Choice of Research Method - Essay Example

?Running head: CHOICE OF RESEARCH METHOD Choice of Research Method 1st Part Before conducting any research, a researcher is supposed to consider a number of issues that dictate the path to follow. It is important to select the most appropriate methodology that aims at answering the posed questions or testing set hypothesis. Quantitative and qualitative methods are the two research methods that are applied. At times a researcher can decide to use the two which is determined by the questions the research is trying to answer or the hypothesis under test. In general terms, when a researcher wishes to test or explain the best method is quantitative. Qualitative on the other hand is better when the researcher wants to describe, understand or explore phenomena. Therefore, there is a great deal more to research than just the answering of questions or testing hypothesis. This paper will largely discuss the choice of research methods and the methods themselves in light of their compatibility with social reality. There are two methods used by researchers to gather the required information or test hypothesis: quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative is more positivistic and deductive with qualitative being phenomenological and inductive. Qualitative is more of a holistic approach while the other is particularistic (Bryman & Bell, 2011). Qualitative is discovery and process oriented and explanatory while quantitative is verification and outcome oriented and confirmatory. Quantitative Method This is a method which offers a chance for statistical analysis as data is provided as measurements or counts. This method is credited for being quite objective as the research follows laid down procedures as well as analysis. There are also procedures that dictate how a researcher is to report their findings. This method is mostly used where comparison of variables is of essence. Statistics form the basis of analysis where meaning is attached to results that are in form of numbers (Blankie, 1993). The results, findings or conclusions are standardised data and numerical in form. A researcher employing quantitative methods starts by observing or asking questions through interviews or questionnaires. The questions asked should not demand for open answers but rather fixed ones. The second step is tabulation of results of the observation and questionnaires. Then data collected is analysed and lastly conclusions are made on whether the hypothesis is true or not and whether the fundamental question of the research has been answered. Qualitative Methods This method applies where quantitative method may not obtain the required insights. It is also more than just non-numerical research. The data collected is nonbiased and mostly on natural occurrences and their interaction with the project’s subject (May, 2002). Due to the aim of describing quality, words are used in place of numbers. Here structured interviews as well as unstructured ones are utilised. It is however important to note that the results of qualitative research are usually generalisations of observations made unlike the specific ones of the quantitative research. The researcher starts by observing and asking open ended questions. Recording is then made and there after results interpreted. More time is spent on further observations and questioning where observation and recording take place again. Theorisation is then done after which final conclusions are drawn. Epistemological stance denotes one’s assumptions regarding the world around them. This assumptions guide researches and influence how researchers work with the collected data (Blankie, 1993). In this respect there are two separate extremes one whereby the researcher takes a disjointed relationship with data found and the other is where the researcher and their data are one and the same thing. The former extreme is more objective and the researcher aims at uncovering the truth. The latter extreme is at times regarded as relativistic as researchers believe that meaning is observer dependent as well as context dependent risking production of less objective findings. With this realisation it is clear that one’s epistemological stance can determine the research method to use in a project. Researchers willing to experiment in order to test their hypothesis lean on using logical positivism which in turn is the quantitative research method. Positivists aim at identifying the underlying connection between variables which result in numbers as answers (Gilbert, 1995). As mentioned earlier, numerals fall in the quantitative category due to the statistical requirement of the quantitative methods. Interpretive Social Science perspective in research is more of qualitative than quantitative. This perspective holds that people’s knowledge of the reality is derived from people’s interaction with the society. The main differences between positivism and ISS is that the former is epistemological in stance while ISS is ontological in stance i.e. derives nature of reality. It is the aim of positivism to derive scientific facts while ISS uses intertwined facts (Popper, 2004). ISS holds that people construct their own reality while positivism holds that reality is a distinct phenomenon from people’s construction. Other perspectives, for example, postmodernism influence the choice of research methods. Postmodernism denotes modernism viewed in the extreme where technology has changed how things are done and globalisation eased transport and communication across the globe (Fonnow and Cook, 1991). Depending on the level of modernity a choice of research method can be derived where the current technology is able to support it. It is now possible to conduct quantitative research across continents from a single location due to presence of internet which was hardly possible before 1980s. Postmodernism asserts that scepticism forms the basis towards realisation of truth with the help of reason. It also asserts that prior knowledge can be challenged as well as traditional beliefs on benchmarks set on modern viewpoint on similar issues. Conclusion In doing research, researchers have various methods to choose from. However, their choices are largely dictated by the nature of the project at hand. They also need to consider the information they wish to deal with or that which is needed, the context and resources at hand for example time limitations, human capital and finances. 