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Summary Academic Project
- Vak
- Academic Project
- Instelling
- Universiteit Van Amsterdam (UvA)
An extended summary for the course of Academic Project of the Pre-master Business Administration at UvA.
[Meer zien]Voorbeeld 4 van de 97 pagina's
Voorbeeld 4 van de 97 pagina's
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Voorbeeld van de inhoud
Research methods for business studentsChapter 1 business and management research, reflective diaries
1.1 Introduction
Throughout the book we use the term methods to refer to techniques and procedures used to
obtain and analyse data. This includes questionnaires, observation and interviews a well as both
quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (non-statistical) analysis techniques. The term
methodology refers to the theory of how research should be undertaken.
1.2 The nature of research
Research is sometimes used wrongly:
Just collecting facts or information with no clear purpose;
Reassembling and reordering facts or information without interpretation;
As an esoteric activity with no or little relevance to everyday life;
As a term to get your product or idea noticed and respected.
While collecting data may be a part of the research process, if it is not undertaken in a systematic
way, on its own and, in particular, without a clear purpose, it will not be seen as research. While
the assembly of data from a variety of sources may be part of the process of research, without
interpretation it is not research. Research has a number of characteristics:
Data are collected systematically;
Data are interpreted systematically;
There is a clear purpose: to find thing out.
Research can be defined as a process that people undertake in a systematic way in order to find
out things, thereby increasing their knowledge. Systematic suggests that research is based on
logical relationship and not just beliefs. To find things out suggests there are a multiplicity of
possible purposes for your research. It is therefore an activity, which means it has to be finished
at some time to be of use.
1.3 Business and management research
Three features combine to make business and management a distinctive focus for research:
1. The eclectic nature of management and management research, drawing upon knowledge
developed in different disciplines. One feature which has gained considerable support, is
the transdiciplinary nature of such research. Using knowledge from a range of disciplines
enables management research to gain new insights that cannot be obtained through all of
these disciplines separately.
2. The high levels of education of both managers and employees.
3. The expectation for research to have some practical consequences and to lead directly to
action. Another feature of management research highlighted in the debate is a belief that
it should be able to develop ideas and relate them to practice. In particular, that research
should complete a virtuous circle of theory and practice. Thus, business and
management research needs to engage with both the world of theory and the world of
practice.
Using the dimensions of theoretical and methodological rigour and of practical relevance they
identify four quadrants. Hodgkinson et al. argue that pedantic science is characterised by a focus
on increasing methodological rigour at the expense of results that are relevant. In contrast,
popularist science is characterised by a focus on relevance and usefulness while neglecting
theoretical and methodological rigour. Puerile science both lacks methodological rigour and is of
limited practical relevance and, although unlikely to be found. Finally, pragmatic science is both
theoretical and methodologically rigorous and relevant. In the past decades debate about the
nature of management research has focused on how it can meet the double hurdle of being both
,theoretically and methodologically rigorous, while at the same time embracing the world of
practice and being of practical relevance.
It has centred around the production of knowledge and in particular the concepts of Mode 1 and
Mode 2 knowledge creation. Mode 1 knowledge creation, emphasises research in which the
questions are set and solved by academic interests, emphasising a fundamental rather than
applied nature, where there is little focus on utalisation of the research by practitioners. Mode 2
emphasises a context for research governed by practititioners, highlighting the importance of
collaboration both with and between practitioners and the need for the production of practical
relevant knowledge. Mode 2 offers a way of bringing the supply side of knowledge represented
by universities together with the demand side represented by business and overcoming the
double hurdle. Mode 0 knowledge creation, refers to the knowledge production based on power
and patronage, being particularly visible in the close relationship between sponsor and
researcher.
Drawing upon these debates, it could be argued that business and management research not
only needs to provide findings that advance knowledge and understanding, it also needs to
address business issues and practical managerial problems. Huff and Huff highlight a further
form of knowledge production; mode 3. Mode 3 knowledge production focuses on an
appreciation of the human condition as it is and as it might become, its purpose begin to assure
survival and promote the common good at various levels of social aggregation.
Tranfield and Denyar draw attention to concerns resulting form the separation of knowledge
producers from knowledge users. This has introduced a schism / relevance gap. Rousseau has
drawn attention to ways of closing what she terms the prevailing research-practice gap – the
failure of organisation and managers to base practices on the best available evidence. She extols
the virtues of ‘evidence-based management’ which derives principles from research evidence
and translates them into practices that solve organisational problems.
