Understanding Business Research
Identify two articles in the University Library: one in which the business problem is researched using a
qualitative design and the other using a quantitative design.
Summarize each of the research designs.
Write a 350- to 700-word paper in which you compare and contrast the two approaches:
�What are the strengths and weaknesses of each approach?
�How can they be used most effectively in a combined approach?
�Which method is more appropriate for research in your own business of youth ministry.
UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS RESEARCH 2
Understanding Business Research
Understanding business research allows the businessperson and researchers to adapt to
appropriate strategies and designs. Researchers have an option to choose from various research
designs but the mostly used include qualitative and quantitative research as well as mixed design.
Research allows business personality to find solution to various problems that face them as they
transact their business. The paper compares and contrasts qualitative and quantitative research
designs based on their strengths and weaknesses. It also deliberates on their combination and
provides a suggestion on the most appropriate design in conducting my business of youth
ministry.
Example of an article that adopted qualitative research design is “Strategic
communication and social media: An MBA course from a business communication perspective
by Meredith (2012). In this qualitative article, the author found out social media is producing
content that is getting used in pedagogy. The content is highly demanded by the student body,
industry constituents’ as well as other discipline area. An MBA from a business perspective is
also under development from social media strategy. This therefore presents a challenge of
integrating various communication approaches to create social media content. On the other hand,
UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS RESEARCH 3
a study, “Quantitative Research in American Economic History” by North (1963) adopted a
quantitative research design. The study incorporated various studies quantitatively analyzed.
Each of this approach has advantages as well as disadvantages. Some of the advantages
of qualitative research design include; it is appropriate in early stages of conducting a research
especially when the researcher does not know or is not sure about what the study is not all about
the study as well requires a researcher to have a strict design plan before commencing it or the
area of focus. It also gives the researcher freedom allow the study unfold in more unnatural. The
design further allows the researcher an opportunity to again detailed information
comprehensively in written description or in visual form. The study is done in real situations
hence it affects individuals, as data obtained is realistic and representation of what is going in the
field. Disadvantage of this design is that it is prone to biasness as researcher may heavily be
involved in the process hence subjective. Researcher may also interpret data according to the
biased view leading to skeweness. It is also time consuming and takes long period.
Quantitative research design has as well a number of advantages. This design also the
researcher to measure and analyze data hence ensures detailed relationships between dependent
and independent variable. It is therefore more objective about findings. The design is also
applicable in testing hypotheses as data is measured through statistics. Disadvantage of the
design is that it fails or ignores the context of the study. Events are not studied in natural setting,
it also requires large sample of population as higher population leads to accurate results.
These two designs can be used in combination as mixed design. This therefore, means
that aspects of qualitative and quantitative are incorporated in the data. This makes the study
findings more objective.
UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS RESEARCH 4
In my business of youth ministry, the best method is qualitative research design. This
method will provide descriptive information that will enable me to understand the business
situation. This design is also important because it is done in real environment hence its
predictions are highly reliable.
References
Meredith, M. (2012). Strategic communication and social media: An MBA course from a
business communication perspective. Business Communication Quarterly, i75(1): 89-95.
North, D. (1963). Quantitative Research in American Economic History. American
Economic Review, 53(1):128
