Qualitative Research: Methods and Applications

This assignment delves into the realm of qualitative research, encompassing its fundamental principles, methodologies, and analytical approaches. It examines diverse research designs, including grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, and case studies. The assignment also explores data collection methods such as interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Furthermore, it discusses various qualitative data analysis techniques, emphasizing coding, thematic analysis, and discourse analysis. Lastly, the assignment highlights practical applications of qualitative research across diverse fields, including social sciences, healthcare, education, and business.

Running Head: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Business Research Methodology

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Research title..........................................................................................................................2
Research background..............................................................................................................2
Research aim and objectives..................................................................................................3
Research questions.................................................................................................................4
Justification of research..........................................................................................................4
Research methodology...............................................................................................................4
Research Onion Framework...................................................................................................4
Research philosophy...............................................................................................................5
Research approach..................................................................................................................6
Research strategy....................................................................................................................6
Data collection method...........................................................................................................7
Sampling techniques...............................................................................................................8
Data analysis method..............................................................................................................8
Research limitation.................................................................................................................9
Ethical issues..........................................................................................................................9
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
This report presents the understanding towards many factors that will support to make the
smart cities appropriately. It also discusses aim and objectives of the research. In last, it
demonstrates the many techniques such as research philosophies, research approach, research
strategy, research design, data collection method, data analysis method, research limitation,
ethical consideration, and sampling method. These techniques are an important part of
research methodology as could also be supportive to offer an opportunity for the research
scholar to collect the accurate information in the context of the current research dilemma and
obtain the favorable result.
Research title
The research title is to analyze the role of security, regulations, rapid change in technology,
managing change, and the interplay between the public and private sectors: in context of
Smart cities, Dubai.
Research background
Organization also faces many issues due to lack of understanding about advanced technology.
In Dubai, companies are unable to attract a large number of customers and decline the
switching cost due to rapid change in technology. Moreover, rules and regulation of country
could influence the economic condition of the nation. Dubai has used many policies
regarding latest technology, managing the uncertainty, and the relationship between public
and private sector (Albino, et al., 2015). It could be effective for the development of the
country. Hence, an organization has needed to gain their knowledge about the rules and
regulation of smart countries for improving their financial situation in limited time. As a
result, it helps the organizations of Dubai to improve their business process. The appropriate
regulations and latest technology could support to make a smart country. In Dubai, a large
number of organizations are unable to effectively run their business and obtain feasible

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outcome due to inappropriate rules and regulation, security, and technology of their country.
Hence, organization is required to develop their awareness about strategies of smart counties
as it could be imperative to obtain a huge amount of benefits. Furthermore, the country will
be able to improve the standard of living as it could direct impact on the country situation. In
addition, it is also addressed that many companies have enhanced their awareness towards
rules and regulation of smart counties as it will help the organization to get a competitive
benefit (Piro, et al., 2014). It will also assist the company to increase their knowledge
towards latest techniques for providing their best efforts to make the Dubai into the smart
country. Smart County provide appropriate regulation, security, and latest technology to their
organization as it could help to frequently improve their economic condition (Baek, et al.,
2015). Hence, the company will practice the marketing strategy to manage their uncertainty
and operate their firm, which will help to obtain the competitive benefit. Consequently, a
company would be able to enhance their firm performance. Moreover, it is also analyzed that
organization could also be capable to create their internal capabilities and improving their
competitive benefits. In addition, it is also found that there is lack of study on the role of
security, regulation, technology, public and private sector relationship in making a smart
country. Hence, research scholar has decided to complete their research on this particular
topic. Moreover, the significance and availability of information about research matter could
also motivate the research scholar to conduct their research on the current research issue.
As a result, the researcher will be capable to get accurate information in the context of
research issues in limited resources and time. Moreover, this research will be effective for the
investigator and reader due to improving their existing understanding about different factors
that support to make the smart cities.

