Qualitative Research Methods free essay sample

Question 1 Compare and contrast the following qualitative research methods: case study, phenomenological, and grounded theory. Synthesize the findings and determine which is best suited to a study on your potential dissertation topic. Analyze the issues associated with sample selection, validity, and bias in such a study. Qualitative Research Methods Introduction It is common for researchers to compare qualitative and quantitative research methods. Quantitative methods originate from positivist and post- positivist research paradigms.Also, the methods objectively examine statistical data to determine cause and affect and often use generalizable data. There are various methods used in quantitative research such as surveys, experiments, statistical analysis, and numerical modeling (Myers 1997; Creswell 2003). Therefore, such a researcher gains knowledge through the use of hypotheses, measurement, and observation. In contrast, the focus of qualitative research methods is on relativistic and constructivist ontology that suggest a lack of objective reality (Lythcott Duschl, 1990).In some ways, participants construct realities by imposing their experiences on social and cultural phenomena. We will write a custom essay sample on Qualitative Research Methods or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are five types of qualitative research methods: case study, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and narrative research. These methods allow researchers to gather an in-depth understanding of social and cultural phenomena using inquiry tactics to determine the why, when, where, what, and how of the study. The qualitative inquiry is subject to the participant’s interpretations of the occurrences through observation and in-depth interviews. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast three of the five qualitative research methods: case study, phenomenological, and grounded theory. According to Merriam (1998), the research methods are similar in their quest for understanding and meaning, data collection and analysis, the use of surveys, an inductive orientation analysis, and findings that are descriptive. In contrast, there are differences in qualitative research terms: disciplinary orientation (ethnography, phenomenology); function (grounded theory); form (case study, basic qualitative study).In conclusion, since this researcher’s potential dissertation topic is on women in leadership, the objective of this research is to evaluate case study, phenomenological, and grounded theory. In effort to better understand the challenges women in leadership face in climbing the corporate ladder; this researcher selected the phenomenological method for conducting the research. Then, the plan is to synthesize the fin dings, and in conclusion, analyze the issues associated with sample selection, validity, and bias as they pertain to women in leadership. Qualitative Research MethodsThere are three research methods: qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method to execute a study. According to Creswell (2009), the differences between these research methodologies are as follows: qualitative research collects descriptive and narrative data intentionally to understanding the perspective of the study. Also, it uses observation and unstructured interviews to explore the topic broadly. Quantitative research collects data and numerically codes and statistically analyzes it to determine the findings of the study. Also, it uses experiments, surveys and measurements to determine results.Last, mixed methodology research uses both qualitative and quantitative approaches to research the topic. Although, a researcher can use quantitative or mixed research for a study on women in leadership, and achieve significant analytical findings. The option chosen for this study is to employ a qualitative research methodology. According to Jones, Kriflik, and Zanko (2005), qualitative research methodology focuses on the human experience as it relates to social and cultural phenomena. Therefore, this study will examine the social and cultural phenomena of women in leadership in a male dominated society.In addition, this approach explores how the phenomenon is studied through assumptions and answers to the what in the study (Lee, 1992). Thus, this method gives a researcher an in-depth understanding of the participants’ experiences using qualitative inquiry to determine the why, when, where, what, and how of the study. Qualitative research is subject to judgments about the data and synthesizes the findings using specialized approaches such as experimental or non-experimental. Researchers often opt to use non-experimental approaches in studies using surveys, interviews, observations, and case studies.Even though an experimental approach is appropriate in quantitative research, it further enables resear chers to find answers and collect data (Bagozzi Yi, 2012). This approach is unique in its hypotheses and the study of behavior, making it valid and reliable. They are five types of approaches to select within qualitative research: case study, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and narrative research. Each research method is distinct in its approach towards inquiry within the qualitative paradigm in terms of appearance, conditions, focus, and theories (Creswell, 1998).There are also similarities in these approaches such as characteristics and assumptions concerning the context of the study. This research evaluates each approach and determines that the phenomenology method is best suited for the study of women in leadership and the challenges they face climbing the corporate ladder. Case Study Research Method A case study research is an empirical inquiry in which a researcher investigates participants, events, activities, and processes. According to Creswell (2009), the empirical inquiry collects data from multiple sources and exami nes them in detail over a period of time. The main purpose of a case study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the study’s process and outcome. Therefore, a researcher uses four factors: creates research questions, investigates tactics, sets up variables, and predicts an outcome. There are three types of case studies: (a) an instrumental case study focuses on the general aspects of the case; (b) an intrinsic case study focuses on understanding the details of the case; and (c) a collective case study which allows a researcher to compare multiple cases within a single research (Stake, 1995).The commonality among the three types of case studies is the descriptive or exploratory design which depends on the strategy of the study. Exploratory research emphasizes the relationship between factors; whereas, descriptive research focuses on documenting conditions, attitudes or characteristics of participants in the study (Creswell, 2009). Therefore, a researcher must structure the research questions to produce answers that identify the purpose statement.Miles and Huberman (1994) suggest the questions be quasi-deductive which is open-ended and structured directly from the conceptual framework in terms of variables, relationships and context. A case study is specific in its data collection approach such as in ethnographic and observational strategies. Researchers often use the ethnographic approach because it enhances the investigation by including culture, organization, and groups (Creswell, 2009). However, observational strategies enable researchers to examine the data through fieldwork, records, and reports.