The Difference between Quantitative and Qualitative Research
I. INTRODUCTION
The interview carried out for this study shows that how rational decision making is a valid model even though it may not be applied to its fullest and most rationalist extent. The steps of a traditional decision making process can be loosely applied due to the bounded rationality, information overload concepts coupled with the experiential aspect of the consumer behaviour. Accordingly, the paper first presents the methodology used in the study and then presents the related theories that exist in the literature. Finally after carrying the interview the findings that are closely linked to those studies are shared. As expected the findings showed that rational decision making and experiential approach to the consumer behaviour are intertwined. They act hand on hand coupled up with the bounded rationality and information overload aspects, as well.
II. METHODOLOGY
If data gathering methodology is considered, there are two main alternatives: Quantitative Research (which is mostly acquainted with surveys) and Qualitative Research which can be seen as a methodology type not including quantitative data (Gill and Johnson, 2010)
(and which covers interviews). These two alternatives widely differ from each other regarding the information collection. With questionnaires even though the main advantage is presented as having more generalizability with some statistical power, it short comes at collecting detailed/deep information. With information a specific issue can be understood thoroughly and lets the researcher to understand wider range of topics not fixing on firmly structured questions as it is the case in quantitative research (Schwab, 2005). Accordingly, in order to be able to understand the decision making process for a holiday, an interview with a grad student is carried. An interview guide was followed to be able to cover the main points of the interview which focused on information sources the interviewee used, decision criteria that he took
The interview carried out for this study shows that how rational decision making is a valid model even though it may not be applied to its fullest and most rationalist extent. The steps of a traditional decision making process can be loosely applied due to the bounded rationality, information overload concepts coupled with the experiential aspect of the consumer behaviour. Accordingly, the paper first presents the methodology used in the study and then presents the related theories that exist in the literature. Finally after carrying the interview the findings that are closely linked to those studies are shared. As expected the findings showed that rational decision making and experiential approach to the consumer behaviour are intertwined. They act hand on hand coupled up with the bounded rationality and information overload aspects, as well.
II. METHODOLOGY
If data gathering methodology is considered, there are two main alternatives: Quantitative Research (which is mostly acquainted with surveys) and Qualitative Research which can be seen as a methodology type not including quantitative data (Gill and Johnson, 2010)
(and which covers interviews). These two alternatives widely differ from each other regarding the information collection. With questionnaires even though the main advantage is presented as having more generalizability with some statistical power, it short comes at collecting detailed/deep information. With information a specific issue can be understood thoroughly and lets the researcher to understand wider range of topics not fixing on firmly structured questions as it is the case in quantitative research (Schwab, 2005). Accordingly, in order to be able to understand the decision making process for a holiday, an interview with a grad student is carried. An interview guide was followed to be able to cover the main points of the interview which focused on information sources the interviewee used, decision criteria that he took
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