Borders represent essential avenues through which sovereign countries interact via immigration and trade. It is crucial for the border authorities to ensure that the security systems around such borders are sufficient and adequate in handling their intended border regulation functions. The resources budgeted to enhance such systems should be proportionate to the amounts which the taxpayers can raise. Border regulation can be improved through techniques such as technology-enhanced scanning equipment to detect weapons and barcode monitoring for the quality of goods (Gate Keeper Intelligent Security, 2017). In this view, the analysis will discuss two research approaches which include qualitative and the quantitative techniques to address the quest of whether adding additional border security is worth the expense of nationals’ taxpayers. Similarly, the essay will offer demerits and merits of the two research approaches as while as giving the direction on the research method will be employed in the study.
Qualitative Methods
The qualitative approach entails the in-depth analysis of the research subject through aspects such as how useful metal detectors are in border firearm scanning and the alternative measures employed in firearm regulation when the detectors probably experience temporary failures. This kind of research technique covers comprehensive details of the research subject. It involves a collection of data from the most reliable field research sources. Research is conducted on people who fully understand the study concept under question such as the border security personnel (Gate Keeper Intelligent Security, 2017). A detailed account of their occupational challenges and preferences are recorded through different research techniques, filtered out and arranged into a statistical report.
Advantages of Qualitative Research Approach
Qualitative research method involves direct interaction with the people in the representative sections. The researcher can hence, be able to assess the facial signals generated by the respondent concerning specific subjects of the research topic which the investigator can utilize to process certain conclusions like the expressive perceptions articulated by the locals on the issue. Also, the qualitative analysis provides a profound insight into the research matter to both the researcher and the participants, and this enhances understanding and clarity on the research subject.
Disadvantages of Qualitative Research Approach
Qualitative research analysis consumes a lot of time in the research field since the researcher has to stay close to his or her research field or participants. Similarly, some of the qualitative analysis techniques involved in data collection consume a lot of time. Lastly, the language barrier is a hindrance to qualitative research method since the researcher must interact with respondents on the representative strata.
Quantitative Research Approach
This kind of research involves numerical analysis of the research parameters. For example, GateKeeper Intelligent Security (2017) reports that a researcher may seek to find out the major categories of counterfeit goods captured within various checkpoints along the border. The strength of quantitative data is based on numbers. The research focuses on the frequency of incidences or analysis such as the metal and weapon scanners available at certain checkpoints covering particular border lengths. Quantitative analysis may also consider the number of border security officers patrolling a specific border area.
Advantages of Quantitative Analysis
Numerical analysis of data is straightforward since it involves counting. Researchers can, therefore, gather their raw data without delays. Additionally, during the data collection, the researcher might encounter other useful data outside the research restriction that could facilitate build the research facts.
Disadvantages
Basing research on numbers only could provide biased research facts especially when the research parameters are not well spread throughout the representative strata. Also, severe weather or unfriendly terrain could jeopardize research field practices by restricting movement and accessibility of the research grounds respectively.
In my research, to answer the question of whether the border expense is worth the nations’ taxpayers on the improvement of border security, I would employ both qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis. The mixed method would help to come up with comprehensive raw data which I would utilize to process a border security report on how to bolster citizens’ safety ((Gate Keeper Intelligent Security, 2017), without overspending. Qualitative research would be carried out on the border security authorities to assess their systems while quantitative research would focus on individual views on the matters pertaining border security, suggestions on how to improve it and the analysis on whether citizens suppose the budgeted security resources could adequately cover them.
To conclude, appropriate research reports are processed from comprehensive and extensive gathered raw data. For researchers to come up with statistical facts, different research methods such as the quantitative and qualitative research techniques, have to be employed to decrease data bias and cover a wide area. The representative sections provide the statistical data that represents the whole sampling region. Statistical tests are applied during analysis to come up with the most suitable deduction of the research subject. Blending both numerical and technical statistical data provides reliable statistical reports that may be used to make important decisions such as reinforcing border security.
/
Reference
Gate Keeper Intelligent Security (2017): 3 Steps to Improve Border Security Checkpoint., July 14th, Retrieved From: https://www.gatekeepersecurity.com/blog/3-steps-improve-border-security/
