FFR-PP8

RCH 5302, Foundation for Research 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

7. Critique an existing research study. 7.1 Recognize research components. 7.2 Assess effectiveness of research design, data analysis, and conclusions drawn from the

findings.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

7.1

Unit Lesson Article: “Foundations of Project Management Research: An Explicit and Six-

Facet Ontological Framework” Article: “Perceived Managerial and Leadership Effectiveness in a Korean

Context: An Indigenous Qualitative Study” Article: “Brief Interventions for Problem Gambling: A Meta-Analysis” Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation

7.2

Unit Lesson Article: “Foundations of Project Management Research: An Explicit and Six-

Facet Ontological Framework” Article: “Perceived Managerial and Leadership Effectiveness in a Korean

Context: An Indigenous Qualitative Study” Article: “Brief Interventions for Problem Gambling: A Meta-Analysis” Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation

Required Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click the links below. Read pp. 809–816 of the study below. Chai, D., Jeong, S., Kim, J., Kim, S., & Hamlin, R. (2016). Perceived managerial and leadership effectiveness

in a Korean context: An indigenous qualitative study. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 33(3), 789–820. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=117574075&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Gauthier, J.-B., & Ika, L. A. (2012). Foundations of project management research: An explicit and six-facet

ontological framework. Project Management Journal, 43(5), 5–23. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=80202144&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Quilty, L. C., Wardell, J. D., Thiruchselvam, T., Keough, M. T., & Hendershot, C. S. (2019). Brief interventions

for problem gambling: A meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 14(4), 1–17. https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-134113395_1

UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE

Conclusion and Recommendations

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Unit Lesson

Closing Out the Research: The Conclusion As can be recalled from the material of prior units, the conclusion is a final paragraph, a section of a few paragraphs, or the last chapter that accomplishes the following tasks:

• presents the summative ideas and suggests reasonable future steps based on the findings;

• shows how a gap in the literature has been filled;

• closes out the topic and description of the research study’s journey;

• transitions in the report’s closing to readiness for the next step, which may be the reader’s action based on the conclusion and recommendations; and

• ensures that readers are less likely to draw their own conclusions based on the research effort and findings.

Note that the conclusion is much more than a restatement of the findings. Both the previous component of the presentation of findings and explanation of their significance and the conclusion component guide the readers to see the research as the researcher sees it. As can be imagined, the application of both the art and science of writing and research are factors in crafting a better conclusion. It would seem that a final opportunity to influence a researcher’s portion of the scientific world would never be missed, but this does happen if the conclusion is not written as a strong one that fits the study and synthesizes the findings to demonstrate their relevance. Given the stressors in researchers’ careers and balance of life, the conclusion portion of a research study and report is too often rushed or relatively incomplete. It is human to be tired or maybe just fatigued with the specific study and, therefore, be motivated to finish the writing that completes the report. Yielding to less than excellence at this final stage of research, however, can mean that previous hard work to conduct a good study may be wasted if the conclusion does not maintain readers’ attention. A conclusion section or chapter may contain most or all of the components listed below. Description of the components of the research study: This is restating some key parts, such as the research problem, question, and method used. It is important to revisit the main points of the research study and emphasize the significance of the study. The rhetorical question “So what?” is a useful tool in management and should be answered in this part. Descriptions of the findings: This will be a more concise restatement of the earlier findings and their implications. The implications work as the author’s opportunity to influence readers to believe in the importance of the findings, and the implications also answer the question of “So what?” Recommendations: If the report is large enough in scope, this section may address “Recommendations for Leadership” first. Why would this group, found everywhere in organizations, be singled out? Scholars have recognized through experience that leaders are distinguished by what they do and take responsibility for. Accordingly, they can be expected to be the part of an audience or readership who, reading and accepting this report, will act on the results of the research. Similarly, if space or scope allows, subsequent sections may have “Recommendations for Scholarship” in order to present any final or special recommendations. The conclusion: This section may also serve as an opportunity for the researcher to strengthen the reputation of the study by presenting potential objections to the research and explaining how the researcher is prepared to address and overcome them. Explanations of limitations, which explain how narrow the scope or focus was for the research, and delimitations, which explain how the studied population and sample of it were designated, are common factors addressed in this section. Researcher bias may be addressed here as well; in regard to objections, a description of how bias was overcome can be included. Addressing one’s own bias can be a humbling but necessary component of the conclusion. Suggestions for further research: This section is where suggestions are offered as to which direction to take future research. It is the researcher’s opportunity to influence what happens next. Occasionally, as a measure of concluding and as the last opportunity to influence readers, a researcher may include a

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small narrative on the researcher’s own journey of learning in the research study. This part is best suited to larger studies.

