Approaches to research methodology are often classified in the social sciences as
quantitative research or qualitative research. In quantitative research, large samples and
statistical data are commonly used to foster understanding of predictive generalizations of
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theory, whereas qualitative research often is used to explore small samples and to foster
understanding of social phenomena from different perspectives (Babbie, 2007). Both
approaches have strengths and weaknesses. Since the purpose of this study was to
understand the little-studied phenomenon of cross-cultural practices of self-leadership in
globalized work environments, the qualitative method was the most appropriate one to
use. A qualitative approach allows "the researcher to discover new variables and
relationships, to reveal and understand complex processes, and to illustrate the influence
of the social context" (Corley & Shah, 2006, p. 1824).