Key differences between each type of qualitative and quantitative research

by | Feb 24, 2025 | Essays

 

 

Describe the key differences between each type of qualitative and quantitative research. Provide a workplace example in which qualitative and quantitative research has been applied and how it has been used within your organization.

 

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Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are valuable tools for gaining insights and understanding different aspects of a phenomenon. However, they differ significantly in their approach, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

Qualitative Research:

  • Focus: Exploring and understanding complex social phenomena, meanings, and experiences. It seeks to answer “why” and “how” questions.
  • Data: Primarily non-numerical, including text from interviews, observations, focus groups, and documents.
  • Sample Size: Typically smaller, as the focus is on in-depth understanding rather than generalizability.
  • Analysis: Involves identifying patterns, themes, and interpretations within the data. Techniques include thematic analysis, content analysis, and discourse analysis.
  • Goal: To generate rich, descriptive insights and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Quantitative Research:

  • Focus: Measuring and quantifying phenomena, identifying relationships between variables, and testing hypotheses. It seeks to answer “what” and “how much” questions.
  • Data: Primarily numerical, including data from surveys, experiments, and statistical records.
  • Sample Size: Typically larger, aiming for generalizability to a larger population.
  • Analysis: Involves statistical analysis to identify trends, correlations, and causal relationships. Techniques include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and regression analysis.

Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are valuable tools for gaining insights and understanding different aspects of a phenomenon. However, they differ significantly in their approach, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

Qualitative Research:

  • Focus: Exploring and understanding complex social phenomena, meanings, and experiences. It seeks to answer “why” and “how” questions.
  • Data: Primarily non-numerical, including text from interviews, observations, focus groups, and documents.
  • Sample Size: Typically smaller, as the focus is on in-depth understanding rather than generalizability.
  • Analysis: Involves identifying patterns, themes, and interpretations within the data. Techniques include thematic analysis, content analysis, and discourse analysis.
  • Goal: To generate rich, descriptive insights and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Quantitative Research:

  • Focus: Measuring and quantifying phenomena, identifying relationships between variables, and testing hypotheses. It seeks to answer “what” and “how much” questions.
  • Data: Primarily numerical, including data from surveys, experiments, and statistical records.
  • Sample Size: Typically larger, aiming for generalizability to a larger population.
  • Analysis: Involves statistical analysis to identify trends, correlations, and causal relationships. Techniques include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and regression analysis.
  • Goal: To measure and quantify phenomena, test hypotheses, and generalize findings to a larger population.

Workplace Example:

Let’s say an organization wants to improve employee satisfaction. They can use both qualitative and quantitative research methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

  • Quantitative Research: The organization could conduct a survey to measure employee satisfaction levels across different departments and identify areas where satisfaction is low. They could use numerical scales to rate satisfaction with various aspects of the workplace, such as work-life balance, compensation, and management support. This data can be analyzed statistically to identify trends and correlations. For example, they might find a correlation between work-life balance and overall job satisfaction.

  • Qualitative Research: The organization could conduct focus groups or interviews with employees to explore their experiences and perspectives in more depth. They could ask open-ended questions about what they like and dislike about their jobs, what motivates them, and what challenges they face. This data can be analyzed to identify common themes and patterns. For example, they might find that employees are frustrated with a lack of communication from management or that they feel their contributions are not valued.

How it’s Used:

In this example, the quantitative data provides a broad overview of employee satisfaction levels, while the qualitative data provides a deeper understanding of the reasons behind those levels. By combining both types of research, the organization can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issue and develop more effective strategies to improve employee satisfaction.

For instance, if the quantitative data shows low satisfaction with work-life balance and the qualitative data reveals that employees are struggling to manage their workload, the organization might implement new policies to promote flexible work arrangements or provide additional resources to support employees.

By using both qualitative and quantitative research, organizations can gain a more complete picture of complex issues and make more informed decisions

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