Comparing Research Designs

There are several research designs that can be used in business applications. The two we will focus on here will be quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research tends to use hard data such as statistics to frame and interpret the research, where qualitative research tends to depend on observation. 

Respond to the following:

•  What are the differences between a qualitative research design verses a quantitative research design? 
•  When would it be appropriate to use one design over another in investigating a business process problem? For example, a toothpaste company wants to find out what the demand for a tooth whitening gel is among male customers between the ages of 30-40 years. What research design would be appropriate for the company to use?

To complete this discussion: 

Post your primary response. Read any postings already provided by your instructor or fellow students. See the SBT Discussion Rubric for how you will be evaluated for this activity. Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module.

See the Course Calendar for due dates for posts and responses. 

Compose your work using a word processor and save it, as a Plain Text or an .rtf, to your computer. When you're ready to make your initial posting, please click on the "Create Thread" button and copy/paste the text from your document into the message field. Be sure to check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors before you post it.

By registering for a web-based course, you have made a commitment to participate regularly with your instructor and other students in online discussions. You will be expected to use online course tools (Discussionsand Chat rooms) to interact with your peers and work collaboratively to improve your understanding of underlying course ideas and issues.

Evaluation Criteria

Review the SBT Discussion Rubric located in the "Start Here" section of the course for more information on grading criteria.