Some maintain that the gap between rigour and relevance is fundamentally unbridgeable
because management researchers and the researched inhabit different worlds, are engaged in
different activities and have different research orientations. Some argue that the research-
practice gap is due to more than differences in style and language, and that management
researchers can generate knowledge that is both socially useful and academically rigorous.
Ignoring the relevance gap would be unthinkable in other professional fields, such as medicine,
where a national scandal would ensue if science base and practice were not inextricably and
necessarily interlinked. This relates to the idea of conceptualising management as a design
science rather than a social science. From the design science perspective, the main purpose of
academic management research is therefore the only to develop valid knowledge to support
organisational problem solving.
At one extreme of the continuum is research that is undertaken purely to understand the process
of business and management and their outcomes. This is often termed basic, fundamental or
pure research. It is unlikely that Mode 2 and Mode 3 business and management research would
fulfil the criterion of being undertaken purely to understand due to at least some consideration
being given to practical consequences of what has been found out. Through considering the
practical consequences, the research would start to move towards the other end of the
continuum. At this end is research that is of direct and immediate use to managers, addresses
issues that they see as important, and is presented in ways that they understand and can act on.
This is termed applies research. Applied research can be very similar to consultancy, particularly
when the latter is conducted in a thorough manner.
,1.4 The research process
The precise number of stages varies, but they usually include formulating and clarifying a topic,
reviewing the literature, designing the research, collecting data, analysing data and writing up.
Each time you revisit a stage you will need to reflect on the associated issues and refine your
ideas.
1.5 Keeping a reflective diary or research notebook
Honey and Mumford view the learning process as going through a four-stage cycled of:
1. Concrete experience;
2. Observation and reflection in relation to the experience;
3. Forming abstract concepts and generalisation from these observations and reflections;
4. Testing these concepts and generalisation in new situations.
The learning cycle emphasises that for learning to happen you need to pass through the
complete cycle, as without reflection there will be no learning from experience.
, Chapter 2 formulating and clarifying the research topic
2.1 Introduction
formulating and clarifying the research topic is the starting point of your research project. Once
you are clear about this, you will be able to choose the most appropriate research strategy and
data collection and analysis techniques. Choosing your topic will involve a priod of intense
intellectual activity that will provide the opportunity to make a number of entries in your
reflective diary. Lincoln et al define reflexivity as the process of reflecting critically on the self as
researcher, research is like an going on a journey.
In the initial stages of formulating and clarifying process you will be generating and refining
research ideas. Before you start formulating and clarifying process we believe that you need to
understand what makes a good research topic.
2.2 Attributes of a good research topic
Your research topic must be something that you are capable of undertaking and one that excited
your imagination. Capability can be considered in a variety of ways. At the personal level you
need to feel comfortable that you have, or can develop, the skills that will be required to research
the topic. Your ability to find the financial and time resources to undertake research on the topic
will also affect your capability. This relates to the concept of feasibility. Capability also means you
must be reasonable certain of ganing access to any data you might need to collect. It is important
that the issues within your research are capable of being linked to academic theory.
It is also important that your topic will have symmetry of potential outcomes: that is, your
results will be of similar value whatever you find out. Without this symmetry you may spend a
considerable amount of time researching your topic, only to find an answer of little importance.
2.3 Generating and refining research ideas
Generating research ideas
There is a range of techniques that can be used to find and select a topic that you would like to
research. They can be though of as those that predominantly rational thinking and those that
involve more creative thinking. By using one or more creative techniques you are more likely to
ensure that your heart as well as your head is in your research project.
Rational techniques:
Examining your own strengths and interests: it is important that you choose a topic in
which you are likely to do well and already have some academic knowledge. There is the
need to think about your future, a project in the same field will provided you with the
opportunity to display clearly your depth of knowledge and your enthusiasm.
Examining staff research interests: you may follow the links within your institution’s
website to profile pages of academic staff. You may be able to use this as a funnel to help
you to explore and generate research ideas in which you would be interested for your
own project. In many cases, a member of staff will offer a short commentary on her or his
research interests which will provide more specific detail.
Looking at past project titles: looking at past projects is a useful way of generating
research ideas. For undergraduate and taught master’s degrees there are often called
dissertations. For research degrees they are termed theses.
Discussion: colleagues, friends and university tutors are all potentially good sources of
possible research ideas. Ideas can also be obtained by talking to people who work in or
have direct experience of the topic area in which you are interested to develop a research
idea. Self-employed people and small business owners may be useful to talk to depending
on your proposed topic area.
Searching existing literature: there are various types of literature that are of particular
use for generating research ideas, including articles in academic and professional
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