López, F. y Salas, H. 2009. Investigación Cualitativa en Administración. Cinta moebio 35: 128-145

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Qualitative Research in Business Studies

Dr. Francisco López-Herrera (francisco_lopez_herrera@yahoo.com.mx) y Dr. Héctor Salas-Harms (hsalas@correo.fca.unam.mx) Facultad de Contaduría y Administración, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (México).

Abstract

This essay presents a general outlook and an analysis of the rationale behind the use of qualitative methods, including their being applied in research in Management. According to the views of methodological monism, the contribution of the conclusions which these methods yield, which are essentially subjective and not susceptible of being generalized, is considered too limited; while for advocates of constructivism and pluralism they are valuable in probing the depth of the phenomena of these disciplines. In fact, a lack of consensus prevails in these areas even in connection with what are qualitative methods and what are qualitative research techniques, associated to an indistinct use of these terms by some authors; which together with the number and diversity of qualitative methods makes it difficult to understand what actually is qualitative research.

Keywords: qualitative research, management, quantitative research, methods, techniques.