Business research summary
Page 42-54 Saunders
It is important to create a good research question. It is the centre of your
research project.
Questions may be divided into ones that are…
- Exploratory. Start with: how, what
- Descriptive. Start with: how, what, when, where, who, why
- Explanatory. Start with: why
- Evaluative. Start with: how, what. How much, how has…
Any research question will most likely start with who, when, what, why,
etc., especially the descriptive ones.
Sometimes questions seem too simple. But too difcult questions are
difcult to answer and to research.
Goldilocks test from Clough & Nutbrown (2012) is a way to decide if
research questions are too big, too small, too hot or just right.
Too big: they demand too many resources, so they need more
research funding.
Too small: are likely to be insufcient substance.
Too ‘hot’: sensitivities that might be stimulated as a result of doing
research (research that could directly or indirectly upset key
people).
Just right: questions that have been written to take into account the
researcher’s status and the availability of resources.
Pitfall to avoid: asking questions that will not generate new insights.
Clough & Nutbrown (2012) Russian doll principle = refning a draft
question until it refects the essence of your research, without including
any unnecessary words or intentions.
Research aim = a brief statement of the purpose of the research project.
research question and research aim are ways of saying what your
research is about
Research objectives = specifc result that you want to achieve with the
research. Clearer than questions or aims. Criteria to devise useful
objectives:
- Transparency (what does it mean?)
- Specifcity (what am I going to do?)
- Relevance (why am I going to do this?)
- Interconnectivity (how will it help to complete the research?)
- Answerability (will this be possible/where shall I obtain data?)
- Measurability (when will it be done?)
,Operationalise your question = to state the septs you intend to take to
answer the question.
Theory
Causality = theory is concerned with cause and efect.
Theory = story about something happening. 3 elements:
a. What are the variables that the theory examines?
b. How are these variables related?
c. Why are these variables related?
1. Who does the theory apply to?
2. Where does the theory apply?
3. When does this theory apply?
Theory needs logical reasoning to explain why the relationship exists.
The importance of theory must be recognised: therefore, it must be made
explicit.
Using existing theory can help you formulate a right research question.
Inductive approach vs deductive approach
Inductive = explore a subject by using data and develop a theoretical
explanation by that.
Collect data and then create theory
Deductive = theory driven to test the collection of data
Know theory and then collect data (to test theory)
3 types of theories:
, 1. Grand theories (usually thought to be the province of the natural
scientists like Newton).
2. Middle-range theories (lack the capacity to change the way we think
about the world but are nonetheless of signifcance).
3. Substantive theories (restricted to a particular time, research
setting, group or population or problem).
Research proposal = structured plan of proposed research project. You
need to be aware of:
Defne and identify research objective
Available literature and appropriate theory
Research philosophy and approach that you will use
Research design including methodological choice
Research strategy and time frame
Access and ethical issues
Defne target population and sample selection
Data collection models and data analysis techniques
Page 144-150
Next to inductive and deductive approaches you also have abductive
reasoning. All diferent ways to do research.
Abductive = begins with observing a ‘surprising fact’. This fact is rather a
conclusion than a premise.
Deduction
Data follows theory
6 steps approach:
1. Come up with a premise/idea/hypothesis to form a theory
2. Deduce a testable proposition by using existing literature
3. Examine the premises and the logic of the arguments, if it fts with
existing theory, go on
Page 42-54 Saunders
It is important to create a good research question. It is the centre of your
research project.
Questions may be divided into ones that are…
- Exploratory. Start with: how, what
- Descriptive. Start with: how, what, when, where, who, why
- Explanatory. Start with: why
- Evaluative. Start with: how, what. How much, how has…
Any research question will most likely start with who, when, what, why,
etc., especially the descriptive ones.
Sometimes questions seem too simple. But too difcult questions are
difcult to answer and to research.
Goldilocks test from Clough & Nutbrown (2012) is a way to decide if
research questions are too big, too small, too hot or just right.
Too big: they demand too many resources, so they need more
research funding.
Too small: are likely to be insufcient substance.
Too ‘hot’: sensitivities that might be stimulated as a result of doing
research (research that could directly or indirectly upset key
people).
Just right: questions that have been written to take into account the
researcher’s status and the availability of resources.
Pitfall to avoid: asking questions that will not generate new insights.
Clough & Nutbrown (2012) Russian doll principle = refning a draft
question until it refects the essence of your research, without including
any unnecessary words or intentions.
Research aim = a brief statement of the purpose of the research project.
research question and research aim are ways of saying what your
research is about
Research objectives = specifc result that you want to achieve with the
research. Clearer than questions or aims. Criteria to devise useful
objectives:
- Transparency (what does it mean?)
- Specifcity (what am I going to do?)
- Relevance (why am I going to do this?)
- Interconnectivity (how will it help to complete the research?)
- Answerability (will this be possible/where shall I obtain data?)
- Measurability (when will it be done?)
,Operationalise your question = to state the septs you intend to take to
answer the question.
Theory
Causality = theory is concerned with cause and efect.
Theory = story about something happening. 3 elements:
a. What are the variables that the theory examines?
b. How are these variables related?
c. Why are these variables related?
1. Who does the theory apply to?
2. Where does the theory apply?
3. When does this theory apply?
Theory needs logical reasoning to explain why the relationship exists.
The importance of theory must be recognised: therefore, it must be made
explicit.
Using existing theory can help you formulate a right research question.
Inductive approach vs deductive approach
Inductive = explore a subject by using data and develop a theoretical
explanation by that.
Collect data and then create theory
Deductive = theory driven to test the collection of data
Know theory and then collect data (to test theory)
3 types of theories:
, 1. Grand theories (usually thought to be the province of the natural
scientists like Newton).
2. Middle-range theories (lack the capacity to change the way we think
about the world but are nonetheless of signifcance).
3. Substantive theories (restricted to a particular time, research
setting, group or population or problem).
Research proposal = structured plan of proposed research project. You
need to be aware of:
Defne and identify research objective
Available literature and appropriate theory
Research philosophy and approach that you will use
Research design including methodological choice
Research strategy and time frame
Access and ethical issues
Defne target population and sample selection
Data collection models and data analysis techniques
Page 144-150
Next to inductive and deductive approaches you also have abductive
reasoning. All diferent ways to do research.
Abductive = begins with observing a ‘surprising fact’. This fact is rather a
conclusion than a premise.
Deduction
Data follows theory
6 steps approach:
1. Come up with a premise/idea/hypothesis to form a theory
2. Deduce a testable proposition by using existing literature
3. Examine the premises and the logic of the arguments, if it fts with
existing theory, go on
