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The aim of this research note is to characterize the qualitative perspective as a theoretical and methodological approach. The study is an essay of theoretical nature, with a descriptive scope, which presents the characteristics that identify the qualitative perspective and configure their main virtues and challenges as methodological perspective. Unlike the quantitative methods that start from a positivist conception, structured from rigid criteria for the analysis of artificial aims, the qualitative ones act on the observation of the actors in their own terrain and language, from the interpretive paradigm. Its approach requires guidelines, which far from limiting the researcher, encourage the emergence of innovative ideas for the construction of new theories based on the observable phenomenon. These characteristics of the qualitative research associated with the application of flexible research designs imply obstacles that are difficult to overcome when complying with the growing formal requirements set forth by the evaluation committees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]