Contents
Chapter 1: research, reflective diaries and the purpose of the book ............................. 9
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 9
1.2 The nature of research ................................................................................ 9
1.3 Business and management research ......................................................... 10
1.3.1 Trans disciplinarity ............................................................................ 10
1.3.2 Relevance and utility ......................................................................... 11
1.3.3 Rigour............................................................................................... 11
1.3.4 Modes of research ............................................................................. 12
1.3.5 The relevance gap ............................................................................. 12
1.3.6 Responsible research in business and management ............................ 13
1.3.7 Basic and applied research ................................................................ 14
1.4 The research process ............................................................................... 16
Readertekst – onderzoeksproces: alle fasen ......................................................... 17
Readertekst – Wetenschappelijk onderzoek en de afstudeerscriptie ....................... 18
A. Wat is onderzoek? .................................................................................... 18
B. Wat is wetenschappelijk onderzoek? ......................................................... 19
Taak bij week 1 ................................................................................................... 22
Readertekst: Inductie & deductie ......................................................................... 23
A. Deductie ................................................................................................. 23
B. Inductie ................................................................................................... 24
Chapter 2: Generating a research idea and developing your research proposal ........... 27
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 27
2.2 Characteristics of good research ideas ........................................................... 27
2.2.1 Appropriateness ..................................................................................... 27
2.2.2 Capability ............................................................................................... 28
2.2.3 Fulfilment ............................................................................................... 28
2.3 Generating research ideas ............................................................................. 29
2.3.1 Rational thinking techniques ................................................................... 29
2.3.2 Creative thinking ideas ............................................................................ 30
2.4 Refining research ideas ................................................................................. 31
Page 1 of 237
, 2.4.1 The Delphi technique .............................................................................. 31
2.4.2 Preliminary inquiry .................................................................................. 31
2.4.3 Integrating ideas ..................................................................................... 31
2.4.4 Refining ideas given by your employing organization .................................. 31
2.5 Developing your overarching research question ............................................... 31
2.5.1 The Goldilocks test ................................................................................. 32
2.5.2 The Russian doll principle and the AbC rule .............................................. 32
2.6 Writing a research aim and set of research objectives ...................................... 32
2.6.1 Research aim ......................................................................................... 32
2.6.2 Research objectives and investigative questions ....................................... 32
2.7 The importance of theory (week 6) .................................................................. 33
2.7.1 What theory is ........................................................................................ 33
2.7.2 Why theory is important .......................................................................... 33
2.7.3 How theory informs research ................................................................... 33
2.7.4 How theory is developed ......................................................................... 34
2.7.5 Types of theoretical contribution .............................................................. 34
2.8 The need for a research proposal .................................................................... 34
2.8.1 Providing a clear specification to guide your research project ..................... 35
2.8.2 Ensuring assessment criteria can be met .................................................. 35
2.9 Structuring your research proposal ................................................................. 36
2.9.1 Title ....................................................................................................... 36
2.9.2 Background ............................................................................................ 36
2.9.3 Overarching research question(s), research aim and objectives or
investigative questions .................................................................................... 36
2.9.3 Method .................................................................................................. 36
2.9.4 Timescale............................................................................................... 37
2.9.5 resources ............................................................................................... 37
2.9.6 References ............................................................................................. 37
Algemene info taken Brightspace (WEEK 6)........................................................... 37
Rol en functie van wetenschappelijk literatuuronderzoek ...................................... 37
TAAK CRITICAL REVIEW....................................................................................... 39
TAAK theorie ....................................................................................................... 40
Page 2 of 237
,Week 7: theoretisch raamwerk: theorie en verwachting ............................................ 43
Week 7.1 Opbouw theoretisch raamwerk ............................................................. 43
Structuur in geval van kwantitatief onderzoek: conceptueel model en hypotheses
...................................................................................................................... 45
Structuur in geval van kwalitatief onderzoek: conceptueel model en proposities . 45
Week 7.2 De hypothese....................................................................................... 46
Week 7.3 Proposities .......................................................................................... 46
Week 7 Bijeenkomst: hypothesen en proposities .................................................. 46
Week 8: Theoretisch raamwerk: conceptueel model ................................................. 48
Week 8.1 Variabelen en het conceptuele model .................................................... 48
Week 8.2 Consistentie tussen elementen in het onderzoek ................................... 49
Blok 2 samenvatting ............................................................................................... 50
Chapter 3: critically reviewing the literature ............................................................. 52
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 52
3.2 Being ‘critical’ and the purposes and forms of review ....................................... 53
3.2.1 Being ‘critical’ ......................................................................................... 53
3.2.2 Purposes of a critical review .................................................................... 54
3.2.3 Forms of critical review ........................................................................... 54
3.3 The content and structure of a critical review .................................................. 55
3.3.1 The content of a critical review ................................................................. 55
3.3.2 Possible structures for a critical review ..................................................... 55
3.4 Literature resources ...................................................................................... 56
3.4.1 Journals ................................................................................................. 57
