HC’s Research Methods for Analyzing Complex Problems
HC 1a: Introduction, PS, RO and RQ (part 1) (04/09/23)
-Book: “doing research in the real world” ->3rd, 4th,
or 5th
edition
-Lectures are leading in exam.
• Lectures -> Consists of concepts, theories and strategies
-Learning objectives:
• To understand the differences between beta- and gamma research (1ab, 2, 3)
• To acquire insight in, and understanding of, a real world research process, including knowledge of
the character of complex societal issues and the needs, advantages and disadvantages of real world
research (1ab, 3)
• To acquire insight into various quantitative and qualitative research methods, their underlying
theoretical concepts and their relative strengths and weaknesses (3, 4, 5, 8, 11)
• Being able to apply these various quantitative and qualitative research methods in a specific societal
context (3, 4, 5)
• To interpret quantitative and qualitative findings (8, 9, 10)
• Being able to create an adequate research design for the investigation of a specific complex societal
problem (1ab, 2, 3, 4 5, 6)
• To initiate the process of reflection in doing research (1ab, 2, 3, 6, all WG’s)
-Exams -> Mostly open questions
-Workgroups -> You may miss 1, more than 1? -> There will be decided what to do.
-Emails: (no contact via canvas)
• D.lynch@vu.nl
• M.gobianidze@vu.nl
What are complex problems?
-Definition -> Problems that are unpredictable, uncertain and multi-dimensional
-Complex problems have:
• Multiple actors/stakeholders
o Academic vs non-academic stakeholders
• Different (conflicting) facts, values and perspectives
• Various rules and regulations, management, and markets
• Different perceptions:
o Problem definitions
o Problem roots
o Solutions
Research
-Definition of research -> Research is something that people undertake in order to find out things in a
systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge.
-Goals of this lecture:
• Understand the internal consistence of Research Design elements
• Formulating a Research Objective
• Formulate Main Research Question
-How to study real world research?
• For transforming the world, we do:
o Action research
o Transdisciplinary research
• For understanding the world, we do:
o Case study
o Ethnography
, • For measuring the world, we do:
o Survey research
o Experimental research
-Transdisciplinary research -> Disciplines mix with each other and involving people’s opinions, so
incorporating the non-academic environment!
• Is different than:
o Monodisciplinary -> involving a single academic discipline
o Multidisciplinary -> Don’t mingle with each other, but all study the same problem
▪ So, they all have their own perspective
o Interdisciplinary -> Different disciplines mix with each other to fight a problem
-Real world research:
• Society is our laboratory
• Doing research in an uncontrolled environment
• Focus on change
o Actors need to move a little bit more towards change
• Complex problems
• What are key problem-solving skills?
-How to design real world research?
-Designing real world research -> Four basic questions of doing research:
• Why – My contribution!
o What I want to achieve
• What – My research area!
o The concepts I will study
, − What do we want to achieve?
− What will be the contribution?
− What are we going to study exactly?
• How – How to proceed!
o How will we study it
▪ The way I collect material
▪ The way I analyze it
▪ Depending on time frames/skills
• Which -> Which theoretical lens/glasses will we look through such that it will be understanded by
the audience.
o Is about perspectives!
-Steps in doing research:
• Research topic
• Introduction -> problem statement
• Objective & RQ -> “you cannot solve to hunger problem in the whole world, but we can help this
problem in steps (more minor goals)).
• Theory & concepts
• Research questions
o So, come after the theory and concepts
• Methodology
• Work schedule
• New research questions
− Especially the first steps are important to get granted money for your research for example.
, -Things to keep in mind during study:
• Linearity is design as product
• Designing is a process -> Go back and forth and finetune to design
• Research design is developed through a process of research.
-All the things need to be connected -> Designing is an iterative process
-Principles of doing research:
• First principle of doing research -> Research is being a
designer
o Designing is defining and refining -> New insights
help to revise your definitions.
o Iterative process of coming to understand your
research object.
• Second principle of doing research -> Problematizing
o Try to understand the problem from different
stakeholders
o Not taking anything for granted, curiosity
o Ask implicit questions (deeper roots of problem)
o Practical and theoretical relevance
▪ Theoretical -> Public papers that state a problem
▪ Practical -> Real world issues for the involved parties (so the parties who are involved
the most)
• So, you have to talk to people to understand the real issue.
• Third principle of doing research -> Interpreting is related to your data
o Are interpretation steps standardized?
o Standardization of interpretation steps is impossible... ?
o Interpretation steps have to be made explicit (perspective)
o Are you aware of your role as a researcher?
-What to think about when choosing a topic?
• How to select a research topic?
o Entering content with you’re sometimes unfamiliar with
• How to formulate a research objective and a (main) research question?
• Understanding the Contextual Background
− These will form your introduction
Selecting a research topic
-You inform yourself through research (published papers)/ when you talk with people at the workplace.
