FINDING A RESEARCH TOPIC AND APPROACH

Exploring:

Matters of Content – what it would entail, content-wise

Matters of Disciplinary ‘Home’ – i.e. Marketing? Finance? HRM? etc.

Matters of Methodology – How has the problem been researched in the past and could it be researched using different methods or methodology?

•          An example of using a theory-led approach to finding a research topic:

•          Theory: “When groups are formed, they go through 4 stages of dynamical change. These are the forming, storming, norming and performing stages of development” – attributed to Tuckman

Aim of research:

•          To verify or falsify the theory - deductivist; OR

•          To observe a group of Level 2 students when they are put into groups to see whether or not Tuckman’s theory is borne out in reality – inductivist or deductivist;

•          To experience being a member of a newly-formed group - inductivist

•          An example of newspaper article-led research topic generation:

•          Newspaper item: “A Dutch company has reported a doubling of productivity as a result of being given half-a-day a week off as paid leave”

•           Example of Aim of research: to see whether or not this outcome could be replicated in UK organisation

Sources of Research Ideas

•          Textbook theories to be tested or developed

•          Newspaper articles

•          Internet sources

•          General primary, secondary or tertiary sources

•          Case studies

•          Special personal interest – e.g. hobby

Primary Sources:

•          These provide first-hand data, information, observations, measurement or experience

•          Primary sources usually yield information as the subject/topic is researched

•          Nevertheless, retrospective accounts may sometimes provide primary data  (e.g. autobiographies,etc)

•          Primary sources are identified by content, not format of presentation (e.g. document, picture, etc)

Secondary Sources

•          These are sources that comment on, develop, expand on ….a primary source

•          Thus, secondary sources usually draw on data to extract information, via analysis, interpretation, synthesis, evaluation, generation, etc.

Tertiary Sources

•          A Tertiary source is an index, a summary or distillation of data, ideas, information, etc from both primary and secondary sources

•          Used to provide overviews of primary and secondary sources material

•          Examples of Tertiary sources are guidebooks, dictionaries, user guides, and survey articles

Primary sources in organisational and management research – some examples

•          Interviews

•          Questionnaires

•          Observation

•          Insider accounts

•          Company annual reports

•          Minutes of meetings

•          Audit reports

•          Market research reports (also secondary)

•          Speeches, addresses, etc.

•          Recorded material – audio, video, etc.

Brainstorming

•          Usually used in groups

•          Involves researcher/group members suggesting ideas that come to mind instantaneously, concerning a given topic or problem

•          After the immediate suggestions specific ideas not usually associated with the topic my be offered

Concept/Mind Mapping

•          An idea or topic is selected

•          Associated words, pictures, philosophies, skills, tasks etc are generate

•          The idea or topic is connected to the associated words etc, via a diagram

•          Aids in thinking holistically about a concept.

Narrowing down a topic

•          Rules of the game: Narrow down; then narrow down again; then narrow down further; etc.

•          Aim to find out more and more about less and less until there is as much as could be possibly known about a very small topic area, within the circumstances

•          Camera metaphor: the narrower the aperture the sharper the image; focusing sharpens the image

Narrowing down a topic- Some questions to ask

•          General area of interest: what is my motivation for doing this research?

•          Do I know enough about the subject?

•          Will the research add value or generate new insights?

•          Are the resources available – e.g. what is already known about the subject?

•          Am I comfortable with the concepts and techniques required?

•          What standards are required (e.g. ethics)?

•          Is sufficient time available?

•          What are the perceived problems?

•          Could a unique or different angle be found to understand the problem with?

Further points to consider:

•          Availability of subjects/situation to research

•          Where, specifically, may data (primary or secondary) be resourced?

•          What are the specific research questions?

•          What is an appropriate research philosophy or methodological approach for such a piece of research?

•          (in deductivist approaches:) whether or not a control group could be formed

•          How will research findings be disseminated – i.e. via published articles, a dissertation, a conference paper, or other medium?

•          What specific professional (or academic institutional) ethical code would be followed?

•          (in some types of research:) whether or not funding could be obtained for the research and if so, how

•          the degrees of risk involved in attempting the research

•          research skills required of the researcher

•          adequacy of research subjects – e.g. education, levels of understanding, etc.

•          access to the research group – especially if research would involve children or sensitive aspects of an organisations’ activities

•          ‘symmetry of outcomes’: if things go wrong in the research, is there still likely to be findings of interest to come from the research?