Qualitative versus Quantitative research

According to Robson (2002, p.549), research methodology is “the theoretical, political and philosophical backgrounds to social research and their implications for research practice and for the use of particular research methods”. Sarantakos (2013, p.465), defines it as “the theory of methods”; it is the way in which researcher makes sense of the object of enquiry. When considering the methodology that may be used in a research study, there are two main options; (1) quantitative methods and (2) qualitative methods (Bryman and Bell 2011; Sarantakos 2013). It is important to distinguish between these two methods in order to choose the most suitable approach for the purposes of this research.

Quantitative methods are used when a research study depends on statistical analysis in order to draw conclusions or to test hypotheses. Creswell (2009) points out that positivism (quantitative method) involves hypotheses testing after breaking down ideas into small ones. The advantage of quantitative methods is that the findings can be broad generalisability (Bryman and Bell 2011). Quantitative techniques typically work by proving or disproving a specific theory that was tested (Sarantakos 2013). According to Holland and Campbell (2005), quantitative methods are valuable for producing standardised numerical data, as well as explaining and predicting a relationship for a considerable population with a decent degree of confidence.

Qualitative research, by contrast, bases its conclusions on discussions, knowledge and thinking in order to help to advance the understanding of an area of research (Sarantakos 2013). Qualitative methods use strategies of inquiry such as narrative, phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory and case studies (Bryman and Bell 2011; Creswell 2009). Qualitative research does not produce generalisable results and nor is it supposed to. For Golafshani (2003, p.600), “Unlike quantitative researchers who seek causal determination, prediction, and generalisation of findings, qualitative researchers seek instead illumination, understanding, and extrapolation to similar situations”. Qualitative methods are descriptive or exploratory in nature and are not generally employed when theory testing is required (Babbie 2013).

The difference between quantitative and qualitative approaches lies in the nature of how data is collected and the way in which this data is analysed. In order to go beyond the limitations of a single approach, mixed methods may be used to provide more comprehensive answers to research questions. Mixed methods focus on collecting, mixing and analysing both quantitative and qualitative data (Driscoll et al. 2007). Although there are many benefits of mixed methods, there are also many limitations. The fact that is it time consuming and costly

are the main disadvantages of mixed methods. Furthermore, unravelling conflicting results and analysing quantitative data qualitatively needs to be addressed.

In order for a piece of research to accomplish its aims it must first recognise and employ suitable techniques and tools (O'Connor 2001; Thietart 2001). The researcher appreciates that no research paradigm is better than another since each is suited to its particular purpose. However, as suggested in the previous sections, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between ICT and the marketing performance of Jordanian hotels. This purpose can be accomplished by conceptualising, measuring and analysing data about the real use of ICT and the actual marketing performance of Jordanian hotels.

Creswell (2009) proposed three practical criteria for deciding which research approaches to use; a) the nature of the research topic, b) the available time the researcher has and c) the degree to which the researcher is ready to indulge risk. Selecting either the subjective or objective divide on the assumptions ontology, epistemology, and human nature about social science can lead in implementing different methodologies of conducting research even on the same phenomenon. Taking these criteria into account, this research is mainly deductive based on quantitative methodology of primary data collection and analysis. The reasons behind this choice are that:

1. The literature of ICT and MPM allows the researcher to define a theoretical framework and build hypotheses, as recommended by Hathaway (1995) and Sekaran (2013), which lend them more readily to the deductive approach. 2. The natural setting: informed by an objectivism perspective, the emphasis of this

study is on understanding the relationship between "Information Communication Technology (ICT)" and "marketing performance” in upscale hotels in Jordan. Seen in this light, the principles of quantitative research are consistent with the needs of this study. In addition, quantitative techniques typically work by proving or disproving a specific theory that was tested (Sarantakos 2013). Therefore, the choice of quantitative research strategy is consistent with the aim of this research.

3. The analytical nature of the study, quantitative research is more structured than qualitative research within this study which facilitates a degree of openness to examine the ICT and MPM in the in the Jordanian hospitality context.

4. Generalisation; a quantitative survey approach try to find and identify relationships that are common across organisations and individuals and

therefore, provide a theory or general statement about the phenomenon being researched (Thietart 2001; Creswell 2009).

5. Causality; quantitative research is concerned with establishing a causal relationship between variables (Sekaran 2013).

6. Saving in effort and time; applying a cross-sectional survey methodology leads to saving time, resources and effort required in comparison with longitudinal methodologies (Courtheoux 2003; Creswell 2009).

7. Analysing the extent of ICT usage in Jordanian hotels and investigating the relationship between ICT usage and the marketing performance of Jordanian hotels do not require a close relation between the researcher and the participants. In this respect, quantitative research enables detecting the main trends in the relationship between ICT usage and marketing performance in Jordanian hotels depending only on the primary data analysis.

8. Also, the main outcome of this study is to enhance the understanding of the relationship between "Information Communication Technology (ICT)" and "marketing performance” in upscale hotels in Jordan. One of the key principles of quantitative research is the outcome rather than its focus on the process (Bryman and Bell 2011). The outcome of analysing the extent of ICT usage in Jordanian hotels is important as to ensure the validity of the entire research.

