Many papers appeared to be syntheses of quality research streams with no testable propositions drawn from the literature reviews. It appears that one of the greatest research needs in the area of quality is for studies devoted to theory building. Qualitative research methods are particularly well-suited to theory building. Qualitative measurement does not rely on the assumption that the investigator knows all the pertinent characteristics and categories of an object of research ahead of time, but instead allows for the development and refining of concepts as the inquiry unfolds. As soon as the researcher insists on forcing the organization into abstract categories into his terms instead of its own he is reduced to using perceptual measures, which often distort the reality.
Qualitative research utilizes raw data that come from a source closer to the object of study.
Data are gathered from this microcosm by moving as close to it as possible, both physically and intellectually. Fabricated distancing procedures such as analytic labeling, abstract hypothesizing, and predetermined research designs are used as little as possible. Intuition, personal experiences of the investigator, logic, and serendipity are all put to use in understanding and interpreting the data. Researchers give meaning to individual behaviors observed in the system once they have formulated a picture of the set of circumstances in which the behaviors occur and have endeavored to understand the behavior from the viewpoint of the initiator. To achieve this required extent of comprehension and compassion, the qualitative researcher must obtain firsthand, personal knowledge of the research environment.