understanding of how and why things are what they are (Frankel & Wallen, 1990). By entering the natural setting where human behavior occurs and being immersed in the events as they unfold, the researcher is able to construct a more realistic and holistic picture.
Qualitative research is based on assumptions, rather than theory or hypotheses that are established at the onset in the quantitative paradigm. It is an investigative process that takes place gradually whereby the researcher, as the primary instrument for data collection (Men-iam, 1988), interviews and interacts with the informant seeking their perspective and meaning to the situation. The data that emerges from the qualitative study is based on what the respondents stated. The data is descriptive rather than in numbers, as would be the case with quantitative data (Frankel & Wallen, 1990). The researcher seeks and pays attention to the particulars of a situation rather than trying to generalize the data.
Next, the researcher “makes sense of a social phenomenon by contrasting, comparing, replicating, cataloguing, and classifying the object of the study” (Miles & Huberman, 1984). Through the inductive process, the “researcher builds abstractions, concepts, hypotheses, and theories from details” (Merriam, 1988). The researcher’s primary interest is to emerge with meaning relating to “how people make sense of their lives, experiences, and their structures of the world” (Merriam, 1988). Outcomes ar英语论文网 【http://www.51lunwen.org】e often negotiated as the researcher attempts to reconstruct the multiple realities of the meanings and interpretations obtained from human sources (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Reality is therefore constructed by those involved in the research situation.
3.3.2 Quantitative Research
Although this study was qualitative in nature, quantitative research methodology was utilized to obtain specific numerical data from those interviewed. Numeric values and comparisons could then be made about some specific managerial behaviors that were discussed informally during the interviews. Since the interviews were unstructured, the questionnaire provided information on all topics and in a consistent format. Quantitative research typically randomly selects a sample from the stated population so that inferences can then be made regarding some characteristic or behavior of this population. Due to the small number of Original IBM Sectors (OISs) managers, random sampling was not appropriate. The researcher sent all participants who were going to be interviewed a questionnaire prior to the interview. An email was sent with the questionnaire describing the intent of the study and providing information about responding to the questionnaire. The completed questionnaires were returned to the researcher by emails.
3.4 Research Strategies
In this research, case study was used. Within the Lenovo Corporation, the target sectors were first picked from the phone directory and accessed them by pho
本文来自：英语论文网 【http://www.51lunwen.org】 |
论文编号：
org200808111641173681 
