Qualitative Research Approaches for Public Administration

This book highlights the various approaches, tools and techniques that are used in a qualitative way in order to support the work of public administrators. The book is divided into ten chapters which are thematically arranged in order to encapsulate the principal aspects of this type of research paradigm. This book is meant to support those who take an interest in research for purposes of supporting the work of government and non-governmental agencies. It is also relevant to public administrators in as far as it gives them an insight into how and why the data which they use in their work is collected. The book highlights methodological challenges and opportunities that might be of interest to a researcher. It then raises heuristic dimensions by challenging the notion that qualitative research is inherently inferior to quantitative research. The first chapter introduces the reader to the tenets of a qualitative research exercise as well as its relevance to the practice and implementation of public administration. The second chapter explains the process of transitioning from quantitative to qualitative research methodologies. It specifically highlights the practical dimensions of each method and how they differ; even if they are both associated with the generation of scientific knowledge. The third chapter critically examines the applicability of the fact-value dichotomy which qualitative researchers routinely face. From the fourth chapter, we begin to examine the specific tools and techniques that are used in qualitative research for purposes of public administration. It begins with an overview of interviewing as a research tool, method and skill. The fifth chapter examines the use of narrative inquiry. In the sixth chapter, we examine ethnography and its categorizations. The seventh chapter introduces the case study as a research method. These are some of the major approaches and techniques that are used for qualitative research. They are critical for any public administrator and researcher because their proper execution will enable the researchers to come up with accurate, relevant and appropriate information. The next two chapters are concerned with the modalities of actually carrying out the qualitative research. In the eight chapter we consider how research projects are designed and executed in order to achieve maximum gain for the public administrators that eventually make us of the resultant information. The ninth chapter introduces the reader to the various types of qualitative data that can be gleaned from the research process as well as the most appropriate analytical techniques that ought to be used. The book closes with a summary of the key skills and competences that are expected for undertaking qualitative research. This is a critical point for the public administrator who is sometimes called upon to discover new information and knowledge as part of their personal and organizational development process.