Navigating Multiple Approaches to Qualitative Research in HRD

Qualitative research can be used to accomplish a variety of purposes for HRD scholarship, particularly when researchers wish to deeply understand the perspectives and experiences of individuals or groups of people. Given the infinite variety of research aims, there are necessarily multiple approaches to qualitative research. Because many qualitative research methods employ similar data collection strategies, such as interviews and observations, and outputs may appear similar (e.g. a collection of interrelated themes), the important differences among qualitative approaches can become muddy or lost. Making choices about approach, building an appropriate, corresponding design, and describing methods is an ongoing challenge for qualitative researchers in HRD and beyond. This article provides an accessible overview and comparison of select qualitative approaches in HRD, both traditional and emerging, to clarify decision-making in research design, guide methodological alignment, and explore the distinct contribution each approach can make for developing theory and practice in HRD.