3.4.2 Books..................................................................................................... 58
3.4.3 News media ........................................................................................... 58
3.4.4 Reports .................................................................................................. 58
3.4.5 Conference proceedings ......................................................................... 58
3.4.6 Theses ................................................................................................... 58
3.5 Planning your literature search ....................................................................... 58
3.5.1 Defining the parameters of your search .................................................... 59
3.5.2 Generating your search terms .................................................................. 59
3.6 Conducting your literature search .................................................................. 60
Page 3 of 237
, 3.6.1 Searching using databases ...................................................................... 60
3.6.2 Browsing and scanning ............................................................................ 61
3.6.3 General searching ................................................................................... 62
3.6.4 Institutional repositories and social networking platforms ......................... 62
3.6.5 Obtaining the literature............................................................................ 62
3.7 Reading critically and evaluating the literature................................................. 63
3.7.1 Adopting a critical perspective in your reading .......................................... 63
3.7.2 Evaluating the literature ........................................................................... 63
3.8 Note-taking and referencing ........................................................................... 64
3.8.1 Bibliographic details ............................................................................... 64
3.8.2 Brief summary of content ........................................................................ 64
3.8.3 Supplementary information ..................................................................... 64
3.9 Using systematic review ................................................................................ 64
3.10 Drafting your critical review .......................................................................... 65
3.11 A note about plagiarism ............................................................................... 66
TAKEN ONLINE ................................................................................................... 66
Bronnengebruik .................................................................................................. 67
Literatuurlijst .................................................................................................. 67
Verwijzing in de tekst ....................................................................................... 68
Chapter 5: Formulating the research design ............................................................. 70
Readertekst: hoe kom ik aan een probleemstelling? .............................................. 71
5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 72
5.2 Achieving a coherent research design ............................................................. 72
5.3 The research purpose .................................................................................... 72
5.3.1 Exploratory (verkennende) studies ........................................................... 73
5.3.2 Descriptive studies ................................................................................. 73
5.3.3 Explanatory (verklarende) studies ............................................................ 73
5.3.4 Evaluative studies ................................................................................... 73
5.3.5 Combined studies .................................................................................. 73
5.4 Methodological choice: choosing a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods
research design .................................................................................................. 74
5.4.1 Quantitative research designs .................................................................. 74
Page 4 of 237
Chapter 1: research, reflective diaries and the purpose of the book ............................. 9
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 9
1.2 The nature of research ................................................................................ 9
1.3 Business and management research ......................................................... 10
1.3.1 Trans disciplinarity ............................................................................ 10
1.3.2 Relevance and utility ......................................................................... 11
1.3.3 Rigour............................................................................................... 11
1.3.4 Modes of research ............................................................................. 12
1.3.5 The relevance gap ............................................................................. 12
1.3.6 Responsible research in business and management ............................ 13
1.3.7 Basic and applied research ................................................................ 14
1.4 The research process ............................................................................... 16
Readertekst – onderzoeksproces: alle fasen ......................................................... 17
Readertekst – Wetenschappelijk onderzoek en de afstudeerscriptie ....................... 18
A. Wat is onderzoek? .................................................................................... 18
B. Wat is wetenschappelijk onderzoek? ......................................................... 19
Taak bij week 1 ................................................................................................... 22
Readertekst: Inductie & deductie ......................................................................... 23
A. Deductie ................................................................................................. 23
B. Inductie ................................................................................................... 24
Chapter 2: Generating a research idea and developing your research proposal ........... 27
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 27
2.2 Characteristics of good research ideas ........................................................... 27
2.2.1 Appropriateness ..................................................................................... 27
2.2.2 Capability ............................................................................................... 28
2.2.3 Fulfilment ............................................................................................... 28
2.3 Generating research ideas ............................................................................. 29
2.3.1 Rational thinking techniques ................................................................... 29
2.3.2 Creative thinking ideas ............................................................................ 30
2.4 Refining research ideas ................................................................................. 31
Page 1 of 237
, 2.4.1 The Delphi technique .............................................................................. 31
2.4.2 Preliminary inquiry .................................................................................. 31
2.4.3 Integrating ideas ..................................................................................... 31
2.4.4 Refining ideas given by your employing organization .................................. 31
2.5 Developing your overarching research question ............................................... 31
2.5.1 The Goldilocks test ................................................................................. 32
2.5.2 The Russian doll principle and the AbC rule .............................................. 32
2.6 Writing a research aim and set of research objectives ...................................... 32
2.6.1 Research aim ......................................................................................... 32
2.6.2 Research objectives and investigative questions ....................................... 32
2.7 The importance of theory (week 6) .................................................................. 33
2.7.1 What theory is ........................................................................................ 33
2.7.2 Why theory is important .......................................................................... 33
