Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Doctoral Education: A Case Study

Abstract

We were honored and flattered to be recognized in the feature article for our commitment to qualitative methods training. As an interdisciplinary program focused on organizational science, we strive not to privilege one form of training, thought, or inquiry over another. We recognize that a number of the problems and questions faced by organizational scholars and practitioners cannot adequately be addressed solely by a single discipline or method. Instead, we emphasize the synergy between different methods and modes of thought. Ultimately, our philosophy is that organizational phenomena are inherently interdisciplinary, thus training should reflect that. Our students are trained in industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology, management, organizational sociology, and organizational communication. We use this commentary as an opportunity to explain why our program values qualitative methods equally with quantitative methods, describe how we integrate that training, highlight a few success stories resulting from qualitative projects in our program, and then share some advice to other programs considering additional qualitative training. Integrated Methods as a Program ValueThe Organizational Science (OS) program's values statement explicitly discusses the criticality of valuing high quality research, be it qualitative, quantitative, lab based, field based, micro in orientation, macro in orientation, very basic, or very applied. To reflect this value, our doctoral students' core curriculum includes a full year of qualitative methods coursework and a number of qualitative methods elective courses alongside regular Current Topics sessions that include spotlights of qualitative projects. The qualitative coursework goes hand in hand with an equally extensive training in quantitative methods, encouraging students to recognize that the research question itself should drive the methodology, that powerful qualitative and