A draft of the negotiated paradigm on the agile literature review approach (ALRA) [consulting and academic oriented types combined]
Friday, 12 December 2025
Tuesday, 9 December 2025
A comparison of qualitative and quantitative research: for Housing Studies and MBA students
A comparison of qualitative and quantitative research: for Housing Studies and MBA students (information from perplexity.ai)
My question: "What are the differences between qualitative and quantitative research Housing Studies and MBA study with regard to the following aspects: favored research philosophies, favored research methods (with particular design characteristics in their data gathering and data analysis tasks, and favored types of research questions to address?"
The reply: "Qualitative research in Housing Studies and MBA programs tends to emphasize understanding meanings, experiences, and processes, whereas quantitative research emphasizes measurement, testing relationships, and generalizable patterns. These contrasts show up in the favored philosophies, preferred methods and design features, and the types of questions that are usually posed.
Favored research philosophies
Quantitative work usually aligns with positivism or post-positivism, assuming a relatively stable, measurable social reality and favoring objectivity, hypothesis testing, and causal explanation. In Housing Studies this underpins survey-based analysis of affordability, overcrowding, or policy effects, while in MBA it underpins market research, performance metrics, and causal models of behavior.
Qualitative work usually aligns with interpretivism/constructivism (and sometimes critical or feminist paradigms), assuming socially constructed realities and emphasizing subjective meaning, context, and multiple truths. In Housing Studies this supports studies of lived experiences, neighborhood meanings, or domestic life, while in MBA it supports work on organizational culture, leadership sense-making, and employee identity.
Pragmatism and critical realism often support mixed or flexible use of qualitative and quantitative methods in both fields, combining concern for real causal mechanisms with attention to meanings and practical problem-solving. Housing Studies frequently uses these to connect structural conditions (markets, policies) with lived experience, and MBA research uses them to link performance data with managerial narratives and strategic decision-making.
Favored methods and design characteristics
Quantitative studies favor structured instruments (large-scale surveys, structured questionnaires, standardized indices, secondary datasets), probability or large samples, and pre-specified variables. Data gathering emphasizes reliability and replicability (fixed questions, closed-ended scales, standardized procedures), and analysis centers on descriptive and inferential statistics (correlation, regression, modeling, hypothesis tests).
In Housing Studies, such quantitative designs are used to model affordability, crowding, tenure choice, satisfaction, or policy impacts using housing surveys, administrative data, or census-type sources. In MBA, they underpin customer/employee surveys, market segmentation studies, financial and performance modeling, and experimental or quasi-experimental studies of interventions.
Qualitative studies favor flexible designs such as semi-structured or in-depth interviews, focus groups, participant observation, case studies, narrative or ethnographic work, often with purposive or theoretical sampling and relatively small samples. Data gathering emphasizes openness and depth (open-ended questions, iterative probing, field notes, documents), and analysis centers on coding, thematic or narrative analysis, analytic induction, and constant comparison rather than statistics.
In Housing Studies, qualitative methods are used to explore residential satisfaction, housing careers, neighborhood attachment, domestic violence, or informal housing practices in context-rich ways. In MBA, they are used to examine leadership styles, organizational culture, change processes, consumer meanings, or strategy implementation, frequently via insider case studies and multi-level organizational narratives.
Favored types of research questions
The table below contrasts typical question types that fit each approach in Housing Studies and MBA work. (Examples are generic rather than specific project prescriptions.)
|
Dimension |
Quantitative
- Housing Studies |
Qualitative
- Housing Studies |
Quantitative
- MBA / Business |
Qualitative
- MBA / Business |
|
Main aim |
Measure
patterns, test hypotheses about housing conditions or policy effects. |
Understand
lived experiences, meanings, and processes around housing and home. |
Measure
market or organizational patterns and test models of behavior/performance. |
Understand
how actors interpret, negotiate, and enact business practices. |
|
Typical
question focus |
"How
many?", "To what extent?", "What is the relationship
between X and Y?" (e.g., income and affordability, tenure and
satisfaction). |
"How
do people experience?", "What meanings do residents attach
to?", "How do processes unfold over time?" (e.g., living in
subdivided units, coping with displacement). |
"What
is the effect of leadership style on performance scores?", "How
satisfied are customers with service attributes?", "Which factors
predict turnover intention?" |
"How
do employees make sense of leadership practices?", "How do teams
experience digital transformation?", "How is brand meaning
constructed in customer narratives?" |
|
Orientation
to generalization vs depth |
Prioritizes
generalizability, comparability across groups, and statistical significance. |
Prioritizes
depth, contextual richness, and theoretical or analytic generalization rather
than statistical generalization. |
Seeks
broad patterns across markets, firms, or units to support decisions and
forecasting. |
Seeks
deep understanding of specific organizations, teams, or customer groups to
inform theory and practice. |
A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.
