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Session 2:The nature of business and management research

Ian CammackAdapted from Saunders et al (2009)

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ObjectiveAt the end of this session you should be able to:

Appreciate the different types of research that take place

Appreciate Different Styles / Types of Journal

Make informed choices that helps your research balance ‘purposeful’ and ‘thoughtful’

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A ‘straw poll’ : research in the Guardian 95,000 hits

Report reveals why so many children end up in prison

Richard Scudamore canvasses opinion on new financial rules

Universal education

Promote gender equality and empower women

Creative projects in schools are threatened by funding cuts

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95% of children in Britain have been victims of crime ...

APPRECIATE THE POWER OF ‘THOUGHT LEADERSHIP’

APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METHODS AND METHODOLOGY

APPRECIATE THE ‘POWER’ BEHIND THE CLAIMS

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Guardian Straw Poll : Research & BusinessNokia World 2010: Mobile giant will look to recapture greatness

Financial markets are still ruled by instant gratification

Double-dip recession looms as jittery private sector cuts back

Shops are closing on the high street. And the north is hardest hit

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Features of business and management research

Managers draw on knowledge from other disciplines

Managers are more likely to allow access if they seecommercial or personal advantage

Managers now tend to be as educated as the researchers

Managers require research to have some practical consequence

Easterby-Smith et al. (2008)

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Harvard Business Review HOW BUSINESS SCHOOLS LOST THEIR WAY. Authors: Bennis, Warren G. & O'Toole, James Source: Harvard Business Review; May2005, Vol. 83 Issue 5, p96-104, 9p, 2

This article looks at business schools and the failures in their curriculum that contributes to a lack of management skills among graduates. According to the author, business schools are on the wrong track. For many years, Masters of Business Administration programs enjoyed rising respectability in academia and growing prestige in the business world. Their admissions were selective, graduates could command large salaries. By 2005 MBA programs faced intense criticism for failing to impart useful skills, leadership training, failing to instill norms of ethical behavior and even failing to lead graduates to good corporate jobs. According to the authors this situation grew out a trend wherein business schools treated business as a science, rather than as a profession. In such an environment excellent research is produced but little of it has a base in practical application.

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Modes 1, 2 or 3Mode 1: fundamental or theoretical questions

Mode 2: research governed by the world of practice

Mode 3: appreciation of the human condition as it is and as it might become

READ THIS PAPER ON MODE 2:MacLean (2002) British Journal of ManagementVol. 13; 189-207 “Mode 2 Management Research”

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Features of business and management research (2) Basic and applied research

Sources:

Saunders’ et al experience; Easterby-Smith et al. (2008); Hedrick et al. (1993)

Figure 1.1 Basic and applied research

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The Relevance Gap

Pedantic

Puerile(Immature)

Theoretical Rigour

Practical Relevance

Pragmatic

Popularist

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The research process

Factors to consider

The impact of your personal feelings and beliefs

Access to data

Time and other resources

Validity and reliability of the data

Ethical issues

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Summary:

Business and management research

Is transdisciplinary

Engages with both theory and practice

Involves undertaking systematic research

Should be undertaken with rigour

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Exploring past projects / personal preferences

6 projects you LIKEWhat appeals to you about themWhat is good about the projectWhy is this good?

3 projects you DON’T LIKEWhat do you dislike about themWhat is bad about the projectWhy is this bad?

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Ranking of Journals World Leading 4* Internationally excellent 3*Recognised internationally 2*Recognised nationally 1*Unclassified 0

CLICK TO OPEN

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Harvard Business Review Labianca, Giuseppe "Joe"1 Harvard Business Review; Sep2010, Vol. 88 Issue 9, p28-29, 2p, Abstract: An interview is presented with management researchers Travis J. Grosser and

Virginie Lopez-Kidwell who defend their study on social interactions which found that gossip can be beneficial to organizations and individuals. Topics include information sharing, the emotional effect of gossip, a group understanding of proper behavior, and managers' perception of gossip as a subversive activity.

Be a Better Manager: Live Abroad. Authors: Maddux, William W., Galinsky, Adam D., Tadmor, Carmit T.3 Harvard Business Review; Sep2010, Vol. 88 Issue 9, The article offers the authors' views on expatriate management programs and the benefits

from executives interacting with the people and institutions of the host country. The idea that international experience or interaction between foreign managers and local people will help managers become more creative, entrepreneurial, and successful is discussed. The concept of integrative complexity in bi-cultural managers which enhances job performance is mentioned. The authors' research at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management which involves the behavioral test called the Duncker candle problem and creative thinking to find the correct solution is mentioned.

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Academy of Management Review **** WHAT ABOUT THE LEADER IN LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE? THE IMPACT OF RESOURCE

EXCHANGES AND SUBSTITUTABILITY ON THE LEADER. Authors: WILSON, KELLY SCHWIND, SIN, HOCK-PENG Academy of Management Review; Jul2010, Vol. 35 Issue 3, p358-372, 15pTo date, leader-member exchange (LMX) research has primarily examined member outcomes,

such as member attitudes and performance. However, little research exists regarding outcomes specific to the leader. Focusing on the leader-member dyad, we develop a framework of leader outcomes resulting from resource exchanges with members. We propose specific resource substitutes and discuss the impact of LMX quality on the leader.

UNPACKING GENERATIONAL IDENTITIES IN ORGANIZATIONS. JOSHI, APARNA et al Academy of Management Review; Jul2010, Vol. 35 Issue 3, p392-414, 23pGenerational phenomena underlie several complex organizational challenges. Yet many

fundamental questions regarding what generations mean and what the implications of generational differences in organizations are remain unanswered. The framework proposed in this paper allows us to incorporate multidisciplinary conceptualizations of generations as various dimensions of a generational identity, to specify conditions under which these dimensions may be activated in organizational contexts, and to derive implications for intergenerational interactions.

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Specialist Journals

American Sociological Review 4*Annual Review of Psychology 4*Behavioural Research in Accounting 4*Applied Economics Quarterly 2* Applied Ergonomics 2*Applied Financial Economics 2*China Economic Review 2*Corporate Social Resp & Environmental Management 1*Creativity and Innovation Management 1*

11 with ‘American’ in the title3 with ‘China’ / ‘Chinese’ in the title

Who are the gate keepers of ‘truth’ .....

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http://hi.baidu.com/liutuo/blog/item/36276b274eb0b107918f9dfd.html