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Postgraduate Course
British Academy of Management
Linking Research Questions
to Appropriate Designs
London, Dec 13, 2012
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Postgraduate Course
Randomized controlled study? Grounded theory approach? Cohort / panel study? Qualitative field research? Longitudinal study? Post-test only study? Survey? Action research? Case study?
What is the best design?
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Postgraduate Course
What is the BEST car?
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Postgraduate Course
(more / less appropriate)
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Postgraduate Course
What is the best design?
quants vs quallies, positivists vs post structuralist, etc
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Postgraduate Course
on the research question
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Postgraduate Course
Types of questions
Does it work?
Does it work better than ....?
Does it have an effect on ....?
What is the success factor for ....?
What is required to make it work ...?
Will it do more good than harm?
Effect
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Postgraduate Course
Types of questions: non-effect
Needs: What do people want or need?
Attitude: What do people think or feel?
Experience: What are peoples’ experiences?
Prevalence: How many / often do people / organizations ...?
Procedure: How can we implement ...?
Process: How does it work?
Explanation: Why does it work?
Economics: How much does it cost?
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Postgraduate Course
Effect vs Non-effect
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Postgraduate Course
Internal validity
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Postgraduate Course
internal validity = indicates to what extent the
results of the research may be biased and is thus
a comment on the degree to which alternative
explanations for the outcome found are possible.
Internal validity
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Postgraduate Course
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Postgraduate Course
We are pattern seeking primates:
we are predisposed to see order
and causal relations in the world
Causal relations
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Postgraduate Course
Three criteria:
1. the "cause" and the "effect" are related
2. the "cause" precedes the "effect" in time
3. there are no plausible alternative explanations for the
observed effect
So, when do we know there is causal relation?
Causality
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Postgraduate Course
1. Are the "cause" and the "effect” related?
2. Does the "cause" precede the "effect" in time?
3. Are there no plausible alternative explanations for the
observed effect?
Considerations for research:
‘Effect’ questions
effect size
before and after measurement
randomization, blinding, control group
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Postgraduate Course
Bias & Confounding
Research shows:
Shoe size > quality of handwriting
Smoking youngsters > better lung function
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Postgraduate Course
Successful companies
Charismatic leaders
Research shows:
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Postgraduate Course
Levels of internal validity
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Postgraduate Course
Explanation
Which design for which question?
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Postgraduate Course
Different types of research questions
require different types of research designs,
but ...
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Postgraduate Course
Best research design?
But 1: feasibility
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Postgraduate Course
But 1: feasibility
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Postgraduate Course
All research designs are flawed – though each is
flawed differently:
Controlled studies: high internal validity, but sometimes
less suited to generalization
Surveys and field research: low internal validity, but
sometimes more useful for management practice.
But 2: it’s a trade off
McGrath, J. (1981). Dilemmatics, The Study of Research Choices and Dilemmas. American Behavioral Scientist, 25(2).
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Postgraduate Course
SO:Evidence accrual requires convergence of findings
derived from multiple studies that research the same
constructs and variables with different research
designs and in different contexts.
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Postgraduate Course
The appropriateness of a research design is also determined by
the body of evidence’s stage of development.
mature: extensively studied > controlled studies to identify
independent, dependent and moderating variables
nascent: open-ended the research questions > exploratory
qualitative studies to shape the understanding of the topic .
But 3: stage of development
Edmondson, A. C., & McManus, S. E. (2007). Methodological fit in management field research. Academy of Management Review, 32(4), 1155-1179.
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Postgraduate Course
Figure 5: Controlled vs uncontrolled studies
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Postgraduate Course
Different types of research questions require different
types of research designs, but ...
feasibility
past research
stage of development
also have to be taken into account!
In summary