Research limitations/implications This literature search yielded seven qualitative papers, some with small sample sizes, meaning that the findings may not be representative of a wider population or di

The gap

Consensus across the literature

Supporting evidence — 4 representative gaps

• Strategies to Obtain Working Capital for Small Businesses (2026) · doi

  this study was Limitations stem from methodology and design issues beyond the researcher’s control (Yin, 2017). A the use of qualitative limitation of methodology because qualitative findings are subjective and dependent upon the researcher’s interpretation (see Dennis, 2018). Qualitative findings are specific to the population studied and not transferable to other populations, settings, or phenomena (Rahman, 2020; Simon & Goes, 2013). Qualitative data analysis was a limitation because reliability and validity depend on the researcher’s determination of relevant themes and data saturation (Simon & Goes, 2013). Another limitation was the time-intensive data analysis in case studies (see Heale & Twycross, 2018; Rahman, 2020), 5597 particularly those with participant interviews (see Queirós et al., 2017). Participants’ honesty and willingness to share information and documents could have been a limitation. In one-on-one interviews, social desirability bias may result when participants provide answers to present themselves in the best light rather than answering truthfully (Bergen & Labonté, 2020).

  Keywords: qualitative limitation researcher methodology rahman simon goes interviews participants limitations stem design issues beyond control
• Organizational and individual factors of the spin-off process from academic laboratories: an exploratory case study in life sciences (2025) · doi

  Limitations of the study: The study is subject to several limitations, some of which are common to qualitative research in general and some of which are unique to the study design; namely (i) it is based on a purposefully selected sample; (ii) qualitative studies are subject to researcher bias; (iii) the findings may not be generalizable to other contexts.

  Keywords: limitations subject qualitative several common general unique design namely based purposefully selected sample researcher bias
• Care leavers’ views about transition: a literature review (2019) · doi

  Research limitations/implications This literature search yielded seven qualitative papers, some with small sample sizes, meaning that the findings may not be representative of a wider population or directly relevant to international contexts.

  Keywords: limitations implications literature search yielded seven qualitative papers small sample sizes meaning representative wider population
• Determinants of perceived information need for emerging ICT adoption (2019) · doi

  Research limitations/implications The limitation of this study emerged because of the use of qualitative methodologies in relation to the research design, rigour in the collection and management of the large volume of the raw data, the data analysis and the credibility of the findings.

  Keywords: limitations implications limitation emerged qualitative methodologies relation design rigour collection management large volume credibility