IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socres/v6y2001i2p14-22.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Smoke and Mirrors: Modernist Illusions in the Quantitative versus Qualitative Research Debate

Author

Listed:
  • John R Schmuttermaier
  • David Schmitt

Abstract

The debate about the selection and proper use of theory, and their impact on validity, is actually an example of sleight of hand. It is a paradigm conflict posing as a debate about substantive issues. Within the diversionary debate, qualitative (inductive) research has been critiqued and declared a-theoretical. This paper engages with this claim and the assertions about the superiority of quantitative (deductive) research and concludes that both positions are redundant. At the outset, all research is deductive and once the data commences to be interpreted and conclusions manufactured, it proceeds as a process driven by a deductive- inductive dialectic. This dialectical manufacturing process is universal and inescapable. At best, a systematic approach to data collection and interpretation only allows for the subsequent partial deconstruction of the research construct. That construct may be valid within the confines of its own manufacturing process, but this does not open the way for claims of the imprimatur of any broader validity.

Suggested Citation

  • John R Schmuttermaier & David Schmitt, 2001. "Smoke and Mirrors: Modernist Illusions in the Quantitative versus Qualitative Research Debate," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 6(2), pages 14-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:6:y:2001:i:2:p:14-22
    DOI: 10.5153/sro.591
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5153/sro.591
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5153/sro.591?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barry Turner, 1981. "Some practical aspects of qualitative data analysis: One way of organising the cognitive processes associated with the generation of grounded theory," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 225-247, June.
    2. Robert A. Burgelman, 1985. "Managing the new venture division: Research findings and implications for strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(1), pages 39-54, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniel Reimsbach & Bastian Hauschild, 2012. "Corporate venturing: an extended typology," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 71-80, September.
    2. Howells, John, 1995. "A socio-cognitive approach to innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 883-894, November.
    3. A. Griffith & J. D. Headley, 1998. "Management of small building works," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 703-709.
    4. Thomas Abrell & Toni-Matti Karjalainen, 2017. "The Early Stage of Internal Corporate Venturing: Entrepreneurial Activities in a Large Manufacturing Company," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 25(01), pages 1-30, March.
    5. Muhammad Usman & Ahmed Abdul Hameed & Shahid Manzoor, 2018. "Exploring the links between Ethical Leadership and Organizational Unlearning: A Case Study of a European Multinational Company," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 10(2), pages 28-54, June.
    6. Lloyd C. Harris & Emmanuel Ogbonna, 2003. "The Organization of Marketing: A Study of Decentralized, Devolved and Dispersed Marketing Activity," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 483-512, March.
    7. Husted, Kenneth & Vintergaard, Christian, 2004. "Stimulating innovation through corporate venture bases," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 296-306, August.
    8. Arja Liukkonen, 1995. "Life in a Nursing Home for the Frail Elderly," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 4(4), pages 358-370, November.
    9. Burgers, J. Henri & Jansen, Justin J.P. & Van den Bosch, Frans A.J. & Volberda, Henk W., 2009. "Structural differentiation and corporate venturing: The moderating role of formal and informal integration mechanisms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 206-220, May.
    10. Bertels, K. & Jacques, J. M. & Neuberg, L. & Gatot, L., 1999. "Qualitative company performance evaluation: Linear discriminant analysis and neural network models," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 115(3), pages 608-615, June.
    11. Mair, Johanna & Rata, Cristina, 2004. "Corporate entrepreneurship: Linking strategic roles to multiple dimensions of performance," IESE Research Papers D/551, IESE Business School.
    12. Dameri, Renata Paola & Benevolo, Clara & Veglianti, Eleonora & Li, Yaya, 2019. "Understanding smart cities as a glocal strategy: A comparison between Italy and China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 26-41.
    13. Audretsch, David B. & Lehmann, Erik E. & Menter, Matthias & Wirsching, Katharine, 2021. "Intrapreneurship and absorptive capacities: The dynamic effect of labor mobility," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    14. Sorrentino, Mario & Williams, Mary L., 1995. "Relatedness and corporate venturing: Does it really matter?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 59-73, January.
    15. Parkinson, Joy & Gallegos, Danielle & Russell-Bennett, Rebekah, 2016. "Transforming beyond self: Fluidity of parent identity in family decision-making," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 110-119.
    16. Sylvain Durocher, 2009. "The future of interpretive accounting research," Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(3), pages 137-159, July.
    17. Lee, Simon U. & Park, Gunno & Kang, Jina, 2018. "The double-edged effects of the corporate venture capital unit's structural autonomy on corporate investors' explorative and exploitative innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 141-149.
    18. Klofsten, Magnus & Urbano, David & Heaton, Sohvi, 2021. "Managing intrapreneurial capabilities: An overview," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    19. Lutz Göcke & Kristina Hülsebusch & Matthias Menter, 2022. "The legitimacy of corporate entrepreneurship: a structured literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 72(2), pages 385-416, June.
    20. George S. Vozikis & Garry D. Bruton & Dev Prasad & A. A. Merikas, 1999. "Linking Corporate Entrepreneurship to Financial Theory through Additional Value Creation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 24(2), pages 33-43, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:6:y:2001:i:2:p:14-22. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.