Research
Methods for
Analyzing
Complex
Problems
Summary of all exam content,
including lectures and
workgroups
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,Lectures RMCP Part 1
Lecture 1a Introduction
Complex problems are:
• Unpredictable/uncertain
• Multi-dimensional
• Multiple actors
• Different perceptions → problem definitions, problem roots, solutions.
• Rules & regulations → management, markets.
• Different conflicting facts, values and perspectives.
How to study real world research? Options:
1. Transforming the world by action research and transdisciplinary research.
2. Understanding the world by case studies and ethnographies.
3. Measuring the world by survey research and experimental research.
Types of research
How to design real world research? Start research with objective to make clear what problem you
want to address or what you want to achieve.
4 basic questions research:
• Why (what is my contributions, what I want to achieve)
• What (will I study, my research area)
• How (how to proceed, way of collecting material, way to analyze)
• Which (theoretical) perspective (Inform reader on why certain things are relevant)
3 Principles of doing research:
1. Research is being a designer. Designing and defining and refining. New insights help to revise
your definitions. Designing is an iterative process of coming to understand your research
object.
2. Problematizing. Not taking anything for granted, curiosity. Ask implicit questions (deeper
roots of problem). Practical and theoretical relevance.
3. Interpreting is relating to your data. Are interpretation steps standardized? Standardization
of interpretation steps is impossible…? Interpretation steps have to be made explicit
(perspective). Are you aware of your role as a researcher?
A good research topic is:
- Interesting
- Meet academic requirements
- Accessible information, material & data
Research objective (doelstelling) = contributes to problem solving, addressing a situation, has
practical and theoretical relevance. Quality criteria for effective RO: useful (practical and theoretical
relevance), realistic, feasible, clear (your contribution to solving problem) & informative.
Demarcation is key (otherwise unfeasible, invalid, unreliable results).
A research objective is external objective that is met by internal objectives.
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,External objective = contribution of your research project to solution of the problem.
Internal objective = the way in which this will be done/insights, information, knowledge needed.
Literature review = to demarcate the study. What are approaches that have been tried out already
but don’t work? Learn from previous research. Identify knowledge gaps and inconsistencies.
Contextual background = specific aspects needed to know to understand the complexity of the
research. Ex: relevant stakeholders and their positions with problem. Relevant political, economic,
social developments (laws, policies), demographics and type of organization (flat or horizontal).
Lecture 1b Introduction
Goals lecture:
- Understand a bit more of complex and persistent problems
- Reflect on consistency between Problem Statement (PS), Research Objective (RO), and RQ
- Understanding the contextual background
Mixed-method research design = both qualitative and quantitative.
Pages 24-27 Verschuren and Dooreward; understanding iterative process
Complex, Persistent problems not have one definition of the problem. Stakeholders have different
perspectives on problem and causes and consequences at different systemic levels (globally, locally,
personally). Therefore: no equivocal solution. Synonyms = unstructured, wicked, ill-defined.
- Complex; multiple causes and consequences exist – covering several societal domains – and
rooter in societal structures and institutions.
- Uncertain; no easy solution. Reduction uncertainty by more knowledge is not always
possible, and every possible solution changes the perception of the problem.
- Difficult to manage; many different actors are involved, with different interests.
- Difficult to grasp because of unclear structure and boundaries.
- No agreement on values, facts and relevancy of facts, and that are firmly rooted in our
existing institutions and structures. Every solution will have negative side-effects
Problem structuring = important because seem to fail more often because we solve wrong problem
OR get the wrong solution to the right problem.
(Main) research question is efficient, provide direction (steering) & fluid/hypothesis.
Example: Primary school teachers notice that more of their students are overweight. They wonder
whether they, as educators, should take action.
1.To make recommendations to primary schools on how to solve the problem of many overweight
students not participating in PE lessons by providing insights into the perceptions of overweight
primary school students concerning their PE lessons.
RQ: What are the perceptions of overweight primary school children regarding their PE lessons? →
too broad, what happened to overweight? Who says PE lessons is the only cause?
2. ‘” by analyzing which factors contribute to participation in PE lessons.
RQ: which factors contribute to participation in PE lessons? → Don’t forget it’s about being
overweight, not just participation in PE.
3.”” by analyzing which factors influence participation in PE lessons.
RQ: Which social factors in primary schools influence Dutch primary school student’s motivation to
participate in PE lessons?
To make recommendations to the Municipality of Amsterdam on how to solve the problem of food
waste within healthcare organizations and hospitals by analyzing what opportunities there are in the
healthcare organizations/hospitals in the MRA need in order to reduce food waste.
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, RQ: To make recommendations
Key characteristics of approaches to persistent problems:
- Multi stakeholder perspective
- Multi-level (local to global)
- Multiple aspects (problems in their context)
Use stakeholder mapping/actor analysis to make sense of the stakeholders in this complex
problems.
Take home message:
- Understanding the complexity of your research, is an iterative process on itself.
- Consistency between problem statement, research objective and research question is key.
- Contextual background is different from theoretical background.
Lecture 2 Theory Concepts and Models
The importance of framing your research building upon scientific knowledge base.
Conceptual framework = theory + concepts.
Aka: conceptual model, theoretical model, analytical framework etc.
3 things to remember:
1. Concepts provide a perspective
2. Concepts help you to move between real world observations (empirical/non-
academic/societal is the same) and scientific theories.
3. Ask yourself: what do we mean by …(concept)…? = Operationalizing concepts. Making clear
what you as choice-maker for using this concept mean by that. Means making them:
observable, distinguishable and variable. Problems are complex, think of what do the other
stakeholders mean by that concept?
Ex: Research objects: the fairness of the hockey game. Research concepts: fairness
Ask yourself: what do we mean by fairness? How do we define fairness? Interpreting the rules from
both sides the same, or how each team plays hockey or how the referee (scheidsrechter) rules.
Concepts = something conceived in the mind. An abstract notion or idea that we use to apply general
terms to things/persons, events etc. How you will structure your research, what you will ask and how
you obtain information (interviews or questionnaire).
- Conceptual ladenness of perception. See a rabbit or duck. Switching between perspectives.
Everyone in team sees something else, other perspectives. Words have
different meanings for everyone, need to clarify this.
Ex: How to reduce obesity in toddlers? We have 4 job openings:
nutritionist, psychologist, behavioral scientists or policy scientist.
The conceptual model/framework consists of the theoretical background and contextual background.
Contextual background = the practice. What do you need to know about your context?
Ex: What is going on in and around the topic.
Theoretical background = what has been said in the literature about the research topic. Name and
frame different concepts.
Ex: what is obesity? What are the causes, mechanisms, influences and contextual factors.
Why do we need conceptual models? Important to understand how people think and communicate.
Everyone has different perspective/language. Conceptual models help to connect and be informed.
Deductive Inductive
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