Module 1 Media Piece: Research Methods Chart Method/Type of Research Description Advantages Disadvantages Case Studies A thorough exam of -Depth, since both -Time and labor one organization’s qualitative and intensive position, situation, or quantitative research -Breadth may be issue. Often uses is conducted sacrificed in favor of both qualitative and in-depth research. quantitative research methods. Content Analysis/ Makes inferences by -Analyzes massive -Time consuming Documentation Review gathering, amounts of textual -Information may be interpreting, and data incomplete coding existing -Does not interrupt -Data restricted to company documents normal business past/existing for analysis. Useful operations documentation for researching past -Limits bias -Very research communications, question is needed marketing, and negotiations. Questionnaires/Surveys Often used by -Can be anonymous -Can introduce bias companies to gather -Usually inexpensive -May not get the information like -Easy to compare and complete picture beliefs and opinions analyze -Chance for survey from a sample of -Can administer to a development error(s) people, who number of -Impersonal represent the participants -May be difficult to broader population. -Can result in large get responses or Responses are amounts of helpful complete responses typically coded, data allowing for quantitative analysis. Interviews Utilizes a small -Depth -Can be time sample of -Allows the consuming participants when an researcher to ask -Bias can be entire population is additional/clarifying introduced in the too large. Provides an questions when analysis stage in-depth analysis of necessary -Can be difficult to participants and their -Establishes a compare responses responses. relationship between -Can be expensive researcher and participant Focus Groups Used in exploratory -Allow the -A facilitator may be studies to gather participants to needed to control responses from a communicate and dynamics to group of participants build off each other’s ensure all at one time. Help to responses participants are completely uncover “heard”
Module 1 Media Piece: Research Methods Chart Method/Type of Research Description Advantages Disadvantages Case Studies A thorough exam of one organization’s position, situation, or issue. Often uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods. -Depth, since both qualitative and quantitative research is conducted -Time and labor intensive -Breadth may be sacrificed in favor of in-depth research. Content Analysis/ Documentation Review Makes inferences by gathering, interpreting, and coding existing company documents for analysis. Useful for researching past communications, marketing, and negotiations. -Analyzes massive amounts of textual data -Does not interrupt normal business operations -Limits bias -Time consuming -Information may be incomplete -Data restricted to past/existing documentation -Very research question is needed Questionnaires/Surveys Often used by companies to gather information like beliefs and opinions from a sample of people, who represent the broader population. Responses are typically coded, allowing for quantitative analysis. -Can be anonymous -Usually inexpensive -Easy to compare and analyze -Can administer to a number of participants -Can result in large amounts of helpful data -Can introduce bias -May not get the complete picture -Chance for survey development error(s) -Impersonal -May be difficult to get responses or complete responses Interviews Utilizes a small sample of participants when an entire population is too large. Provides an in-depth analysis of participants and their responses. -Depth -Allows the researcher to ask additional/clarifying questions when necessary -Establishes a relationship between researcher and participant -Can be time consuming -Bias can be introduced in the analysis stage -Can be difficult to compare responses -Can be expensive Focus Groups Used in exploratory studies to gather responses from a group of participants at one time. Help to completely uncover -Allow the participants to communicate and build off each other’s responses -A facilitator may be needed to control dynamics to ensure all participants are “heard”
Research%20Methods%20Chart.docx