THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH IS TO

…  Review or synthesize existing knowledge  Investigate existing situations or problems  Provide solutions to problems  Explore and analyse more general issues  Construct or create new procedures or systems  Explain new phenomenon  Generate new knowledge The emphasis of Quantitative research is on collecting and analysing numerical data; it concentrates on measuring the scale, range, frequency etc. of phenomena. This type of research, although harder to design initially, is usually highly detailed and structured and results can be easily collated and presented statistically. Qualitative research is more subjective in nature than Quantitative research and involves examining and reflecting on the less tangible aspects of a research subject, e.g. values, attitudes, perceptions. Although this type of research can be easier to start, it can be often difficult to interpret and present the findings; the findings can also be challenged more easily LONGITUDINAL STUDIES These are studies over an extended period to observe the effect that time has on the situation under observation and to collect primary data (data collected at first hand) of these changes. Longitudinal studies are often conducted over several years, which make them unsuitable for most relatively short taught post-graduate courses. However, it is possible to base short time scale research on primary data collected in longitudinal studies by, for example, government agencies, and focusing research on a close analysis of one or more aspect or elements of this data. CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDIES This is a study involving different organisations or groups of people to look at similarities or differences between them at any one particular time, e.g. a survey of the IT skills of managers in one or a number of organisations at any particular time. Cross-sectional studies are done when time or resources for more extended research, e.g. longitudinal studies, are limited. It involves a close analysis of a situation at one particular point in time to give a ‘snap-shot’ result. CASE STUDIES A case study offers an opportunity to study a particular subject, e.g. one organisation, in depth, or a group of people, and usually involves gathering and analysing information; information that may be both qualitative and quantitative. Case studies can be used to formulate theories, or be: Descriptive (e.g. where current practice is described in detail) Illustrative (e.g. where the case studies illustrate new practices adopted by an organisation Experimental (e.g. where difficulties in adopting new practices or procedures are examined) Explanatory (e.g. where theories are used as a basis for understanding and explaining practices or procedures). FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES Research, from a feminist perspective, focuses on knowledge grounded in female experiences and is of benefit to everyone, but particularly women. In a business context, for example, research might centre on the role of women in an organisation and on their views, roles, influence and concerns. Feminist research perspectives have a number of common starting points. First, that women and their contributions to social and cultural life have been marginalized and that this is reflected in past research practice. Second, that men and male perspectives or norms have dominated previous research. And third, that gender, as a significant factor in understanding the world, has been absent from understandings and interpretations of social phenomena, in favour of other categories, e.g. social class. Feminist perspectives draw attention therefore, to how women or women’s concerns may in previous research have been excluded, ignored or relegated to the periphery. It also raises questions therefore about why some forms of knowledge become or are perceived as more valid than others. GROUNDED THEORY Grounded theory reverses approaches in research that collected data in order to test the validity of theoretical propositions, in favour of an approach that emphasises the generation of theory from data. Theory is generated from observations made, rather than being decided before the study. This approach seeks to challenge research approaches that unwittingly or wittingly look for evidence in the data to confirm or deny established theories or practices; the feeling behind this is that you will often find out in research what you are looking for! But if an open mind is kept, new ways of perceiving a subject or new ways of categorising or applying data gathered may be discovered or advanced. The aim of grounded theory is then, to approach research with no preconceived ideas about what might be discovered or learned. Silverman (1993) summarises the main features and stages of grounded theory: 1. An attempt to develop categories which derive from the data; 2. Attempting then to give as many examples as possible in the categories developed in order to demonstrate their importance 3. Then developing these categories into more general and broader analytical frameworks (or theories) with relevance to other situations outside the research subject.

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