Asking generative ai to produce a dissertation proposal based on a research theme and a few key words: on gen alpha and luxury products
Asking generative AI to produce a dissertation proposal based on a research theme and a few key words: on gen alpha and luxury products (information from perplexity.ai): for MBA students
My question 1: "Please come up with a research theme based on the following keywords: Hong Kong Gen Alpha, luxury products, consumer tastes and preferences, retail marketing tactics in Hong Kong."
The reply: "Here’s a potential research direction that weaves those keywords into a coherent, academically viable theme:
Proposed Research Theme:
"Emerging Luxury Consumption Patterns among Generation Alpha in Hong Kong: Evolving Consumer Tastes and Retail Marketing Adaptations"
Rationale:
This theme explores how Hong Kong’s youngest cohort—Generation Alpha (born roughly after 2010)—is shaping the future of luxury consumption. Raised in a highly digitalized, affluent, and globalized environment, Gen Alpha’s attitudes toward luxury differ from earlier generations such as Gen Z or Millennials. They are influenced by online content, experiential values, and social identity rather than traditional status symbols.
Possible Research Focus Areas:
Consumer Tastes and Preferences:
How Gen Alpha perceives luxury (e.g., sustainability, personalization, digital exclusivity).
Shifting value frameworks from “ownership” to “experience” or “aesthetic belonging.”
Retail Marketing Tactics:
How luxury brands in Hong Kong are adapting to attract Gen Alpha (use of AR/VR, gamification, influencer marketing).
The role of social media ecosystems (TikTok, Roblox, YouTube) in forming early brand attachments.
Cultural and Urban Influences:
How Hong Kong’s unique luxury retail landscape (malls, pop-ups, flagship stores) fosters intergenerational consumption.
Interplay of local identity, East-West cultural fusion, and digital consumerism.
Potential Research Questions:
How do Hong Kong’s Generation Alpha consumers define and express luxury in their early consumption experiences?
What retail marketing tactics are most effective in engaging and retaining Gen Alpha’s attention in the luxury market?
In what ways are parental influences and digital environments shaping Gen Alpha’s future luxury purchasing behaviors?
Theoretical Framing Options:
Consumer socialization theory
Cultural capital theory (Bourdieu)
Digital brand engagement frameworks
Generational cohort analysis"
My question 2: "Try to formulate a research proposal based on the research theme above; the proposal is to be based on pragmatism. There should be 3 research issues, 4 research objectives, 3 research questions, 2 primary research methods to use, 2 related research gaps and 2 related public media issues. There should be some explanations on how these proposal elements are related."
The reply: "Here’s a comprehensive, pragmatism-based research proposal developed from your theme on Gen Alpha and luxury consumption in Hong Kong. The structure is designed to show logical coherence between the theme, issues, objectives, questions, gaps, and research methods.
Research Proposal
Title:
“Emerging Luxury Consumption Patterns among Generation Alpha in Hong Kong: Pragmatic Insights into Evolving Tastes, Retail Strategies, and Digital Influences”
Philosophical Foundation: Pragmatism
This study adopts pragmatism as its philosophical foundation. Pragmatism focuses on practical outcomes, contextual truths, and the problem-solving value of knowledge. It bridges quantitative and qualitative inquiry, emphasizing what works best to address real-world issues. In this study, pragmatism justifies a mixed-method approach, combining insights from both marketers and Gen Alpha consumers to derive actionable recommendations for Hong Kong’s luxury retail sector.
Research Issues
- Unclear understanding of Gen Alpha’s early perceptions of luxury and brand identity in Hong Kong.(A practical challenge for marketers who need to anticipate future purchasing behavior.)
- Limited empirical data on how digital retail strategies influence Gen Alpha’s consumer preferences.(A problem of evidence affecting marketing decisions and retail investment.)
- Ineffectiveness of traditional luxury marketing in engaging younger, digitally native consumers.(A strategic issue of commercial adaptation in high-end retail environments.)
Research Objectives
To identify the key consumer values and motivations shaping Gen Alpha’s perception of luxury in Hong Kong.
To examine how digital and experiential marketing practices affect Gen Alpha’s interest and engagement with luxury products.
To analyze the interplay between family influence, peer dynamics, and social media in Gen Alpha’s early luxury brand exposure.
To propose practical marketing strategies aligned with Gen Alpha’s emerging preferences and lifestyles.
Research Questions
How do Hong Kong’s Gen Alpha consumers conceptualize and differentiate luxury from non-luxury products?
What marketing tactics most effectively foster engagement and long-term brand affinity among Gen Alpha in Hong Kong’s luxury sector?
How do digital platforms, influencers, and family environments jointly shape Gen Alpha’s consumer preferences?
