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TOPIC 01

COURSE INTRODUCTIONLECTURER: THANG NGUYEN @ FSB HANOI

BASED ON: SAUNDERS ET AL(2012)

RESEARCH METHODS FOR BIZ STUDENTS

Dissertation

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OUTLINE

Business & management research

Theory vs practicality

Research process

Textbook overview

Reflective diary

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BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

DEFINITION OF BIZ & MGMT RESEARCH

an undertaking

to find out things

about business and management

in a systematic way,

thereby increasing knowledge

TO FIND OUT THINGS

clear purposes of researchPractical consequence: take some action

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BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

SYSTEMATIC WAY

research based on logical relationships

data collected with clear plans

data analysed & interpreted with clear

purposes

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THEORY VS PRACTICALITY

Mgmt researcher Practitioner

Focus of interest

Why?; basic understanding;general enlightenment;

theoretical explanation;

substantive theory building

How to? usable knowledge;instrumental;

practical solutions;

local theory-in-use

Requirements

Rigorous theories & methodology Deadlines

Output

Academic publications Actionable results

View of the otherDisdain of practitioner;

desire to make a difference to

practice

Deprecate or ignore;

belief research can provide

insights to managers problems

Source: Saunders et al. (2012) Research Methods, pp. 10

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THEORY VS PRACTICALITY

Basic research Applied research

Purpose

- Expand knowledge

- New universal principles

- Findings of significance for

society in general

Purpose

- Particular understanding

- Narrow new knowledge

- Practical relevance for

managers & organizations

Context

- People in universities

- Objectives by researcher

- Flexible schedule

Context

- People in various settings

- Objectives negotiated

- Tight schedule

Source: Saunders et al. (2012) Research Methods, pp. 11

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THEORY VS PRACTICALITY

Taxonomy of

research

Higher

practical

relevance

Lower

practical

relevance

Higher

theoretical

rigor

Pragmatic

science

Pedantic

science

Lower

theoretical

rigor

Popularist

science

Puerile

science

Source: developed from Hodgkinson et al. (2001)

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RESEARCH PROCESS

RESEARCH PROCESS

Formulate & clarify a topic

Review literature

Design the research

Collect data

Analyse data

Write up a structured report

VISION OF A RESEARCH PROCESS

Not straightforward

Normally, iterative (progress graph)

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RESEARCH PROCESS

HOW TO START A RESEARCH PROJECT?

Write down ideas

Clarify research questions & objectives

Revise all previous thoughts

Get momentum and start rolling

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TEXTBOOK OVERVIEW

RESEARCH PROCESS IN MORE DETAILS

Our textbook: an excellent outline

SAUNDERS ET AL (2012) RESEARCH

METHODS

C01 Biz & mgmt researchC02 Clarifying topic

C03 Reviewing literature

C04 Philosophies & approachesC05 Research design

C06 Access & research ethics

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TEXTBOOK OVERVIEW

SAUNDERS ET AL (2012) RESEARCH

METHODS

C07 Sample selectionC08 Secondary Data

C09 Primary data via observation

C10 Primary data via interviewsC11 Primary data via questionnaires

C12 Quantitative analysis

C13 Qualitative analysisC14 Writing and presenting

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REFLECTIVE DIARY

REFLECTIVE DIARY/RESEARCH NOTEBOOK

Chronological order

Both good and bad lessons

Read articles with summaries

Discussions with supervisor

Helpful conversations with peersSudden emergent thoughts

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REFLECTIVE DIARY

WHY A REFLECTIVE DIARY?

Secret of the learning process

LEARNING CYCLE (KOLB, HONEY, MUMFORD)

Concrete experience

Observation and reflectionAbstract concepts and generalisations

Testing concepts and new generalisations