Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies to Study Group Processes:An Illustrative Study of Acorporate Board of Directors
演示了如何将定性数据（如参与观察的田野笔记）通过内容分析量化，再结合统计检验（如趋势检验、非参数相关、泊松回归）来研究公司董事会的群体过程，促进理论发现与验证的循环。
In this demonstration article, the authors explain procedures for combining the richness of detail that is characteristic of qualitative data collection with the hypothesis testing advantage of statistical inference techniques. Qualitative data came from a 5-year participant observation study of a corporate board of directors. Quantification of the participant observer’s qualitative field notes was achieved by using content analysis to code directors’ verbal behaviors. Based on counts of directors’ verbal behaviors, the authors tested illustrative hypotheses concerning group process within the board. Univariate (Cox-Stuart’s test of trend), bivariate (Kendall’s nonparametric correlation), and multivariate (log Poisson regression with post hoc contrasts) analyses were conducted. The study’s use of qualitative and quantitative information promoted both “discovery” (i.e., theory development) and “justification” (i.e., theory evaluation) and facilitated a “discovery-justification-discovery cycle” that was particularly useful for understanding group processes with the corporate board.