ScientificInvestigationandtheResearchProcess(英文版)

1、Chapter 2Scientific Investigation and the Research ProcessChapter Objectives Explain what is meant by scientific investigation Explain the eight hallmarks of science Briefly explain why research in the organisational behaviour and management areas cannot be completely scientific Compare and contrast

2、 quantitative and qualitative research. Discuss the eleven steps of the research processScientific Investigation The need for an honest, truthful, accurate and complete investigation Focused on the goals of problem-solving Pursues a step-by-step, logical, organised and rigorous methodThe Hallmarks o

3、f Scientific Research1. Purposiveness2. Rigour3. Testability4. ReplicabilityThe Hallmarks of Scientific Research (cont.) Accuracy Objectivity Generalisability ParsimonyLimitations to Scientific Research in Management Difficulties in measurement and collection of data Obtaining a representative sampl

4、eSome Basic Definitions Observations perceptions of reality and can be expressed in the form of facts or opinions Concepts an idea expressed as a symbol or in words Constructs abstract representation of a phenomenonApproaches to Research Quantitative research Qualitative research Deduction Induction

5、 Quantitative researchQualitative research Reality is objective and singular,and apart from the researcher Reality is subjective and multiple,as seen by participants in a study Researcher is independent of thatbeing researched Researcher interacts with that beingresearched Research is assumed to be

6、value-free and unbiased Research is value-laden and biased,with values generally made explicit Theory is largely causal anddeductive Theory can be causal or non-causal,and if often inductive Hypotheses that the researcherbegins with are tested Meaning is captured and discoveredonce the researcher be

7、comesimmersed in the data Concepts are in the form ofdistinct variables Concepts are in the form of themes,motifs, generalisations, taxonomies Measures are systematicallycreated before data collection andare standardised Measures are created in an ad hocmanner and are often specific to theindividual

8、 setting or researcherQuantitative research (cont.)Qualitative research Data are in the form of numbersfrom precise measurement Data are in the form of wordsfrom documents, observationsand transcripts There are generally many casesor subjects There are generally few cases orsubjects Procedures are s

9、tandard, andreplication is assumed Research procedures areparticular, and replication is rare Analysis proceeds by usingstatistics, tables or charts, anddiscussing how what they showrelates to hypotheses Analysis proceeds by extractingthemes or generalisations fromevidence and organising data topres

10、ent a coherent, consistentpicture.Sources: Cresswell (1994:5); Neuman (1997:14, 329).Deductive and Inductive Reasoning in Business ResearchInsert figure 2.2The Business Research ProcessThe Research Process1. Catalyst for research2. Preliminary information gathering and literature search3. Problem definition4. Framework