Why Choose Quantitative Research Over Qualitative Research?

Choosing the right research method for the company is not always easy, especially when choosing between qualitative research and quantitative research. While both are integral to identifying customer pain points for improving products or services, selecting one is not easy.

While qualitative research is exploratory and deals with the thoughts and opinions of respondents, quantitative research is scientifically backed for quantifying problems. It creates numerical data you can convert into usable statistics.

Researchers debating over qualitative research vs. quantitative research often forget the purpose of each, leading them to larger issues. Before opting for  quantitative or qualitative  research, let’s take a deeper look at each, their definitions, and their significance in the marketplace.

What is Quantitative Research?

Quantitative research aims to get a general understanding of behavior and other aspects across multiple settings and populations. It is regarded as fast, concentrated, scientifically backed, and relatable.

Its speed and efficiency make it an attractive alternative to many. Tools such as data computing equipment make it possible to process and analyze data at a rapid pace with big sample sizes. Instruments such as surveys, statistical analysis, and polls are examples of collecting data.

What is Qualitative Research?

Qualitative research is geared toward identifying the why behind respondents’ decisions when interacting with the product. You can use qualitative research, such as interviews and behavioral observations, to find factors such as motivations, reasons, and opinions that drive customer actions. Qualitative data offer richer and more actionable insights into consumer behavior by letting you dive deep into consumer pain points.

Qualitative research lets you know your consumer behavior via experiences, emotions, perceptions, and behaviors.

Types of Quantitative Research Methodologies

• Experimental Research

Experimental research is often based on one or more theories. Known as true experimentation, experimental research utilizes scientific methods to establish the cause-effect relationship between a group of variables that make a group of study.

• Correlational Research Design

Correlational research design is a non-experimental research methodology used for identifying relationships between two variables with no influence from any extraneous variable. Among multiple quantitative research, it helps you recognize patterns and trends to gather feedback. For example, a jacket brand can use it to identify the relationship between weather (temperature) and jacket sales.

The correlation between these two variables will highlight the direction and strength of their relationship.

• Survey Research

It is one of the primary tools for various quantitative research techniques. Its purpose is to explain the characteristics of a specific group or a group of populations. Both small and large-scale enterprises employ the analysis for a proper understanding of their customers and to get their views on merchandise and products.

Types of Qualitative Research

• Ethnography

As a popular form of qualitative research, ethnography requires you to embed yourself into the daily activities of a subject or subjects. Being an active participant or an observer, you experience respondents’ customs, traditions, and mannerisms.

For instance, the on-field method assists organizations in assessing how their customers use certain products or services while simultaneously building new or revamping existing ones.

• Usability testing

Usability testing helps to understand how audiences might use your website, app, or prototype. Often, one-on-one sessions with respondents allow you to view patterns with just a handful of participants.

• Narrative

In this method, the researcher collects data or facts from one or multiple subjects via interviews, documents, etc., over a period. Depending on the theme, they are combined to derive answers and suggestions.

For example, a business can use narrative methods to identify challenges faced by its target audience, which can be utilized to enhance and innovate products.

Why choose Quantitative Research over Qualitative Research?

• Scientific-based: Quantitative Research often involves a large set of data being statistically collected and then analyzed. This assists enterprises in preventing any bias. Moreover, if a few more researchers analyze the same data, they will get exact results.
• Control-sensitive: Quantitative Research provides researchers with more control over data. The researcher often has more control over how the data is collected and is often more distant than the experiment.
• Eliminate bias: Quantitative research aims to eliminate any bias from the study. You can clearly define research questions to get objective answers.
• Focused:The structure of the study is identified to test a theory and ultimately support or reject it.
• Can be utilized for multiple studies: The research study is often replicated or repeated due to its high reliability.
• Based on larger samples: Results obtained from the quantitative study are based on a much larger sample representing the population. This large sample size is used to gain statistically valid results in customer insight.
• Can be generalized: Results obtained from the study are generalized for future predictions or simply to investigate casual relationships.
• Suitable for later stages of research: Due to its reliability, quantitative research is often used in later stages of research.

Conclusion

Quantitative research vs. qualitative research will continue to be a buzzing topic. While both have pros and cons, this blog post shows why quantitative research is better. This provides a holistic view of the marketplace and a solid ground to improve or enhance your product or services.