2.7.3 How theory informs research ................................................................... 33
2.7.4 How theory is developed ......................................................................... 34
2.7.5 Types of theoretical contribution .............................................................. 34
2.8 The need for a research proposal .................................................................... 34
2.8.1 Providing a clear specification to guide your research project ..................... 35
2.8.2 Ensuring assessment criteria can be met .................................................. 35
2.9 Structuring your research proposal ................................................................. 36
2.9.1 Title ....................................................................................................... 36
2.9.2 Background ............................................................................................ 36
2.9.3 Overarching research question(s), research aim and objectives or
investigative questions .................................................................................... 36
2.9.3 Method .................................................................................................. 36
2.9.4 Timescale............................................................................................... 37
2.9.5 resources ............................................................................................... 37
2.9.6 References ............................................................................................. 37
Algemene info taken Brightspace (WEEK 6)........................................................... 37
Rol en functie van wetenschappelijk literatuuronderzoek ...................................... 37
TAAK CRITICAL REVIEW....................................................................................... 39
TAAK theorie ....................................................................................................... 40
Page 2 of 237
,Week 7: theoretisch raamwerk: theorie en verwachting ............................................ 43
Week 7.1 Opbouw theoretisch raamwerk ............................................................. 43
Structuur in geval van kwantitatief onderzoek: conceptueel model en hypotheses
...................................................................................................................... 45
Structuur in geval van kwalitatief onderzoek: conceptueel model en proposities . 45
Week 7.2 De hypothese....................................................................................... 46
Week 7.3 Proposities .......................................................................................... 46
Week 7 Bijeenkomst: hypothesen en proposities .................................................. 46
Week 8: Theoretisch raamwerk: conceptueel model ................................................. 48
Week 8.1 Variabelen en het conceptuele model .................................................... 48
Week 8.2 Consistentie tussen elementen in het onderzoek ................................... 49
Blok 2 samenvatting ............................................................................................... 50
Chapter 3: critically reviewing the literature ............................................................. 52
3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 52
3.2 Being ‘critical’ and the purposes and forms of review ....................................... 53
3.2.1 Being ‘critical’ ......................................................................................... 53
3.2.2 Purposes of a critical review .................................................................... 54
3.2.3 Forms of critical review ........................................................................... 54
3.3 The content and structure of a critical review .................................................. 55
3.3.1 The content of a critical review ................................................................. 55
3.3.2 Possible structures for a critical review ..................................................... 55
3.4 Literature resources ...................................................................................... 56
3.4.1 Journals ................................................................................................. 57
3.4.2 Books..................................................................................................... 58
3.4.3 News media ........................................................................................... 58
3.4.4 Reports .................................................................................................. 58
3.4.5 Conference proceedings ......................................................................... 58
3.4.6 Theses ................................................................................................... 58
3.5 Planning your literature search ....................................................................... 58
3.5.1 Defining the parameters of your search .................................................... 59
3.5.2 Generating your search terms .................................................................. 59
3.6 Conducting your literature search .................................................................. 60
Page 3 of 237
, 3.6.1 Searching using databases ...................................................................... 60
3.6.2 Browsing and scanning ............................................................................ 61
3.6.3 General searching ................................................................................... 62
3.6.4 Institutional repositories and social networking platforms ......................... 62
3.6.5 Obtaining the literature............................................................................ 62
3.7 Reading critically and evaluating the literature................................................. 63
3.7.1 Adopting a critical perspective in your reading .......................................... 63
3.7.2 Evaluating the literature ........................................................................... 63
3.8 Note-taking and referencing ........................................................................... 64
3.8.1 Bibliographic details ............................................................................... 64
3.8.2 Brief summary of content ........................................................................ 64
3.8.3 Supplementary information ..................................................................... 64
3.9 Using systematic review ................................................................................ 64
3.10 Drafting your critical review .......................................................................... 65
3.11 A note about plagiarism ............................................................................... 66
TAKEN ONLINE ................................................................................................... 66
Bronnengebruik .................................................................................................. 67
Literatuurlijst .................................................................................................. 67
Verwijzing in de tekst ....................................................................................... 68
Chapter 5: Formulating the research design ............................................................. 70
Readertekst: hoe kom ik aan een probleemstelling? .............................................. 71
5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 72
5.2 Achieving a coherent research design ............................................................. 72
5.3 The research purpose .................................................................................... 72
5.3.1 Exploratory (verkennende) studies ........................................................... 73
5.3.2 Descriptive studies ................................................................................. 73
5.3.3 Explanatory (verklarende) studies ............................................................ 73
5.3.4 Evaluative studies ................................................................................... 73
5.3.5 Combined studies .................................................................................. 73
5.4 Methodological choice: choosing a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods
research design .................................................................................................. 74
5.4.1 Quantitative research designs .................................................................. 74
Page 4 of 237
