MBA Intern (4 Days Left!): How do I convert qualitative startup work into a quantitative academic thesis?
Hi Folks!!
I did great qualitative brand management/influencer work at my startup internship, but my B-school requires a rigid, data-driven "Mixed Methods" quantitative report. I have 4 days left at the office to extract data. Help me figure out what numbers to pull and how to frame a "Research Gap!"
The Situation: I’m wrapping up a 2-month summer internship at an early-stage D2C sustainable products startup. I functioned in a 360-degree brand management role. My core work was entirely qualitative and execution-based:
Influencer Marketing: Scouted 80+ profiles, successfully executed campaigns with 10 based on strict organic metrics.
Customer Discovery: Conducted 30+ direct customer calls mapping out qualitative feedback on product durability/design.
Brand & PR: Revamped visual aesthetics, directed video content, and pitched to HORECA/ESG publications.
The Problem: My B-School’s evaluation committee is strictly mathematically driven. Their guidelines mandate statistical tools (Regression, ANOVA, etc.) and hypothesis testing, explicitly stating: "Avoid purely qualitative studies."
My Ask: I have 4 days left before my access to the company's backend data is gone. Has anyone successfully quantified qualitative marketing work (like influencer metrics, PR, or customer calls) for an academic thesis?
I am struggling to frame a solid "Research Gap" and figure out exactly what numbers I need to download now. If anyone is willing to let me pick their brain, I can share specific metrics over DM. I'll do all the heavy lifting, just need some strategic direction!