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Research aim and objectives
The main aim of this research is to address the role of security, regulations, rapid change in
technology, managing change, and the interplay between the public and private sectors in
Smart cities. The following research objectives will be used to accomplish the research aim.
 To explore the meaning and concept of security, regulation, technology, and
relationship between public and private sector: in context of the Smart cities
 To analyze the challenges that influence security, regulation, technology, and
relationship between public and private sector: in context of the Smart cities
 To recommend the strategies for improving the practices security, regulation,
technology, and relationship between public and private sector: in context of Smart
cities
Research questions
 What is the meaning and concept of security, regulation, technology: in context of
Smart cities?
 What are the challenges that influence security, regulation, technology, and
relationship between public and private sector?
 Which strategies are effective for improving the practices security, regulation,
technology, and relationship between public and private sector?
Justification of research
In Dubai, an organization faces difficulty in their business process due to lack of security,
regulation, and technology as it could direct impact on the growth of the firm. Moreover, it is
also examined that lack of understanding about the latest technology, the relationship
between public and private sector. Consequently, it will reduce the probability of business
success. Thus, it can also be evaluated that this proposal demonstrates the role of technology,
regulation, and security on the smart cities.

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Research methodology
The research methodology is crucial for analyzing suitable method as it will be effective to
attain research goal. In this, many methods will be entailed like research philosophy, research
strategy, research approach, data collection method, sampling method, data analysis, and
ethical consideration (Hashem, et al., 2016).
Research Onion Framework
The research onion framework includes certain, strategies, approaches, and methods as it
could be used by the investigator to collect the accurate information for accomplishing the
research aim and objectives. Furthermore, it is also found that the onion framework is
practiced for generating the depth understanding regarding research modes (Al Nuaimi, et al.,
2015). The onion framework is supportive to develop accurate knowledge about research
methods as it could be effective to improve the quality of upcoming research result.
Figure 1: Research Onion Framework
In this research study, research onion framework will also be practiced by the investigator for
collecting feasible tools and modes, which could be imperative to attain the research aim and
objectives. Moreover, this framework will also support researcher to deeply analysis research
tools and techniques (Taylor, et al., 2015).

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Research philosophy
The research philosophy is a vital part of research methodology. This method considers
certain techniques like positivism, interpretivism, and realism. The positivist philosophy is
supportive to gain factual understanding about particular research issue (Mackey and Gass,
2015). This method allows research scholar to develop the hypothesis regarding research
matter. In this, the structured methodology is used for accomplishing research goal. In
contrast, the interpretivism philosophy enables the research scholar to use the qualitative
method and obtain theoretical data about research matter. As a result, a researcher could also
be capable to accomplish the favorable result. Besides this, the realism philosophy is based
on the real factor. Further, it is a combination of both positivism and interpretivism
philosophy (Lewis, 2015). It is used to determine the causal relationship between more than
two variables. For this research, a researcher will use the interpretivism philosophy than the
other method because it will allow the researcher to collect conceptual knowledge towards
the research matter and meet the research objectives and aim.
Research approach
The research approach is a technique or way wherein the whole research study is structured
to effectively conduct the research. There are different kinds of factors that are considered in
the research like inductive and deductive research approach (Silverman, 2016). The
deductive approach facilitates the researcher to develop the hypothesis on behalf of research
matter and meet the goal of research. It also enables the researcher to develop the conceptual
model towards research issue (Neuman and Robson, 2014). The developed hypothesis is
accepted and rejected on behalf of collected data. Besides this, the inductive approach
facilities research scholar to obtain non-numeric data about research issue. This method also
enables the researcher to get the reliable data by using the observation method
(Panneerselvam, 2014).

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For this research study, a research scholar will use the inductive approach rather than
deductive approach. Because, this approach allows the research scholar to concentrate on
aspects of smart cities and collect appropriate data. In this research study, there is no need to
develop any research hypothesis hence the deductive approach will not be considered by the
researcher. The inductive approach will enable the researcher to get a valid and reliable
outcome.
Research strategy
The research strategy is effective for research as it could support to obtain a reliable and valid
outcome. The research strategy considers many factors like interviews, experiments, surveys,
and case studies (Mayer, 2015). This technique is crucial for conducting the research in a
systematic way. The research strategy mandates the investigators to conduct their research in
a standardized manner as it could be appropriate to get a feasible result. The qualitative and
quantitative research strategy is considered in the research (Shaibani, et al., 2017). The
qualitative research strategy supports research scholar to obtain conceptual knowledge about
the research topic. Besides this, the quantitative research method helps the investigator to
obtain numeric information in the context of current research matter (Khalil, et al., 2016). For
this paper, the researcher will use mixed data collection method to perform the research and
get a feasible outcome. In addition, it is also analyzed that researcher will use qualitative
research by considering questionnaire method and attain the research objectives. In contrast,
the researcher will practice the quantitative method to collect factual information about
current research issue as it would be effective to get the feasible outcome (Has, et al., 2016).
In this, the observation method will also be used by the researcher to directly collect
appropriate information and improve the reliability of research outcome. The evaluation of
literature review supports the researcher to critically analysis last study on the particular
research matter (Burns, et al., 2014).

