Dissertation

TOPIC 04 PHILOSOPHIES & APPROACHES

LECTURER: THANG NGUYEN @ FSB HANOI BASED ON: SAUNDERS ET AL (2012)

RESEARCH METHODS FOR BIZ STUDENTS

OUTLINE Research philosophies Research approaches

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

RESEARCH ONION
Philosophy Approach Methodology Strategy Time horizon Techniques & procedures

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

ONION: PHILOSOPHY
Positivism Realism Interpretivism Pragmatism: concepts support actions Table 4.2 p140

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

ONION: APPROACH
Deduction Induction Abduction

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

ONION: METHODOLOGY
Mono method quantitative Mono method qualitative Multi method quantitative Multi method qualitative Mixed method simple Mixed method complex

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

ONION: STRATEGY
Experiment Survey Archival research Case study Ethnography Action research Grounded theory Narrative inquiry

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

ONION: TIME HORIZON

Cross-sectional Longitudinal

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

ONION: TECHNIQUES & PROCEDURES

Data collection Data analysis

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES
Pragmatism Positivism Realism Interpretivism

Ontology

External, multiple view

External, objective

Objective, realist/critical realist Observable

Socially constructed, subjective Subjective

Epistemology

Observable & subjective

Observable

Axiology

Value important, objective & subjective Quantitative, qualitative, mixed

Value-free

Value laden

Value bound

Data collection

Structured, large sample

Quantitative or qualitative

Small samples, qualitative

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

Dimension
Nature of reality

Continuum
External Socially constructed Objective Subjective

Acceptable knowledge

Observable phenomena Subjective meanings Generalisations Details

Role of value

Value free Value bound

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

PHILOSOPHY
Essence: assumptions in viewing the world Ontology: nature of reality - Objectivism: social phenomena independent of social actors - Subjectivism: social phenomena dependent on perceptions and actions of social actors - Social constructionism: reality socially constructed

RESEARCH PHILOSOPHIES

PHILOSOPHY
Epistemology: acceptable knowledge Positivism: data, causality, generalisation Realism: sense => reality Interpretivism: differences between humans Role of value: Axiology: choices reflect values Research paradigms: Figure 4.2 p141

RESEARCH APPROACHES

APPROACHES
Reasoning: deductive or inductive Deduction: premises true => conclusion true Induction: from premises to conclusion Abduction: premises => conclusion => tests Table 4.3 p144

RESEARCH APPROACHES

DEDUCTION STEPS
Theory: idea, premise, hypothesis Testable propositions/premises Literature comparison: new contribution Testing of premises using data Tests fail: reject, modify, restart Tests ok: theory corroborated

RESEARCH APPROACHES

DEDUCTION CHARACTERISTICS
Normally about what happens Search for causal relationship Origination from natural science Structured methodology: replication Operationalised concepts Reductionism Generalisation Sample size

RESEARCH APPROACHES

INDUCTION STEPS
Collection of data from a sample Data analysis => theory formulation Results: conceptual framework

RESEARCH APPROACHES

INDUCTION CHARACTERISTICS
Normally about how things happen Allowance of human interpretation of world Causal relationship in social science Permission of alternative explanations Less structured approach Importance of context Small sample rather than large Qualitative data rather than quantitative

RESEARCH APPROACHES

ABDUCTION
Combination of deduction & induction From data to theory From theory to data Go back & forth between 2 approaches

RESEARCH APPROACHES

MEANING OF APPROACH CHOICE

Informed decision about research design Choice of strategies/methodology Adapt to restrictions

COMBINATION OF 3 APPROACHES
Often advantageous to combine Emphasis of research Nature of research topic Originality of topic/question Practicality

RESEARCH APPROACHES

CHOICE OF APPROACHES
Deduction: wealth of literature & information; quick to do; lower-risk; more audience Induction: new issue; more time to do; higher risk Abduction: old here; new there; more time to do; higher risk