Page 132 - Crossing Cultural Boundaries - Cees den Teuling

varieties, meaning that either the qualitative or the quantitative data are combined on one direction of the continuum or are kept totally separate. Between the extremes, a certain combination of data is another option. For the research at hand, an equal weighted approach is implemented, not emphasizing the quantitative direction more than the qualitative. In the mixed method studies, theorising usually is in the introductory chapters of the study. It defines the orientation of questions to be asked, the selection of participants of the study, the method of data collection and the desired and possible outcome. Combined, they present an overarching perspective, to give direction to all process phases of the MMR. In the process of the organisation of the underlying study, necessary data and information are collected and assembled. The availability of selected data-sets, the direction and the expected outcome are conspired during the active period of delivering consultancy services mainly in Russia.
There are four major types of MMR: the triangulation design, the embedded design, the sequential explanatory design and the transformative explanatory design. The researcher should choose a type of MMR, taking into consideration the issues of timing, weighting, mixing and the implementation of a foundational theory.
Creswell (2003) proposed three types of research designs combining quantitative and qualitative approaches in a “Two-Phase research process” (see Table 4, below)
Table 5: Two-Phase research process
The first type assumes gathering quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously in a single data collection phase. In sequential approaches the data collection consists of two phases: the researcher proceeds with the qualitative phase followed by a quantitative phase, or the other way around. In the underlying research, it is accepted that the quantitative and qualitative research are complementary, rather than fulfilling opposite positions. Mutual purposes are served by the combination of research methods of the “Third Methodological Movement”. A combination of inquiry techniques can improve and widen the scope of researchers, as well as optimize the contribution to the “body of knowledge” for the benefit of the social science community and practitioners
in management and organisational operations.
Timing Weighting Mixing Theorizing
No Sequence concurrent
Equal
Integrating
Explicit
Sequential Qualitative first
Qualitative
Connecting
Implicit
Sequential Quantitative first
Quantitative
Embedding
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