qualitative
(adjective)
Described in terms of characteristics and attributes rather than numbers and quantities.
Examples of qualitative in the following topics:
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Forecasting
- The inherent problem with the qualitative approach is simple: subjectivity.
- While quantitative measure use data to express objective results, qualitative approaches do not have this luxury.
- Another method of forecasting, which is likely to be both quantitative and qualitative, is the causal/econometric approach.
- This flow chart compares quantitative and qualitative forecasting methods.
- Qualitative forecasting relies more on opinions than data and can employ market research, sales-force input, or a jury of executives.
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Employee Promotions
- It is critical for human resources professionals to understand and describe why a given promotion is occurring, justifying it both quantitatively and qualitatively.
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Responding to Uncertainty in Strategic Planning
- Often the trend lines were generated by the accounting department and lacked discussions of demographics or qualitative differences in social conditions.
- These simplistic guesses can be good in some ways, but they fail to consider qualitative social changes that can affect an organization.
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Identify and Define the Problem
- Interviews, focus groups, or other qualitative methods of data collection can be used to identify existing conditions that may be connected to the decision in question.
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Limitations of the Five-Forces View
- Strategy consultants will use Porter's Five Forces framework when making a qualitative evaluation of a firm's strategic position; however, it is only one tool of many and is not infallible.
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The GLOBE Project
- They used qualitative methods to assist their development of quantitative instruments.
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Evaluate Alternatives
- Qualitative data is also used to be sure that considerations such as consistency with strategy, effects on relationships, or ethical implications are taken into account.
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The Behavioral-Science Approach
- The emphasis on using quantitative data and qualitative research methods to determine how people process information and understand social relationships is important to helping managers better understand the proven methods for increasing employee motivation and employee productivity.
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Competitive Dynamics
- It also requires the qualitative measurement of accomplishing these for both the firm and its key competitors.
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Leadership Model: University of Michigan
- These approaches include quantitative methods such as surveys, questionnaires, and diagnostic tests, as well as qualitative observational and ethnographic studies.