Quantitative Methodology for Leadership Research

Quantitative Methodology

 Quantitative research categorizes a problem or situation based on trends in a particular area based on the requirement to explain the reason for occurance (Creswell, 2014). Quantitative researchers apply statistical analysis and closed-ended questions. In this paper, the author will provide the foundation of a selected research topic. The quantitative research design is not the most appropriate methodology for the chosen research area. However, the will make changes to the research to adhere to quantitative methodology. The author will identity the variables. The instruments will be identified and discussed for their validity. The type of statistical analysis used in the study will be presented. Lastly, the type of consent will be considered.

Research Topic

The research topic is Effective Leadership Strategies that combat barriers faced by females in male dominated careers. The basis of the study is to identify barriers which inhibit females’ success in attaining leadership positions in male dominated professions and identify the strategies which may contribute to women achieving successful leadership positions. The orginal research wuestion is: What are the barriers faced by females in male dominated careers?

Quantitative Research Design Changes

 To ensure that research question are adequately associated with one of three research methodologies, alterations of the research question may be required. For this study, the research question was modified to best support the quantitiative research method. The research question for this quantitative study is: What is the relationship between the career advancement of women and men with the same educational background? How many males have received senior-level positions which they did not qualitfy for, instead of their female counterparts who qualified for the same position?

The Procedure

 In many quantitative research projects, the task is to establish behavioral and mental facts (Barnham, 2015). According to Creswell (2014), multiple steps exist to categorize surveys and their rationale. The quantitative data collection methods are generally constructed on numbers or mathematical calculations. Some of the most prevalent quantitative data collection methods consist of closed-ended questionnaires or experiments. For this study, the researcher will apply both methods.

The Variables

 According to Creswell & Creswell (2018), dependent variables are influenced by independent variables which impact the results of a quantitative research study. For this study, the author will explore independent and dependent variables. The independent variables will be identified as educational level, gender, wages and opportunities for advancement. The dependent variables will include barriers to success in leadership. Both females and males will be subjects in this study.

Instruments and Validity

According to Hernández (2015), quantitative research can be difficult because it requires rigorous critical research. The validity of the study will be the extent to which the barriers to female advancements into senior leadership positions are measured. The researcher will apply the triangulation process to increase validity and credibility of the results. A questionarie with closed-ended questions will be generated and applied.  Invdividual one-on- one interviews and focus groups will also be instruments utilized to test the validity of the study. Lastly, the researcher will design and survey to explore professional lives and experiences of the participants.

Statistical Analysis

 A statistical analysis will occur once all information gathering procedures are complete. The statistical analysis is one of the most critical components of the quantitative research process. Research show that multiple statistical software systems exist. One of the most common software systems is the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) (Al Mahish, & Dhawi, 2018). Multiple web resources which are for statistical analysis also exist. It is essential that a researcher knows the concepts of the basic statistical methods used for conduct of a research study. The concepts will help to conduct an appropriately well-designed study leading to valid and reliable results.

Consent

 Informed consent is a critical element in completing any research study. A well-conducted informed consent process should ensure subject autonomy and address potential vulnerability when potential research participants are asked to participate in a study (Biros, 2018). It is the researchers responsibility to ensure that all participants are treated ethically and remain anonymous.

Conclusion

A properly conducted research study will bestow evidence of all adequately addressed factors (Heale & Twycross, 2015). In this paper, the author provided the foundation of a selected research topic. The quantitative research methodology was applied to research topic. The author identitified the variables. The mean of identifying validit was discused. Statistical analysis methods were presented. Lastly, the informed consent will be selected.

References

• Al Mahish, M. malmahish@kfu. edu. s., & Dhawi, F. (2018). Resolving Possible Timetable Conflicts via Frequency Analysis: An Application Using SAS. International Journal of Educational Organization & Leadership, 25(3/4), 1–7.
• Barnham, C. (2015). Quantitative and qualitative research. International Journal of Market Research, 57(6), 837–854.
• Biros, M. (2018). Capacity, Vulnerability, and Informed Consent for Research. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(1), 72–78.
• Creswell, J. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 4th Edition. [Argosy University].  
• Creswell, J. W., & Cresswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design (Fifth ed.). Thousand Oaks,  California: SAGE.
• Heale, R. & Twycross, A. (2015). Validity and Reliability in Quantitative Studies. doi: 10.1136/eb-2015-1021292015 18: 66-67
• Hernández, E. (2015). What Is “Good” Research? Revealing the Paradigmatic Tensions in Quantitative Criticalist Work. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2014(163), 93–101.

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