2nd Part Impact of Rural Tourism in Rural Greece Introduction and Purpose of Study The world has for the last three decades transformed a great deal socioeconomically. Some of these changes have led to neglect of the rural areas. These societal and economic changes have led to loss of revenue from farming which in turn has resulted to rural urban migration thereby destabilising the rural demographics. The need to change this trend is greater than ever considering the productive forces that have left the rural areas and resulted to declining socioeconomic development. Rural areas need a force that will assist in regaining lost glory through intense revitalisation. Focusing on tourism in the rural areas can be a viable alternative to income generation where locations and activities are developed that capture the rural settings’ uniqueness (Roberts & Hall, 2001). This project has been inspired by the tremendous growth in recent years of Greek tourism. The project will investigate: Contribution of rural tourism to the economy Evaluate the demand for rural tourism in Greece Evaluate whether supply meets demand Literature Review Rural tourism is an extended concept from the normal tourism as it includes more than just accommodation by incorporating festivities and events that are mainly outdoor activities and are in the rural areas. Rural tourism became popular in the 18th century where people moved from urban areas to enjoy quieter times in rural settings according to Organisation for Economic Co-ope (2002). For any tourism to thrive there has to be both time and disposable income. It is important to appreciate that rural tourism counts for just a small share of world’s tourism. It is however benefiting rural areas a great deal economically, socially and environmentally. In the process it is also bringing with it some hidden costs that should not be ignored. According to Efthimia (2001), the following is a list of impacts of rural tourism: Benefits Increased flow of foreign currency Job opportunities Supports businesses Enhances local traditions and culture Encourages conservation and maintenance of historical sites Facilitates a clean countryside Enhances cultural exchange Facilitates development of support infrastructure Costs Risk of outside control based on macro-environment nature of tourism Increased cost of living and property prices Increased overcrowding and crime rate Likelihood of conflicts among various stakeholders Possibility of noise pollution Methodology The main purpose of the research is to gain insight on rural tourism in Greece so as to offer recommendations on possible areas of improvement. Both primary and secondary data collection methods will be utilised in order to obtain the set objectives. Questionnaires and interviews will form the two methods of primary data collection. The immediate stakeholders like the hotels service providers and local authorities will be interviewed while tourists will be served with questionnaires. Questionnaires are more practical and suit the large population size to be selected. Questionnaires are quicker in offering results and can offer better scientific analysis (Bryman, Bell & Teevan, 2009). However, questionnaires do not show some aspects of the respondents e.g. emotions or attitudes. It is also not possible to prove the truthfulness of information given. Interviews usually consume a great deal of time. Random sampling will be most appropriate so as to get a representative sample of the general population. These qualitative methods are chosen to conduct this research because as much as the entire population forms the study group, only a sample can be taken as a representative and statistical analysis will be required to assess impact of rural tourism in rural Greece. References Blankie, N. (1993). Approaches to social inquiry. Cambridge: polity press. Bryman, A., Bell, E. A. & Teevan, J. J. (2009). Social research methods. 2nd Edn. Oxford University Press. Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2011). Business research methods 3e. 3rd Edn. Oxford University Press. Efthimia, T. (2001). Introducing rural tourism to Grevena, Greece. Can it be the solution?: An investigation of the opportunity of the development of a sustainable-rural tourism plan and the way by which sustainable-rural tourism can bring the necessary results-effects for the Prefecture of Grevena. Nationale hogeschool voor toerisme en verkeer. Fonnow, M. M. and Cook, J. A. (eds.) (1991). Beyond methodology: Feminist scholarship as liver research. Bloomington: Indiana university press. Gilbert, N. (ed.) (1995). Researching social life. London: Sage. May, T. (2002). Social research: Issues, methods and process. 3rd Edn. Buckingham: Open university press. Popper, K. (reprinted 2004). The logic of scientific discovery. Routledge. Organisation for Economic Co-ope. (Paris) (2002). Tzoumerka, Greece. OECD Publishing. Roberts, L. & Hall, D. (2001). Rural tourism and recreation: Principles to practice. CABI. Read More