ABSTRACT
The problem of finding a consistent definition of the qualitative approach across all theoreticians can be traced to the strong valuing of individual interpretation. The individual interpretations about what the qualitative approach is or should be then leads to many different definitions among the theoreticians. However, when these differing interpretations are analyzed, we can see some commonalities that exist at a deeper level of belief—that is, there are some shared beliefs about how research should be conducted and the contributions the research can make. The purpose of this chapter is to illuminate those beliefs that underlie the qualitative approach: first, by looking at how fundamental beliefs about research have generated a debate between the use of scientific or humanistic approaches to examining human behavior; second, by examining the philosophical issues of ontology and epistemology; and third, by illuminating the axioms that form the foundation for the qualitative approach.