More About Recommendations Certainly, researchers would like to see the findings of their studies appreciated and acted on. Recommendations offered should be drafted deliberately and thoroughly, reflecting the scientific strength of the research study itself. A hastily drafted recommendation, taken seriously by other researchers and acted upon, may lead to confusion and wasted resources. Demonstrably, then, recommendations are a valuable entity and are among the last opportunities for researchers to gain influence through their own writing. Recommendations and the other writing extracts carry another long-term strength; writing is inherently permanent. Once the report is published, even internally to an organization, the writing work and the research it represents are a part of historical record. Today, such a report that is not classified in some organizational way can be searched for and acquired by others. Researchers may feel some frustration that the research report is not making quite the splash that they expected; nonetheless, they are getting in a word that will be documented and recorded for posterity.

Project Management The Gauthier and Ika (2012) article in this unit’s Required Unit Resources section provides some additional insights from a project management perspective on certain aspects of following through after the main research effort. As mentioned previously, this is the time when human nature and some tendencies of social or organizational dynamics may result in a notable lack of response to the research work. This turn of events may not appear rational, but it is true that other factors affect organizations—even those that focus on research, such as funding limitations, top management decisions, incomplete comprehension of the significance of the study, or personality dynamics. In their article, Gauthier and Ika (2012) explain the field of ontology, which may be thought of as the study of studies. Indeed, many leaders can see the potential merit of at least taking a step back to reflect on what the organization is doing. The authors do note that project management is possibly society’s fastest-growing field, magnifying the importance of organizations steering in optimal directions—especially as more writing is shared and is more accessible than ever before in history. As a complication of research, senior leaders can possess a disproportionate amount of power in an organization, which can lead to a tendency for top management decisions to remain in place and be difficult to change. In this late part of the Unit VIII Lesson, we are switching our role from that of the researcher to seeing ourselves as leaders of researchers and as being responsible for the work, priorities, and fulfillment of researchers. From the viewpoint of a leader, the operating environment is a big one. External and internal factors may complicate, but should not extinguish, the function of research. Researchers, though, do not get their own way, as has been noted earlier in the course. Organizational leaders face the realities of having funding restrictions; having priorities of the research efforts be guided by top management decisions and the operating environment (e.g., competition); following strategic plans; and upholding the organization’s reputation. Academic institutions may be striving to receive accreditation or to revise degree programs, which may affect research opportunities or the availability of postgraduate mentors. Researchers may see their field as pure, where research can be conducted without having to worry about other factors, but this viewpoint stands to be a bit too narrow to remain compatible with an organization working and competing in the real world. In their conclusion, Gauthier and Ika (2012) posit that a leader’s outlook could influence approaches to research. Indeed, we may recall from experience working with leaders who saw projects as work and implemented firm milestones and expected progress. Conversely, there are leaders who see research as more of an opportunity to explore in directions not fully understood at any one time but are hoping for the effort to be productive in the spirit of discovery and acquisition of knowledge and technology. Certainly, leaders of project management and research sections are not all alike. With the tools and familiarity provided in this course, it is hoped that researchers can agree and adapt to the constraints of the organization they join

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to conduct research for and proceed with the guidelines offered here. We wish all scholars, leaders, and practitioners who continue to become researchers good fortune in what you do!

Reference Gauthier, J.-B., & Ika, L. A. (2012). Foundations of project management research: An explicit and six-facet

ontological framework. Project Management Journal, 43(5), 5–23. https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=80202144&site=ehost-live&scope=site