Further, the literature on the effects of ICT on the hospitality industry supports this choice. The researcher investigated the methodologies and methods used in the contemporary literature on the effects of ICT adoption in business and marketing performance within the hospitality industry for the period from 2012 to 2015. Table 5.2 illustrate a classification for this literature according to the methodology employed.

As illustrated in Figure 5.2, the majority (74%) of the 42 studies in this literature are practical. More than two thirds of these studies applied the quantitative methodology, 10% applied the qualitative methodology, 7% applied both the quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and 26% conducted conceptual and theoretical studies.

Therefore, this research involves a deductive method to generate and test hypotheses. An objectivist ontological position and a positivist epistemology are best suited to fulfilling the purposes of this research. By using quantitative methodologies, as a social approach rather than as a scientific laboratory method, this research involves methods to formulate more specific research questions and testable hypotheses to understand underlying relationships between ICT and marketing performance in Jordanian hotels.

Table 5.2 Classification for the Current Literature According to the Methodology Employed

Methodology Literature

Conceptual Chevers 2015; Li 2012; Law et al. 2013; Boon et al. 2013; Breznik 2012; _{Seng 2015.}

Quantitative

Ansah et al. 2012; Aureli et al. 2013; Aziz et al. 2012; Berné et al. 2015; Bethapudi 2013; Buhalis and Mamalakis 2015; Fernandez et al. 2015; Ge et al. 2014; Jakovic and Galetic 2014; Jung et al. 2014; Kapiki and Fu 2015; Kim et al. 2015; Kucukusta et al. 2014; Mathur 2015; Mihalič and Buhalis 2013; Mihalič et al. 2015; Ngatia et al. 2014; Nwakanma et al. 2014; Paço and Pérez 2015; Richard 2013; Scaglione and Schegg 2015; Schegg and Scaglione 2013; Schegg et al. 2013; Šerić and Gil-Saura 2012; Šerić et al. 2014; Stienmetz and Fesenmaier 2013; Sun et al. 2015; Velázquez et al. 2015; Xiang et al. 2013.

Qualitative Inversini and Sykes 2013; Murphy 2013; Paraskevas et al. 2015; Reino et _{al. 2013.}

Mix Minazzi and Lagrosen 2013; Pesonen et al. 2013; Verma et al. 2012.

Figure 5.2 Methodologies Used in the Literatures on the Effects of ICT on Hotels

This study can be considered as a descriptive and explanatory study as its primary purpose is to examine the relationship between ICT and marketing performance of hotels in Jordan -as a developing country. This purpose can be accomplished by conceptualising, measuring and analysing information about the real use of ICT application and the actual marketing performance of Jordanian hotels by means of numerical data representing full and clearly defined variables. Obviously, this research involves quantitative methodologies to formulate more specific research questions and testable hypotheses to perceive and understand

14% 69% 10% 7% Theoretical Quantitative Qualitative Mixed

underlying relationships. Quantitative research is when a piece of research relies on statistical analysis on which to draw conclusions or to test a hypothesis.

Research strategy is a “general plan of how the researcher will go about answering the research question(s)” (Saunders et al. 2012. p.159). Saunders et al. (2012) classify research strategies into six categories: survey; experiment; grounded theory; case study; ethnography, and action research. In this piece of work a survey strategy was used. Hair et al. (2011) identify survey as a method used to collect primary data from individuals. The data wanted can range from opinions, beliefs, attitudes and lifestyles to general background information on individuals, such as age, gender, income and education, in addition to company characteristics such as; number of employees and revenue (Hair et al. 2007). Alvesson and Deetz (2000) and Silver (2013) demonstrated that survey strategy involves the structured collection of data from a sizable population.

Creswell (2009) exhibited that the key criterion for choosing a particular strategy is the approach adopted in carrying out the research, which is in turn, determined by research objectives. According to Collis and Hussey (2009), implementing the deductive approach leads the researcher to employ experimental or survey strategies. In contrast, implementing an inductive approach leads the researcher to employ the strategies of case study, grounded theory and action research.

A survey research method was adopted to collect primary data through a questionnaire distributed to the investigated community (Jordanian Hotels). The rationale behind this choice is that:

1. It is consistent with the research approach in that it is usually related to the deductive approach and is the most popular and commonly used strategy in business and management research (Saunders et al. 2012).

2. The data collected from the survey is standardised, allowing easy statistical analysis and comparisons (Saunders et al. 2012).

3. The survey allows for the collection of a certain amount of data from a sizeable population in a highly cost-effective way (Bryman and Bell 2011).

4. The survey allows a significant degree of control over the research process and it is easy to undertake (Courtheoux 2003; Sekaran 2013).

This research employed a descriptive and analytical research approach. The descriptive part is needed to describe and identify the research factors and variables, which constitute the ICT application profile for Jordanian hotels, which are the independent variables in the

research. It is also used to identify empirically the marketing performance indicators in those hotels, which are the dependent variables in the research. The analytical methods were used to analyse the collected data, calculate and estimate the independent and non-independent variables, and then examine the relationships between these variable to achieve the objectives of this research.