2018
Chapter
The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management

Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research

Format:Electronic

Abstract

Selecting the appropriate method for a given research question is an essential skill for organizational researchers. High-quality research involves a good fit between the methods used and the nature of the contribution to the literature. This article describes a contingency framework that relates the state of prior theory and research to the design of a current research project, paying particular attention to when to mix qualitative and quantitative data. Whereas contributions to mature literatures are best made with quantitative methods, and contribute to nascent literature's call for qualitative data, intermediate research is best served by a mix of both approaches.

Keywords

Mathematical Methods; Organizations

Citation

Edmondson, Amy C., and Tiona Zuzul. "Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research." In The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management. Continuously updated edition, edited by Mie Augier and David J. Teece. Palgrave Macmillan, 2017. Electronic. (Pre-published, October 2013.)