REVISION NEEDED ONLY!!!Qualitative research

p QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative Research

2007

Introduction

Myburgh , Poggenpoel Der Linde (2001 ) opened a debate of preference in quantitative or qualitative research . Either camp argues its valid points , however , qualitative researchers add one more and very important position : the measure of the personal attitude . The authors pointed out that quantitative researchers when following the quantitative research steps appropriately objectify the human being ' and if the research is about humans and their attitudes and interrelations such is unacceptable . This additional point argues and accepts our humanity as being the

important criteria for making future decisions . The qualitative research thus makes sense when dealing with the human beings (Myburgh et al , 2001 . Perhaps the readers might perceive an important distinction : the quantitative research is necessary but it is better and safer to conduct when the researchers are not dealing with the human beings . There is no point in argument that each of us views the environment using unique perception . Objectifying such worldview does not and will not serve the scientific purpose neither will be accurate If the research is about finding the right answers , then accuracy is very importance . Thus approaching the human attitudes from the blanket approach defies any logic

When the qualitative research is used within an organization to cause an qualitative change , the researcher (s ) must consider the unique perspectives of the employees on all levels . Such perspectives can be gathered with one-on-one interviews specially designed for different purposes . Poole (1998 ) elaborated on three purposes researched by others earlier : reframing , cognitive reorientation , and paradigm shift . Each purpose is and can be accomplished by working with individual people one at a time . The size of change is irrelevant articulation and clear understanding by all participants of the process is

According to Nadler (1999 , interview methods of data collection for qualitative diagnosis purposes are used mostly when an organization engages outside consultants for development purposes and for gathering feedback . Internal teams and /or change agents also use sometimes interview methodology . One-on-one interviews have the major advantage of providing an opportunity for face-to-face interaction with the participants of the organization . In qualitative diagnosis studies interviews may form the first step as well as the last stage of diagnosis (Nadler , 1999 . The types of one-on-one interviews might include exploratory , hypotheses testing , and change inducing /idea testing . Some details of interview methods of qualitative diagnosis are presented (excerpted from Beaumont , 2001

Interviews can be used for the following purposes

Sensing the organization and identifying general areas of strengths and weaknesses for further diagnosis

Probing for details and getting deeper insights into a given problem or issue bothering an organization

Testing out the success potential of new ideas /actions /decisions and assessing preparedness e .g . the attitudes of people to an open appraisal system , how do they react to computerization of personnel information system and their reactions to a newly proposed reward system

Generation of ideas for strengthening the existing systems and processes as to improve the suggestion scheme and to improve work environment

Assessing the...