Applied Business Research and Analysis (assessment 2)
Cindy Yu
bb_analysing_qualitative_data_15v4.pptxanalysing qualitative data
A plan for data collection
What do I need to know?
Why do I need to know this?
What kind of data will answer the questions?
Where can I find the data?
Whom do I contact for access?
What time line is there for acquiring the data?
Is qualitative data analysis a science , an art or a craft?
The focus is on text…
“Qualitative analysis transforms data into findings. No formula exists for that transformation. Guidance, yes. But no recipe. Direction can and will be offered, but final destination remains unique for each inquirer, known only when- and if- arrived at”… (Patton 2002:432)
Interpretation is a complex and dynamic craft. It requires abundance of patient plodding and …discipline..
(After Miller and Crabtree 1999)
Main Elements of Analysis of Qualitative Data (after Morse, 1994)
Comprehending
full understanding of the setting, culture & study topic before research begins
Synthesising
drawing together of different themes from the research and forming them into new integrated patterns
Theorising
constant development and manipulation of malleable theoretical schemes until the ‘best’ theoretical scheme is developed
Re-contextualising
process of generalisation so that the emerging theory can be applied to other settings and populations
Qualitative data analysis
More simply
Qualitative analysis
involves disaggregating the qualitative data which you collect, as you collect them, into meaningful and related parts or categories.
This means:
Systematically rearranging and rigorously analysing these data….
It is about:
Transforming the nature of the data in order to… comprehend and manage them; and so
Merging related data drawn from different transcripts and notes;
Adapted from Saunders et al most editions
Qualitative data analysis
Identifying key themes or patterns from them for further elaboration;
Developing &/or testing hypotheses based on these apparent patterns or relationships;
Drawing & verifying conclusions
Adapted from Saunders et al most editions
The process involves:
categorisation
unitising data
recognising relationships & developing categories to facilitate this
developing and testing hypotheses to reach conclusions
Qualitative Data Analysis
Main challenges in qualitative data analysis are to
reduce the data
structure the data
detextualise the data
Techniques for managing data- a variety of terms
Coding: the process by which items or groups of data are assigned codes
Annotating: the process by which written material is altered by the addition of notes or comments
Labelling: where there is an analytical scheme being developed - significant passages, statements, words, etc., eg in interview transcripts, are labelled to further direct analyses
Selection: key process in management of data through which interesting significant, unusual or representative items are selected to make arguments
Summary: process where a synopsis or précis of whole data set is presented
( Baxter et al, 1996)
Techniques for managing data- a variety of terms
Describing - context of action, intentions of social actors & processes in which social action is embedded
Classifying - give meaning by assigning bits of data to codes & themes
Connecting - categorized or coded data analysed in terms of patterns & connections that emerge
(Dey 1993)
Description - what is going on,
Analysis - expand & extend descriptive account - search for themes & patterns from the data
Interpretation - offer own account of what is going on - understanding & explanation is sought
(Wolcott 1994)
Strategies for Qualitative Analysis
Using a theoretical or descriptive framework
when using existing theory to formulate research question, should also use theoretical prepositions as means to devise a framework to help organize and direct data analysis
identify main variables, themes, components and issues in research project and possible relationships between them
Exploring without a pre-determined theoretical or descriptive framework
grounded theory approach
(Hussey & Hussey, 1997)
Grounded Theory
Philosophical approach
grounded theory analyst believes social organization of the world is integrated - aim is to discover these processes of socialisation - unlike deductive approach no need for preconceived theorising
Role of data in developing theory
to understand processes of socialisation researcher, through process analysis looks for explanations/indicators which when synthesised can explain most of the variation in the data
researcher reveals and communicates the conceptual issues which are of importance to the area of study, and which are buried in the mass of data
(Connell & Lowe, 1996, Grounded Theory…)
Content Analysis
A way of systematically converting text to numerical variables for quantitative data analysis. Process best based on analysis & theoretical understanding of the substance of text. Two stages: Sampling & construction of a coding frame
Examine text for specific words or phrases
eg interview transcripts, minutes of meetings
Examine text for themes/issues,
Examine documents, eg newspapers, company
reports - for specific items, eg articles dealing
with redundancies, work place discrimination
Measure the time allocated to specific issues,
eg time allocated in meetings, news broadcasts
Word/phrase
Theme
Item
Time
Coding unit
Example
Adapted from Hussey & Hussey, 1997
Some sources for Qualitative research
Hussey, J. & Hussey, R. (1997 and other editions) Business research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students, Basingstoke
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (1997 and other editions), Research methods for business students, London, Pitman
Dey, I. (1993) qualitative data analysis: A user friendly guide for social scientists, London, Routledge
Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook, 2nd ed., Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage
Silverman, D. (1993 and other editions) Interpreting qualitative date: methods for analysing talk, text and interaction, London, Sage