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Data collection method
The data collection method will also be imperative for research because it allows the
researcher to determine appropriate technique in the context of research matter. The data
collection enables the investigator to collect the meaningful data about research. The data
collection method is classified into two parts like primary and secondary data collection
method (Hickey, et al., 2015). The primary data facilitate the investigator to collect the first
hand-data about the research matter. Besides this, the secondary data collection method is
collected by using many available sources such as journal articles, academic data, company
websites, online and offline sources, magazines, and books. Besides this, the primary data
collection method considers different sources like interview, observation, and survey through
a questionnaire (Tompkins and Swift, 2015). Consequently, it will help the researcher to
obtain a feasible outcome. In this research, the researcher will use both data collection
method to obtain the accurate information about the research matter. Through primary data
collection method, the investigator will be capable to obtain a feasible outcome in the context
of the current research subject. Besides this, the secondary data collection method will help
the researcher to obtain the theoretical information towards the research matter.
Sampling techniques
The sampling method is useful for selecting accurate sample size to conduct the research. The
sampling method is mainly categorized into two parts like probability sampling and non-
probability sampling method. The probability sampling method is a technique that provides
an opportunity to the investigator of research for selecting research participants without any
biases (Corbin, et al., 2014). The probability sampling method considers the random
sampling method to choose research participants without any biases. It also allows the
researcher to get a favorable result. Besides this, the non-probability sampling method
permits research scholar to select participants on the basis of age, gender, education, and

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experience. As a result, the researcher will be capable to get the reliable and valid outcome in
the context of current research matter. Moreover, it is also analyzed that non-probability
sampling method can create biases in research. For this report, the researcher will practice the
probability sampling method as compared to the non-probability sampling method because
this research study is subjective in nature. Moreover, it is also analyzed that probability
sampling method will improve the quality of research outcome by eliminating the biases from
the research study.
Data analysis method
The data analysis method is also significant for evaluating the collected information in a
systematic manner. In the data analysis method, the researcher will use certain tools for
evaluating the pooled information as it could also be effective for changing the collected data
into the meaningful information (Marshall, et al., 2014). Furthermore, it will aid the
researcher to obtain the valid conclusion in the context of the current research matter. The
data analysis method considers many methods like inferential data analysis, graphical tools,
and descriptive analysis tools. There are different types of software that will also be used by
the researcher like SPSS and Excel. For this research study, the researcher will use charts,
column, graph, and bar diagram to examine the collected data through MS EXCEL.
Consequently, it will support research scholar to gain their understanding towards the data
outline.
Research limitation
In the research study, the limited time could mandate the researcher to complete their
research study in a specified time as it could influence research outcome (Hickey, et al.,
2015). In addition, it is also found that the lack of resources and cost could decline the
quality of research. Hence, it can be said that researcher will face many issues during the
research.

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Ethical issues
In the research, ethics plays an effective role to accomplish the research aims and objectives.
The research scholar will practice the rules and regulations of college because of obtaining
valid information towards research matter (Tompkins, et al., 2015). In addition, research
scholar will consider many factors like plagiarism, data manipulation, and references to
complete their research study systematically. The researcher will use ethical consideration act
2001 to conduct appropriate behavior with research participants and develop a long-term
relationship with them. Through this act, the researcher will be mandated to secure
confidential information of the research participant (Corbin, et al., 2014). Consequently, the
investigator will be capable to complete their specified goals in limited time and cost. In this,
the ethical consideration could be imperative to make the effective relationship between the
investigator and research scholar.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the research methodology is crucial for
selecting a suitable technique to complete the current research issue. In addition, it can also
be summarized that research methodology entailed many techniques to collect accurate data
about the research matter like research philosophy, research strategy, research approach,
research design, data collection method, data analysis method, sampling, and ethical
consideration. Consequently, the researcher will be capable to solve the research issue and
obtain a favorable outcome. Moreover, it can also be examined that the investigator will also
use the research limitation to conduct the research and obtain a reliable and valid outcome.

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References
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