24/09/2026
COBE Monthly Webinar Series to Highlight Qualitative Research in Business and Management
The College of Business Education (COBE) of Northwestern University will conduct another session of its Monthly Webinar Series on October 5, 2026, from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM, featuring the topic “Beyond the Numbers: Applying Qualitative Research Methods in Business and Management Studies.”
The webinar aims to strengthen the research capabilities of students, faculty members, researchers, graduate students, and other members of the Northwestern University academic community by providing a deeper understanding of qualitative inquiry and its practical applications in business and management research.
Serving as resource speaker is Dr. Marlon S. Pontillas, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges. He is expected to discuss how qualitative research can be used to examine organizational experiences, entrepreneurial behavior, consumer perceptions, workplace dynamics, management practices, and other complex business phenomena that cannot always be fully explained through numerical data alone.
The session will cover important areas in qualitative research, including the formulation of appropriate research questions, selection of qualitative research designs, data gathering techniques such as interviews and focus group discussions, coding procedures, thematic analysis, interpretation of findings, and approaches to ensuring research rigor and trustworthiness.
Through the webinar, participants are expected to gain a better appreciation of the role of qualitative research in generating rich, contextualized, and meaningful insights. The activity also seeks to help researchers determine when qualitative methods are appropriate and how these methods may complement quantitative approaches in addressing contemporary business and management issues.
The webinar forms part of COBE’s continuing effort to promote a stronger research culture and enhance the methodological competencies of its academic community. By exposing students and faculty members to diverse research approaches, the College aims to encourage more rigorous, relevant, and publishable studies in the fields of business, management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and related disciplines.
The activity likewise reinforces Northwestern University’s commitment to research capability development and academic collaboration by bringing in external experts who can share practical knowledge and scholarly perspectives with the University community.
With the theme “Beyond the Numbers,” the webinar underscores the importance of understanding the stories, experiences, meanings, and contexts behind business data—reminding researchers that some of the most valuable insights in management and organizational studies emerge not only from statistics, but also from the voices and experiences of people.
