conduct statistical analysis. Another limitation of the research is that it will require a large sample size for an accurate analysis that may be difficult to find in one organization.
Qualitative data will have a limitation on the reliability and validity of the data. The information regarding the relationship between the variables will be challenging to replicate. The study may also take a lot of time to collect, analyze, and interpret the data. Researchers must thus prepare adequately before conducting the research.
In conclusion, quantitative and qualitative research have their differences, along with benefits and limitations. The choice between the type of research depends on the topic of study and the nature of the theory. Both quantitative and qualitative research aims to contribute to scientific knowledge. A proper analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each research should assist in choosing the right research method.
References
De Block, D., & Vis, B. (2019). Addressing the challenges related to transforming qualitative into quantitative data in qualitative comparative analysis. Journal of Mixed Methods Research , 13 (4), 503-535. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1558689818770061
Leppink, J. (2017). Revisiting the quantitative–qualitative-mixed methods labels: Research questions, developments, and the need for replication. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences , 12 (2), 97-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2016.11.008
Rutberg, S., & Bouikidis, C. D. (2018). Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research. Nephrology Nursing Journal , 45 (2), 209-213. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30303640/
Vindrola-Padros, C., & Johnson, G. A. (2020). Rapid techniques in qualitative research: A critical review of the literature. Qualitative Health Research , 30 (10), 1596-1604. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1049732320921835
Queirós, A., Faria, D., & Almeida, F. (2017). Strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research methods. European Journal of Education Studies . 3(9). http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v0i0.1017
