About the Authors????
Preface to Fifth Edition????
Part 1 Producing a Proposal
1Introduction
1.1 The concept of research
1.1.1 Research: a careful search/investigation
1.1.2 Research: contribution to knowledge
1.1.3 A learning process
1.1.4 Contextual factors affecting research
1.2 Classifications of research
1.2.1 Pure and applied research
1.2.2 Quantitative and qualitative research
1.2.3 Other categories of research
1.3 Theories and paradigms
1.3.1 Development of knowledge
1.3.2 Testing a theory
1.3.3 Paradigms
1.3.4 Positivism
1.3.5 Interpretivism
1.3.6 Pragmatism
1.3.7 Models and hypotheses
1.4 Research styles/methods
1.4.1 Action research
1.4.2 Ethnographic research
1.4.3 Surveys
1.4.4 Case studies
1.4.5 Experiments
1.5 Quantitative and qualitative approaches
1.5.1 Quantitative approaches
1.5.2 Qualitative approaches
1.5.3 Triangulated studies
1.5.4 Data sources
1.6 Where to begin
1.7 Summary
References
2Topic for Study
2.1 Selection of a topic
2.1.1 Resources
2.1.2 Subject selection
2.1.3 Choosing a topic
2.1.4 Evaluating alternatives
2.1.5 Refining a topic
2.2 Writing the proposal
2.2.1 Aim
2.2.2 Proposition
2.2.3 Objectives
2.2.4 Hypotheses
2.2.5 Methodology and methods
2.2.6 Programme
2.2.7 Deliverables and industrial / practitioner support
2.3 Summary
References
Part 2 Executing the Research
3 Initial Research
3.1 The research process
3.1.1 Initial phase
3.1.2 Data and information
3.1.3 Dynamic process
3.2 Initial search
3.2.1 Definitions and assumptions
3.2.2 Theory and literature reviews
3.2.3 Analysing data from a search
3.3 Literature based discovery
3.4 Assembling the theoretical framework
3.4.1 Theory borrowing
3.4.2 Theorising
3.5 Philosophy and paradigms
3.5.1 Ontology, epistemology and axiology
3.5.2 Positivism
3.5.3 Realism
3.5.4 Interpretivism
3.5.5 Constructivism
3.5.6 Phenomenalism
3.5.7 Postmodernism
3.5.8 Pragmatism
3.6 Fuzzy thinking
3.7 Theoretical models and constructs
3.7.1 Theoretical model
3.7.2 Constructs
3.8 Proper referencing
3.9 Summary
References
4Approaches to Empirical Work
4.1 Starting data collection
4.2 Experience
4.3 Reasoning and inference
4.3.1 Sensemaking
4.3.2 Motivated reasoning
4.3.3 Determinism and stochasticism
4.3.4 Complexity
4.4 Systems of methods
4.5 Research design
4.5.1 Context
4.5.2 Variance and errors
4.5.3 Empiricism, rationalism and verification
4.6 Qualitative and quantitative approaches
4.6.1 When are qualitative approaches employed?
4.6.2 When are quantitative approaches employed?
4.7 Experimental
4.7.1 Experiments and quasi-experiments
4.7.2 Variables
4.7.3 Experimental control
4.7.4 Replication
4.7.5 Between-subjects design (simple randomised experiments)
4.7.6 Between-subjects design (matched randomised groups)
4.7.7 Within-subject design (repeated measure design)
4.7.8 Factorial experiments
4.8 Survey
4.9 Secondary
4.9.1 Archival
4.9.2 Meta-analysis
4.10 Case study
4.11 Ethnographic
4.11.1 Ethnography
4.11.2 Ethnomethodology
4.12 Action
4.13 Grounded theory (development of theory from data)
4.14 Narrative
4.15 Modelling
4.15.1 Classification of models
4.15.2 Deterministic and stochastic models
4.15.3 The modelling process
4.16 Simulation
4.16.1 Dynamism
4.16.2 Heuristics
4.16.3 Approaches
4.17 Level of research
4.18 Practise-based research
4.19 Summary
References
5Hypotheses
5.1 Essentials of a valid hypothesis
5.2 Roles of hypotheses
5.3 Objective testing of hypotheses
5.4 Role of sampling
5.5 Common statistical measures
5.5.1 Normal distribution
5.6 Null hypotheses
5.7 Validities
5.8 Summary
References
6Data Collection
6.1 Data requirements
6.2 Sources of quantitative data
6.3 Collecting data from respondents
6.3.1 Questionnaires
6.3.2 Interviews
6.4 Case studies
6.5 Triangulation
6.6 Sampling
6.6.1 Sample size
6.7 Scales of measurement
6.7.1 Scaling techniques (non-metric and metric)
6.7.2 Common scaling methods
6.7.3 Development of multi-item scales
6.8 Obtaining data
6.9 Translation
6.10 Response styles and biases
6.11 Summary
References
7Data Analysis
7.1 Analysing data
7.2 Plotting data
7.3 Statistical methods
7.4 Non-parametric tests
7.4.1 Sign test
7.4.2 Rank-sum rests
7.4.3 Chi-square (c2) test
7.4.4 Goodness of fit
7.5 Parametric tests
7.5.1 t-Test
7.5.2 Analysis of variance (ANOVA)
7.5.3 Regression and correlation
7.5.4 Multiple regression
7.5.5 Time series
7.5.6 Index numbers
7.6 Other analytical techniques
7.6.1 Cluster analysis
7.6.2 Factor analysis
7.6.3 Path analysis
7.6.4 Analytic hierarchy process (AHP)
7.7 Analysis of qualitative data
7.7.1 Analysing documents (from texts)
7.7.2 Conversation analysis
7.7.3 Discourse analysis
7.7.4 Social network analysis
7.7.5 Multi-level research
7.7.6 Meta-analysis
7.7.7 Longitudinal research
7.8 Summary
References
8 Ethics in Research
8.1 The concepts of morals and ethics
8.2 Research ethics
8.2.1 Theory and literature
8.2.2 Data collection, use and disposal
8.3 Data analysis, intellectual property and data protection
8.3.1 Data analysis, results and reporting
8.3.2 Intellectual property
8.3.3 Data protection
8.4 Equality, diversity and inclusion
8.5 Summary
References
Part 3 Reporting the Results
9 Results, Inferences and Conclusions
9.1 Requirements for valid results
9.2 Potential sources of error
9.3 Reliability
9.4 Results
9.4.1 Producing the results
9.4.2 Introductory results
9.4.3 Substantive results
9.4.4 Inferences
9.4.5 Causal relationships
9.4.6 Interpretation
9.5 Conclusions
9.5.1 How to write conclusions
9.5.2 Further research
9.6 Summary
References
10 Reports and Presentations
10.1 Report production
10.2 Communication
10.3 Contents of the report
10.3.1 How to begin
10.3.2 Text of the report
10.3.3 Theory and literature
10.3.4 Reporting on methodology and methods
10.3.5 Reporting on data sourcing and data collection
10.3.6 Presentation of results
10.3.7 Discussion of results
10.3.8 Conclusions
10.3.9 Limitations
10.3.10 Recommendations
10.3.11 Introduction
10.3.12 Remainder of the report
10.4 Oral presentation
10.5 Summary
Index