introduction introduction. problem. literature. data. quantitative. qualitative. presentation....

IntroductionIntroduction . Problem . Literature . Data . Quantitative . Qualitative . Presentation . Cases .

Analytical methods for Information Systems

Professionals

Week 7 Lecture 2

Qualitative Research


Today’s objectives

• To provide a guide to understanding texts on qualitative research

• To compare qualitative and quantitative research

• To provide an overview of the types and uses of qualitative research


Types of ResearchHandout 1


What do we mean by “quantitative”?

What are we looking for when we do quantitative research?


What do we mean by “qualitative”?

All the attributes of something which are not countable

What are we looking for when we do qualitative research?

Can something have attributes which are both qualitative and quantitative?


Qualitative vs. Quantitative or

Positivist vs. interpretive/critical

Very often qualitative and quantitative research are set against each other as polar opposites. However these are really discussions based at the method level.


Generalisations

Theories

Hypotheses

Observations

The Research Process


Four elements of research

•Epistemology

•Theoretical perspective

•Methodology

•Methods

What do we recognise as knowledge

How do we know what we know?

What is “true”

Objectivist = meaning and reality exist apart from anybody being conscious of them Constructivist = meaning derives from our interaction with the world

Subjectivist = meaning is imposed on an object by the subject

•Positivist •Interpretive•Critical

Plan of action, research design and

why

The philosphical stance that underlies our chosen methodology – our assumptions

Techniques•Surveys•Interviews•observation


Samples of each element

See handout 2


Contrasting positivist and interpretive approaches

Positivist•Reality is “real” – exists independent of human consciousness•Human beings are rational creatures governed by social laws•Science is based on strict rules based on universal causal laws•Science is value free

Interpretive•Reality is in the minds of people•Human beings are actors who create social reality by assigning meaning systems to events•Science represents reality symbolically in a descriptive way•Science is not value free, value neutrality is neither necessary or possible


Contrasting positivist and interpretive approaches

Positivist•Controlled setting for research•Subject is an object in the research•Research design fixed•Researcher ‘outside’•Emphasis on reliability

Interpretive•Complex, real world setting for research•Subject is a participant in the research process•Research design evolving•Researcher ‘inside’•Emphasis on validity


Critique of quantitative methodology

• Reality cannot be defined objectively, it is interpreted social interaction

• Quantification can result in meanings that are closer to the beliefs of the researcher than the respondents

• Hypotheses determines the course of the study

• Methods become overridingly important• The quantitative model is the natural

sciences, this model may not be relevant for the social sciences


Theory building in quantitative and qualitative research

Quant Qual

Logic of theory

Deductive Inductive

Direction of theory building

Begins from theory

Begins from observation of reality

Verification

Takes place after theory building is complete

Data generation, analysis and theory verification concurrent


Quant Qual

Concepts Designed before research begins

Begins with flexible concepts

Generalisations

Inductive sample-to-population

Analytical or exemplar

Sarantakos, S. (1998). Social research. South Melbourne, Macmillan Education Australia.


So, what is qualitative research?

•Emerged from the social sciences•Provides researchers with methodologies and methods for understanding people and their actions within social and organisational settings•Usually very contextual, focussed on the understanding of the richness and complexity of the settings within which people live, learn and work


Some features of qualitative research

• Purpose is to understand rather than measure

• Is holistic and accommodates the emergent properties of real-world situations

• Places findings in context – historical, cultural, political


• Is interpretive, ie social reality is constructed through interpretation

• Uses naturalistic methods such as fieldwork

• Is communicative: is understood and operates in the context of the process of communication, of which it is part


Some definitionsPositivism - knowledge can be obtained through

observation through the senses rather than through belief, applying scientific approach to social phenomena

Symbolic interactionism – meaning is gained through social interaction eg concept of beauty. Individuals reach common understanding through language and other symbolic systems

Structural functionalism (social systems theory) – society is like an organism and can be seen as a system an set of subsystems

Phenomenology – there is an objective world but it can only be known through which can only be known through our perceptions of it.


Hermeneutics – gaining understanding through analysing and interpreting texts Content analysis is a form of this

Ethnography – detailed description rather than explanation, study of whole cultures as systems from the informants point of view

Ethnomethodology – making sense out of the informants perceptions

Grounded theory – derives theories from observational data, emphasises systematic coding, achieving validity and reliability; combines qualitative and quantitative methods

Action research – applying fact finding to praacital problem solving in a social situation with a view to improving the quality of action within it; involves collaboration of researchers and practitioners.


•Qualitative data

•Sources of data include:• - participant observation• - interviews• -documentary analysis•Types of data:• - semantic analysis (elicited data) – data we acquire in response to questions we ask

• - observational data – data acquired through observation of the phenomenon of interest (researchers perceptions, video tapes, field notes...)

• - Emic data – collected and described in categories relevant to the participants

• - Etic data - collected and described in categories defined by the researcher


Uses of qualitative research in IS

Information systems are embedded in and reflect social systems: cultures, organisations, teams.

Combined with quantitative methodologies, qualitative research gives us rich tools for understanding the contexts in which we work, for communicating and for creating new oppportunities for organisations


Content analysis


an old lady helps me as I’m crossing the roadshe sees the direction and the weight of my

loadshe points to a man taking peace to the poor

and a record is broken by the arm of the law

and you and I as we skate pitch or ridewe seek our adventures in the places we

hide the pendulum dances, opinion poles swing

not to mention the meaning of contemporary things

introduction introduction. problem. literature. data. quantitative. qualitative. presentation....

Documents

introduction introduction

qualitative research

quantitative research

research process slide

research design

possible slide

types of research handout

social reality