Quantitative vs. Qualitative Analysis

For this Quantitative vs. Qualitative Analysis assignment, you will need to perform a quantitative analysis on the below scenario.  Please write your response in a brief APA formatted report.

Quantitative Analysis

You are the manager of desktop support for NASA.  You are responsible for purchasing and managing all of the laptops NASA distributes to employees.  There are 700 laptops currently in service.  All of the laptops randomly leave the building and serve a mobile workforce.  Read the following articles your CIO brought to you for consideration:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/251318/48_nasa_laptops_stolen_in_two_years_a_case_for_better_encryption_practices.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/181124/laptops_that_go_ghost.html

Compute the SLE, ARO, ALE and safeguard value based on the information in these articles for a report your CIO plans to submit as a solution.  For the safeguard value, find and price an appropriate physical and software solution(s) to safeguard theft and data loss.  Once you pick a product, include a link to the page for pricing and item description.  Present the realized savings in your report and the benefits of the solution you choose for safeguarding the laptops.  Don’t forget to include your equations for ARO, ALE, safeguard value and realized savings calculations.

The main differences between quantitative and qualitative research consist in respect to data sample, data collection, data analysis, and last but not least in regard to outcomes.

Data collection in qualitative research is not seldom based on unstructured or semi-structured, but methodologically flexible techniques, e.g. individual depth interviews or group discussions, that are suited to elicit great detail and a comprehensive view. Quantitative research uses highly structured, rigid techniques such as online questionnaires, on-street or telephone interviews. Unlike qualitative research, which allows unlimited expression from respondents, quantitative research relies responses to pre-formulated questions.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Analysis

Outcomes: Qualitative research typically is exploratory and/or investigative in nature. Its findings are often not conclusive and cannot automatically be used to make generalizations. However, it is indispensable in developing a deep understanding of a given thematic complex and sound rationale for further decision making. Quantitative research is essential for providing a broad base of insight on which typically a final course of action is recommended.
Sample selection in qualitative research is usually based on a smaller number of not-necessarily representative cases.

Respondents are frequently selected with the expectation that they fulfill certain criteria. In quantitative research, sample selection seeks out a large number of cases that are expected to best represent the population of interest. Individual respondents are selected at random.

Qualitative data analysis is non-statistical, its methodological approach is primarily guided by the concrete material at hand. In quantitative research, the sole approach to data is statistical and takes places in the form of tabulations. Findings are usually descriptive in nature although conclusive only within the numerical framework.
It is a frequently held prejudice that quantitative research is “objective” vs. qualitative is “subjective.” This is, of course, a gross oversimplification. Rather, one could compare the two approaches as follows: Quantitative research seeks out explanatory laws whereas qualitative research aims more at in-depth description. Qualitative research measures, in hopes of developing universal laws where qualitative research can be described as an exploration of what is assumed to be a dynamic reality. Qualitative research does not claim that what is discovered in the process is universal, and thus, replicable. Common differences usually cited between these types of research include.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Analysis

In general, qualitative research generates rich, detailed and valid process data that contribute to the in-depth understanding of a context. Quantitative research, on the other hand, generates reliable population-based and generalizable data that is suited to establishing cause-and-effect relationships. The decision of whether to choose a quantitative or a qualitative design is ultimately a philosophical question. Which methods to choose will depend on the nature of the project, the type of information needed the context of the study and the availability of resources (time, money, and human).

Qualitative analysis involves a continual interplay between theory and analysis. In analyzing qualitative data, we seek to discover patterns such as changes over time or possible causal links between variables.

Combining of qualitative and quantitative research is becoming more and more common. It is important to keep in mind that these are two different philosophies, not necessarily polar opposites. In fact, elements of both designs can be used together in mixed-methods studies

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