1- generalization, and external validity, is viewed as an evaluation criteria that is relevant only to quantitative work .
2-qualitative inquiry is not to generalize to a population, but to develop an in-depth exploration of a central phenomenon.
In most cases, qualitative research is case specific. However, there are instances where findings of a case (multiple case study) are very strong for generalization propositions. A classic example is the study of a particular phenomenon of an ethnic society which bears greater similarities to other ethnic societies. Generalizations could be proposed in such a case (Refer to my cultural anthropology studies on my RG page)
In most cases, qualitative research is case specific. However, there are instances where findings of a case (multiple case study) are very strong for generalization propositions. A classic example is the study of a particular phenomenon of an ethnic society which bears greater similarities to other ethnic societies. Generalizations could be proposed in such a case (Refer to my cultural anthropology studies on RG page)
Following Lincoln and Guba, 1985 I would call it transferability, rather than generalizability when you can link your results to another case that "bears greater similarities." In this logic, you ask yourself about other situations that are so closely related to what you studied that you would feel comfortable proposing that your results would "transfer" to those similar settings.
T here are different forms of generalization in qualitative and in quantitative oriented research. DIRIWAECHTER, VALSINGER and SAUCK (2005) distinguish functional generalization (looking for commonalities between observations, more quantitative) and categorical generalization (building homogeneous classes, more qualitative). FLICK (2005) differentiates between numerical and theoretical generalization which goes in a similar direction. But they all underline the important role of generalization.
This indeed is a very good question and answers to it would be very valuable.
Qualitative research does have a generalizablility, but only "analytical generalization" (Yin 2009).
1. Quantitative research allows you to generalise your findings to a broader population. This is called "statistical generalisation". You back up your generalisation by a rigid and sound random sampling strategies, which allows every part of sample to have the same probability of being chosen in the study; and you need statistical techniques to ensure that your data are valid, your findings are at an acceptable level of reliability.
2. Qualitative research is, however, case-based research. It does not aim to generalise from a case to a wider population as this population sometimes is blurred, namely, not well defined (Maxwell 2013: 426) and its sample is chosen not randomly, but PURPOSEFULLY.
3. Thus, in qualitative research you use "analytical generation" (Yin 2009: 178) instead of statistical generalisation. Analytical generation is defined as a technique “to generalize a particular set of results to some broader theory”. This means you focuses on the theoretical constructs/aspects that you develop throughout your analysis of the findings. Maxwell (2013: 426) - in his term "external generalisability", defines it as a generalisation of "the processes operating in the case studied” to other similar cases.
For instance, you study a case of a village coping with flooding. You cannot generalize from that village to the state of which the village is part; but you can generalize your findings to the theory of coping with natural disasters, which could be replicated in other villages/places.
4. In addition to this external generalisation, Maxwell (2013: 422) also proposes internal generalisability which is defined as “the generalizability of a conclusion within the case, setting, or group studied, to persons, events, times, and settings that were not directly observed, interviewed, or otherwise represented in the data collected.”
For instance, you sample some households within that village, and you generalize the coping strategies of those households to OTHER households you do not have a chance to observe/interview.
Hope it helps.
Qualitative inquiry has application to other similar settings but not generalizability since the research findings has contextual factors such as time, environment, experiences, age, gender and problem that was researched. Findings of a similar health problem in Canada maybe applicable to Australia with the same ethnic population, but not generalizable.
So many similar set of setting can conform transferability of a qualitative research
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