COMPARATIVE TABLE
Quantitative vs Qualitative
QUANTITATIVE
Theory/Research ration
Concepts
Relationship with the studied
environment
Interaction
researcher/respondent
-
Sequential phases, based
on a deductive approach
that is articulated in the
context of “justification”.
QUALITATITAVE
- Inductive setting that is articulated
in the context of “discovery”,
- the researcher reject the
formulation of theories. Theory and
research work simultaneously.
-
The theory precedes the
research.
-
Definitive and operative,
-
they are the theory and are
converted from the beginning
into variables.
-
passive subject
-
active subject
-
Experimental approach: the
subject is not responsive but
this is not a problem.
-
Naturalistic approach:
space and actions are
analyzed in the present time
during the research.
Almost absent, the interviewer must
- seek to find the character of
uniqueness
Essential, it is necessary that
be warm and human but must not
interact outside the questionnaire.
empathy arises between the two
parts.
Search design
Closed structure, planned in
advance.
Without a structure, open, in search
of unexpected options, it gets
modified in progress
Representativeness of the
respondent
It is necessary to use representative Inexistent. Different info is taken on
samples.
different levels of depth.
Uniformity of the detection
instrument
It is necessary to use a standard.
Absent. Not necessarily always the
same.
Nature of data
Hard: objective and standardized
data
Soft: Data collected in their integrity,
subjective
Type of respondent
Variable individual
Unique individual.
Type of analysis
Variable based, mathematical and
statistical techniques.
Case based
.
Presentation of data
Tables and graphs, statistics,
analysis and comparison with data
obtained and data from past years
and with estimates.
Quotes, narrative-style extracts, to
allow reality as it has been
experienced during the study
Generalization
Necessary. Individual
fragmentation, correlation between
variables, conceptual unit in the
random model.
Absent. Identification of the
Weberian ideal types, interpretation
of reality.
Scope of results
Significant number, representativity. Limited number of cases.
.
Methodology
Structured questionnaire
Observation of the respondent in
the focus room, interviews with
privileged witnesses