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2025/2026  BA-BDMAO1026U  Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

English Title
Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Mandatory (also offered as elective)
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Service and Markets
Course coordinator
  • Kristian Bondo Hansen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Methodology and philosophy of science
  • Statistics and quantitative methods
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 27-06-2025

Relevant links

Learning objectives
On completion of the course, students should be able to:
  • understand and account for the philosophies of science taught in class
  • explain, discuss, and apply the different qualitative and quantitative social science research methods taught in class
  • compare and critically evaluate strengths and limitations of said methods
  • create a comprehensive and actionable research design
  • account for and reflect upon ethical dilemmas of conducting empirical research within the social sciences
Examination
Qualitative and Quantitative Methods:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course teaches students to (1) understand and critically evaluate dominant philosophies of science and methodologies that undergird scientific knowledge creation in the social sciences and (2) competently use a broad selection of qualitative and quantitative social science research methods.

 

The course is divided into three overlapping phases: First, students are introduced to central concepts (induction, deduction, verification, falsification, ontology, epistemology, etc.) and positions (positivism, social constructivism, critical theory, etc.) in the philosophy of science. In addition to learning about theories of what constitutes science, students will get practical training in identifying researchable problems and formulating concise research questions. Second, students will learn about and be taught to use a range of qualitative methods. In the final stretch of the course, students will be introduced and trained to use a wide variety of quantitative methods foundational to social science research.

 

Through active participation in the course, students will learn to competently perform social science research. This entails designing a research project of the size and scope required for a Bachelor thesis at CBS. It moreover entails gaining an in-depth understanding of and developing the ability to critically reflect on the conventions of the methodological decisions taken in and possible ethical dilemmas associated with said research project. Finally, students will learn to communicate their research practice and process orally and in writing. The knowledge gained and competencies developed in the course will not only help students in their studies at the university but prepare them for a labour market where they must account for their approach (method) to problem-solving.

 

The course will conclude with a 10 page individual home assignment. Exam guidelines and an exam paper template will be available on Canvas from the start of the course.

Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Development of research questions
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Students conduct independent research-like activities under supervision
Description of the teaching methods
The course combines lectures, exercises, and workshops. Lectures will provide foundational knowledge about the philosophies of science and social science research methods on offer in the course. In the exercise classes and workshops, students will work with the application of methodological tools introduced in the lectures. Exercises and workshops will involve group work, peer- and teacher-student-feedback, and dialogue-driven teaching.
Feedback during the teaching period
Students will have the opportunity to get continuous feedback in lectures, exercise classes, and in workshops throughout the duration of the course. Also, peer-feedback is integrated in exercises and case work.
Student workload
Preparation 268 hours
Lectures 42 hours
Exercise classes 26 hours
Exam 87 hours
Workshops 18 hours
Expected literature

Pfeffer, Jeffrey and Robert I. Sutton. 2006. ‘Evidence-Based Management’. Harvard Business Review, January, pp. 1-13.

 

Godfrey-Smith, Peter. 2021. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Chicago, Il: The University of Chicago Press. 

 

Shareff, Reginald. 2007. ‘Want Better Business Theories? Maybe Karl Popper Has the Answer’, Academy of Management Learning & Education, 6(2): 272-280.

 

Kaufmann, Laura. 2022. ‘Feminist Epistemology and Business Ethics’, Business Ethics Quarterly, 32(4): 546-572.

 

Felin, Teppo and Nicolai J. Foss. 2009. ‘Social Reality, the Boundaries of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, and Economics’, Organization Science, 20(3): 654-668.

 

Jeanes, Emma. 2017. ‘Are we ethical? Approaches to ethics in management and organisation research’. Organization, 24(2): 174-197.

 

Grønmo, Sigmund. 2024. ‘Creating research questions’ in: Social Research Methods: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. London: Sage. Pp. 76-95.

 

Bernard, H. Russell. 2011. “Sampling I: The Basics.” In: Research Methods in Anthropology, New York: Alta Mira, pp. 113-129.

 

Guest, Greg, Arwen Bunch, and Laura Johnson. 2006. “How Many Interviews are Enough? An Experiment with Data Saturation and Variability.” Field Methods 18: 59-82.

 

Spradley, James P. 1980. “Step Two: Doing Participant Observation.” Pp. 53-63. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.

 

Emerson, R.M., R.I Fretz & L.L. Shaw, 1995. “Fieldnotes in ethnographic research” & “In the field: Participating, observing and jotting notes.” In: Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, pp.1-38.

 

Brinkmann, Svend. 2014. ‘Unstructured and Semi-Structured Interviewing’. In: Patricia Leavy (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 

Flyvbjerg, Bent. 2008. ‘Five Misunderstandings About Case-Study Research.’ Qualitative Inquiry, 12(2): 219–245.

 

Small, Mario Louis. 2009. ‘“How many cases do I need?”: On science and the logic of case selection in field-based research.’ Ethnography, 10(1): 5–38.

 

Skjott Linneberg, Mai and Steffen Korsgaard. 2019. ‘Coding qualitative data: a synthesis guiding the novice’. Qualitative Research Journal, 19(3): 259-270.

 

Epstein, Lee and Andrew D. Martin. 2004. ‘Coding variables’, in: Kimberly Kempf-Leonard (ed.) Encyclopedia of Social Measurement.New York: Academic Press.

 

Kaur-Gill, Satveer and Mohan J. Dutta. 2017. ‘Digital Ethnography’, in: Jörg Matthes (ed.) The International Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 1-10.

 

Forberg, Peter and Kristen Schilt. 2023. ‘What is ethnographic about digital ethnography? A sociological perspective’. Frontiers in Sociology, 8: 1-15.

 

Bowen, G. A. (2009). ‘Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method’. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27-40.

 

Lock, I., & Seele, P. (2015). ‘Quantitative Content Analysis as a Method for Business Ethics Research’. Business Ethics: A European Review, 24(1), S24-S40.

 

Grant, A. M., & Pollock, T. G. (2011). ‘Publishing in AMJ-Part 3: Setting the Hook’. Academy of Management Journal, 54(5), 873-879.

 

Wickham, H. (2014). ‘Tidy Data’. Journal of Statistical Software, 59(10). https:/​/​doi.org/​10.18637/​jss.v059.i10

 

Blaschke, S. (2024). ‘Introduction to R.’ 

 

Finkelstein, S., & Hambrick, D. C. (1990). ‘Top-management-team Tenure and Organizational Outcomes: The moderating Role of Managerial Discretion’. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(3), 484-503.

 

Choi, J., Menon, A., & Tabakovic, H. (2021). ‘Using Machine Learning to Revisit the Diversification-Performance Relationship’. Strategic Management Journal, 42(9), 1632-1661.

 

March, J. G. (1991). ‘Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning’. Organization Science2(1), 71-87.

 

Blaschke, S., Schoeneborn, D., & Seidl, D. (2012). ‘Organizations as Networks of Communication Episodes: Turning the Network Perspective Inside Out’. Organization Studies33(7), 879-906.

Last updated on 27-06-2025