Q 1. Write a brief note on Qualitative research method.
Ans:- Qualitative research methods are one of the foremost research methods which find out what people do, know, think and feel. There are multiple ways of gathering information. Qualitative method is different from quantitative method mainly because their end result is different. The results of qualitative methods help in the continuous improvement activities. Overall appreciation of an occurrence, highlighting interesting aspects, and generating specific theory are the goals of qualitative research. A preliminary explanation of an incident is provided by the researchers of qualitative methods. Some of the examples for qualitative methods are group focus, observation, survey, interviews, naturalistic, analysis of the content, and the case study.
“The ultimate aim of qualitative research is to offer a perspective of a situation and provide well-written research reports that reflect the researcher’s ability to illustrate or describe the corresponding phenomenon. One of the greatest strengths of the qualitative approach is the richness and depth of explorations and descriptions.”
Qualitative research has three characteristics. First, it is the study that consists of texts and conversations. Second, it is the study of the interpretive principles that people use to make sense of their symbolic activities. Third, it is the study of contextual principles, such as the roles of the participants, the physical setting, and a set of situational events that guide the interpretation of discussion.
The main strength of qualitative research lies in its ability to study phenomena that are not available elsewhere. Quality methods are defined based on the organisational needs which in turn depend on the organisational maturity and the need of the changes. Aims of the organisation have to be clearly defined to devise appropriate qualitative methods and improvise them.
There are a variety of methods that are common in qualitative measurement. Some of the more common methods include:
- Participant observation
- Direct observation
- Unstructured interviewing
Some of the more important objectives include:
- To know how people are meeting a given need now and alternative ways they prefer to do to meet that need.
- To build a new understanding of the target market by identifying what is essential or potentially relevant.
- To recognise why some customers love your product and others don’t. These methods seek to understand the various interpretations.
Types of qualitative methods
Qualitative approaches allows for variety in responses, and the ability to adapt to new developments during the research process. There are various types of qualitative research. Some of them include:
- Individual interviews
- Focus groups
- On-site observation
- Ethnographic interviews
- Online qualitative research
Advantages of the qualitative method include:
- Obtaining a practical feel of the world that cannot be seen in the numerical data and statistical analysis.
- Providing a holistic inspection of the phenomena under investigation.
- Documenting descriptively based on primary and unstructured information.
The drawbacks of the qualitative method include:
- Departing from the original objectives of the research as a response to the constantly changing nature of the environment.
- Lacking uniformity and consistency because the researcher can employ different questioning techniques and the respondent can choose to tell some particular stories and neglect others.
Q 2. What is meant by benchmarking? Mention the different types of benchmarking. What are the barriers to successful benchmarking?
Ans:- Benchmarking can be defined as the systematic process of comparing an organisation’s products, services and practices against those of competitor organisations or other industry leaders to determine what it is they do that allows them to achieve high levels of performance.
Types of Benchmarking