Research Methods
- Qualitative Phase – Semi-structured interviews and focus groups:Conduct interviews with marketing professionals in Hong Kong’s luxury sector and focus groups with parents of Gen Alpha children (aged 10–14). This captures experiential and interpretative insights consistent with pragmatism’s emphasis on contextual understanding.
- Quantitative Phase – Online survey:Administer a structured survey targeting parents and older Gen Alpha respondents (middle school age) to measure attitudes, brand awareness, and digital engagement patterns. Combining both phases provides practical, multi-perspective evidence that informs real-world marketing adaptation.
Related Research Gaps
Lack of empirical research on Generation Alpha’s luxury consumption patterns in Asian metropolitan contexts, particularly Hong Kong.
Insufficient exploration of the synergy between digital engagement and early brand socialization in shaping the next generation’s luxury consumption behavior.
Related Public Media Issues
Rise of “digital luxury childhoods” in Hong Kong media discourse, where influencers and social media content shape young consumers’ brand awareness.
Concerns about materialism and digital consumerism raised in local media debates regarding youth exposure to luxury advertising through online channels.
Coherence of Proposal Elements
Pragmatism connects all components by focusing on usefulness—how to understand and apply insights to solve current retail marketing issues.
Research issues define actionable problems, objectives refine them into measurable aims, and questions guide inquiry.
Mixed methods serve the pragmatic goal of triangulating perspectives for both theory-building and strategic recommendations.
Research gaps ensure theoretical contribution, while public media issues root the study in current Hong Kong discourse, highlighting societal relevance."
My question 3: "Please provide 5 relevant academic references and 5 non-academic references in Harvard reference format. Also useful to point out what academic theories are mentioned in the academic references suggested."
The reply: "Generation Alpha and luxury-specific academic work is still emerging, so some references will focus on youth/teen luxury consumption, social media, and Hong Kong youth materialism more broadly.
Academic references (Harvard)
Park, J. 2025, ‘How social media affects youth luxury consumption’, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, advance online publication, viewed 9 December 2025.
Theories: consumer socialization theory; social comparison theory; media as socialization agent.
Gentina, E., Shrum, L.J. & Lowrey, T.M. 2016, ‘Teen attitudes toward luxury fashion brands from a social identity perspective’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 314–322.
Theories: social identity theory; symbolic consumption; peer-group influence.
Filipovic, J., et al. 2025, ‘Children preferences for global and local brands: An examination of materialism and attitudes toward luxury brands’, Psychology & Marketing, advance online publication.
Theories: materialism; brand preference formation; attitude toward luxury brands.
Cheung, W.K. 2013, ‘The relationship between advertising and the level of materialism among adolescents in Hong Kong’, undergraduate thesis, City University of Hong Kong.
Theories: materialism; advertising effects; consumer socialization in Hong Kong youth.
Wong, A., Lee, M. & Chan, K. 2025, ‘Social media engagement and luxury fashion purchase intention in young Chinese consumers in Hong Kong’, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, advance online publication.
Theories: social media engagement; autonomous motivation (self-determination theory); materialism and purchase intention.
These theories map well to your proposal: consumer socialization and social comparison support the role of peers/social media; social identity and symbolic consumption explain luxury as identity work; materialism and motivation theories link to values and psychological drivers.
Non-academic / public media references (Harvard)
Think with Google 2024, ‘The new luxury shopper in Hong Kong’, Think with Google, 28 August, viewed 9 December 2025, https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com.
Insight on digitally influenced luxury shopping journeys and younger luxury shoppers in Hong Kong.
South China Morning Post 2023, ‘Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, luxury’s biggest consumers by 2030’, South China Morning Post (Style), 6 February, viewed 9 December 2025, https://www.scmp.com.
Media framing of Gen Alpha as a key future luxury segment.
Favoured 2025, ‘Marketing to Gen Alpha: Strategies for the next generation’, Favoured Digital Blog, 29 June, viewed 9 December 2025, https://favoured.co.uk.
Practitioner discussion of platforms (YouTube, Roblox) and influencer-based tactics for Gen Alpha.
Lean Summits 2025, ‘Marketing to Gen Alpha: Complete guide to reach digital natives’, Lean Summits Blog, 12 October, viewed 9 December 2025, https://www.leansummits.com.
Practitioner guidance on AR/VR, gamification, personalization for Gen Alpha.
Cheung, W.K. 2013, ‘The relationship between advertising and the level of materialism among adolescents in Hong Kong’, CityU Online Accessible Projects, viewed 9 December 2025, http://lbms03.cityu.edu.hk.
Also usable as a local public discussion point on media, materialism, and youth in Hong Kong.
These non-academic sources help anchor your “public media issues” on digital luxury lifestyles, precocious luxury consumption, and concerns about youth materialism and always-on marketing in Hong Kong and globally."
A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.
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