Bridging the Quantitative-Qualitative Gap
The summer 2010 newsletter from Versta Research focuses on how to bridge the gap between quantitative research and qualitative research, whether it be market research or academic research. Both methods give rich insights, and both offer compelling ways to summarize and communicate data. But rarely does each method draw upon the strengths of the other.
How do you bring the two together? In our view, you bring them together by investing in people who are trained in both methods and who have deep experience in both. The newsletter article outlines:
- Why it is best to be fluent in both
- The strengths and promises of each method
- The qualities and training needed to excel at both
- The false promise of technology
- Practical ideas for incorporating the strengths of each into a research effort
Ultimately, research is all about asking questions, finding information and data, thinking about it, probing deeper, assimilating and synthesizing it, and then turning data into stories so that the research gets heard and understood. Whether you use qualitative or quantitative methods, your data needs to tell a compelling human (business) story, and the best stories draw upon both.
Give us a call, and we would be happy to share with you examples and stories of our work that have successfully bridged the gap. In the meantime, take a look at our June 2010 Newsletter for a deeper understanding of our approach, and what you can expect from our people.
—Joe Hopper, Ph.D.