The Integration of Fieldwork and Survey Methods
Sieber, Sam (1973)
American Journal of Sociology, 78(6): 1335-1359
A historical antagonism between the proponents of qualitative fieldwork and of survey research has prevented recognition of the benefits to be gained by employing both methods in the same study. Each method can be greatly strenthened by appealing to the unique qualities of the other. Through examination of a number of cases in which the methods have been integrated, it is possible to discern important benefits is design, data collection, and analysis. In order to fully exploit the advantages of integration, however, adjustments in traditional procedures will have to be made, thereby yielding a new style of social research.
Others citing this work make clear and strong arguments for the value of work emerging under the frame of 'mixed methods research.'
As found in Christense, Robinson, and Simons, 2016 'The Application of Mixed Methods: using a Crossover Analysis Strategy for Product Developement in Real Estate,' 'Although the definition of mixed methods research still remains a contested area, most researchers agree that mixed methods research combines qualitative and quantitative data collection and data analysis within a single study (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2003) to better understand research problems by enabling breadth and depth of understanding and corroboration' (Johnson, Onwuegbuzie and Turner, 2007: 56). The mixed methods movement is gaining popularity in many disciplines (Patton, 1990; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003) and, emphasizing the value and advantages of mixed methods research, the integration of quantitative and qualitative research methods has been made in sociology (Sieber, 1973), education evaluation (Cook & Reichardt, 1979; Greene, Caracelli, & Graham, 1989; Rossman & Wilson, 1985), health sciences (O'Cathain, 2009), sustainable tourism (McGehee et al, 2013), and management and organizational research (Aguinis et al., 2010; Currall & Towler, 2003; Edmondson & McManus, 2007; Molina-Azorin, 2012). The rise in uptake may be due in part to the methodological pluralism, which frequently results in a better understanding of research problems than a mono-method design (Molina-Azorin, 2012).
ABSTRACT: Increasingly, researchers are recognizing the benefits of expanding research designs to include both quantitative and qualitative methods to gain deeper insight into the reasons behind various research phenomena. Entrepreneurial development of market oriented products can benefit from the use of both methods to gain an understanding of complex issues influencing the development of new products. This research offers a philosophical argument for utilizing a mixed methods approach in the development of quantitative instruments and demonstrates how the use of a crossover analysis strategy expands the traditionally applied, linear decision process to improve both the fidelity and validity of market-driven products. The research then demonstrates how a mixed methods crossover analysis strategy enables both quantitative and qualitative data to iteratively inform the revisions, adaptation and development of a (quantitative) market-oriented product.