1 Business and management research, reflective diaries and the purpose of this book 2

Transcription

1 How to use this book Guided tour Preface Contributors Publisher's acknowledgements xvii xxii xxv xxvii xxix 1 Business and management research, reflective diaries and the purpose of this book 2 Learning outcomes Introduction 2 The nature of research Business and management research The research process Keeping a reflective diary or research notebook The purpose and structure of this book 1.7 Summary 19 Self-check questions 19 Review and discussion questions 19 Progressing your research project: starting your reflective diary or notebook 20 References 20 Further reading 21 Case 1: Reporting evidence from business and management research 22 Mark Learmonth Self-check answers 24

2 2 Formulating and clarifying the research topic 26 Learning outcomes Introduction Attributes of a good research topic Generating and refining research ideas Turning research ideas into research projects Writing your research proposal Summary 59 Self-check questions 60 Review and discussion questions 60 Progressing your research project: from research ideas to a research proposal 61 References 61 Further reading 63 Case 2: Self-service technology: does co-production harm value co-creation? 63 Toni Hilton Self-check answers 67 3 Critically reviewing the literature 70 Learning outcomes Introduction The critical review Literature sources available Planning your literature search strategy Conducting your literature search Obtaining and evaluating the literature Recording the literature Using Systematic Review Plagiarism Summary 115 Self-check questions Review and discussion questions Progressing your research project: critically reviewing the literature 117 References

3 Further reading 119 Case 3: Individual workplace performance: systematically reviewed 119 Celine Rojon Self-check answers Understanding research philosophies and approaches 126 Learning outcomes Introduction Understanding your research philosophy Research approaches Summary 149 Self-check questions 150 Review and discussion questions Progressing your research project: diagnose your research philosophy References Further reading 153 Case 4: Organisational learning in an English regional theatre 153 Dawn and Paul Tosey Self-check answers Formulating the research design 158 Learning outcomes Introduction Choice and coherence in research design Choosing a quantitative, qualitative or multiple methods research design Recognising the nature of your research design Choosing a research strategy or strategies Choosing a time horizon Establishing the ethics of the research design 191

4 5.8 Establishing the quality of the research design Taking into account your role as researcher Summary 196 Self-check questions 197 Review and discussion questions 198 Progressing your research project: deciding on your research design 198 Further reading 201 Case 5: Sangita's career 202 Ongoing case: Researching emotional labour 204 Part 1: Some reading arid a possible research design? 204 Karen Handley and Lindsay Williams Self-check answers Negotiating access and research ethics 208 Mark Saunders Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill Learning outcomes Introduction Issues associated with gaining traditional access Issues associated with Internet-mediated access Strategies to gain access Research ethics and why you should act ethically Ethical issues at specific stages of the research process An introduction to the principles of data protection and data management Summary 249 Self-check questions 250 Review and discussion questions 250 Progressing your research project: negotiating access and addressing ethical issues 251 References 251 Further reading 253 Case 6: The impact of colour on children's brand choices 253 Zoe Jowers Self-check answers 255

5 7 Selecting samples 258 Learning outcomes Introduction Probability sampling Non-probability sampling Summary 291 Self-check questions 292 Review and discussion questions 294 Progressing your research project: using sampling as part of your research 295 References 295 Further reading 296 Case 7: Comparing UK and French perceptions and expectations of online supermarket shopping 297 Marie Ashwin and Alan Hirst Self-check answers Using secondary data 304 Learning outcomes Introduction Types of secondary data and uses in research Locating secondary data Advantages and disadvantages of secondary data Evaluating secondary data sources Summary 331 Self-check questions 331 Review and discussion questions 332 Progressing your research project: assessing the suitability of secondary data for your research 332 References 333 Further reading 334 Case 8: Trust repair in a major finance company 335 Graham Dietz Ongoing case: Researching emotional labour 337

6 Part 2: Permission to collect data is unlikely, so what about secondary data? 337 Karen Handley and Lindsay Williams Self-check answers Collecting primary data through observation 340 Learning outcomes Introduction Participant observation Structured observation Summary 362 Self-check questions 363 Review and discussion questions 364 Progressing your research project: deciding on the appropriateness of observation 364 References 364 Further reading 365 Case 9: Strategy options in a mature market 366 Hester Nienaber Self-check answers Collecting primary data using semi-structured, in-depth and group interviews 372 Mark Saunders Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill Learning outcomes Introduction Types of interview and their link to the purpose of research and research strategy When to use semi-structured and in-depth interviews Data quality issues associated with semi-structured and in-depth interviews Preparing for semi-structured or in-depth interviews Conducting semi-structured or in-depth interviews 388

7 10.7 Managing logistical and resource issues Group interviews and focus groups Telephone, Internet- and intranet-mediated interviews Summary 408 Self-check questions 408 Review and discussion questions 409 Progressing your research project: using semi-structured or in-depth interviews in your research 410 References 410 Further reading 411 Case 10: Organisations in a flash? 412 Samantha Warren answers Collecting primary data using questionnaires 416 Learning outcomes Introduction An overview of questionnaires 419 Deciding what data need to be collected Designing the questionnaire Delivering and collecting the questionnaire Summary 458 Self-check questions 459 Review and discussion questions 461 Progressing your research project: using questionnaires in your research 461 References 462 Further reading 463 Case A quantitative evaluation of students' desire for self employment 464 Victoria and Jim Stewart Self-check answers 467

8 12 Analysing quantitative data 472 Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, Adrian Thornhill and Catherine Wang Learning outcomes Introduction Preparing, inputting and checking data Exploring and presenting data Describing data using statistics Examining relationships, differences and trends using statistics Summary 529 Self-check questions 530 Review and discussion questions 532 Progressing your research project: analysing your data quantitatively 532 References 533 Further reading 534 Case 12: Food miles, carbon footprints and supply chains 535 David Oglethorpe Self-check answers Analysing qualitative data 544 Learning outcomes Introduction Qualitative data 546 Deciding on your approach to analysis Preparing your data for analysis Aids to help your analysis Generic approaches to analysis Specific approaches to analysis: inductive procedures 566 Specific approaches to analysis: deductive procedures CAQDAS Summary 583 Self-check questions 584 Review and discussion questions 584 Progressing your research project: analysing your data qualitatively 585

9 References 585 Further reading 587 Case 13: Creating environmentally friendly spaces 587 Catherine Cassell and Bill Lee Ongoing case: Researching emotional labour 589 Part 3: A revised research question, a variety of secondary data, but what about the analysis? 589 Karen Handley and Lindsay Williams Self-check answers Writing and presenting your project report 594 Learning outcomes Introduction Getting started with writing Structuring your project report Organising the project report's content Developing an appropriate writing style Meeting the assessment criteria Oral presentation of the report Summary 624 Self-check questions 624 Review and discussion questions 625 Progressing your research project: writing your project report 625 References 625 Further reading 626 Case 14: Clare's research project presentation 627 Lindy Blair Self-check answers 630 Bibliography 632