Order 1246661: Business Research Methods
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W3LiteraturerewiewNEW.pptxThe nature of qualitative research: formulating research questions and developing a literature review
Dr Jo Cartwright
Outline for today
Research aims and objectives
Literature reviews
Exercises
Analyse good and bad examples of aims and objectives
Handout – developing your own aims and objectives
Analyse good and bad examples of student literature reviews
Literature review analysis of 5-10 journal articles of your choice
Thinking about your research area
Will be conducting a dissertation next year
Seems a long way off but it is worth giving yourself a good deal of time to think about what you want to conduct your research on
Also can use this module as a ‘testing ground’ to develop your initial ideas and receive feedback
Importance of research questions
Guide your literature search
Guide your decisions about the kind of research design to employ
Guide your decisions about what data to collect and from whom
Guide your analysis of the data
Guide your writing up of the data
Stop you from going off on tangents
Possible sources of research questions
Opposing theoretical perspectives
Contrasting perspectives on women’s choice or structural barriers explaining their lack of progression into SM jobs.
The existing literature
Gaps in the gender equality literature on barriers of SPL for homosexual couples in the workplace
Different organisational structures
Barriers for SPL take-up in flexible vs traditional organisational structures
New methods or theories in new settings
Barriers for SPL take up in the gig economy
New social and technical developments
The role of Brexit on recruitment and retention in xxx industry, or organisational responses to the ageing workforce in xxx industry.
Personal experience
Aesthetic labour in retail
SM = SENIOR MANAGEMENT; SPL = SHARED PARENTAL LEAVE
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Formulating research questions
Most students want to conduct research into areas that are of personal interest to them
Start out with a general research area or objective
This should then be narrowed down to develop a tighter focus out of which research questions can be developed
Very open ended research is risky and leads to too much data and confusion when writing up
No or poor research questions = poor research
Framework for crafting research questions
Identifying a research question flow - chart
I don’t have a research question, where do I start? Narrow down a research area of interest
1) Narrow down an area of interest (i.e. Growth theory, monetary policy, fiscal policy etc.)
2) Within that area of interest try to answer a research question that:
Has either not been addressed before;
Or has been addressed but that you could extend in a significant way (i.e. new data-set, different econometric/theoretical approach etc.);
Or pioneer a new research area of economics (not recommended)
Note: before you identify a research question it is crucial that you narrow down a research area of interest!
Literature review ( when I don’t have a research question )
Read as much as you can on the topic!
Remember recent publications/studies will contain a more updated literature so try collect these first! Then read backwards to the most dated studies.
Make sure you read all relevant papers (or at least the most influential ones)
Ideas on the research topic often come from this exercise (i.e. author X has not included factor Y in his study, so maybe I could look into factor Y)
The more you read the easier will be to come up with a research question.
Literature review (when I think I have a research question)
Reviewing the literature will enable you to understand whether your research question has been already answered / is a potentially valid one.
Also, by reading previous studies you might get ideas on how to tweak your original research question into a brand new one.
Again, start by reading recent publications/studies first.
Bottom line, whether you have or do not have a research question it is crucial that you review the literature in the area FIRST!
Many students commit the mistake of leaving the literature review as the last step, however this is very dangerous! As you might find that the question has already been addressed or discarded by the literature because not relevant/important/not feasible.
Concept mapping: sketch out the areas you think are related
Gender stereotypes re family responsibilities
They choose to forfeit their career to spend time with their kids
Discrimination from their managers
Long hours culture means they can’t compete
Long hours culture is unsustainable
Why do so few women progress into senior manager roles in the law firm that I work in?
Students literature maps will be more developed and will indicate areas of literature/debate within the conceptual areas e.g. Long hours culture so they can’t compete (Tomlinson and Durbin, 2010) and there may be a ‘sub box’ acknowledging the different roles organisational culture has on long hours between managerial and low skilled jobs – Moore 2007.
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Common mistakes when identifying new research questions
1. Non originality
2. Non feasibility:
Time constraint (don’t have enough time)
Resources (lack of data, codes)
Knowledge (Do I know how to apply model X ? Can I learn in the limited amount of time?)
3. Too broadly defined research question
4. Not well justified
5. Lacking economic content
Criteria for evaluating research questions
Should be clear
Understandable to you and others
Should be researchable
They should be capable of development into a research design. If too abstract then they are unsuitable.
Should connect with established theory and research
Should be a literature on which you can draw to illuminate how your research questions should be approached
Should be linked with each other
Unrelated research questions are unlikely to be acceptable. Should build from each other.
Should have a potential for making a new contribution to knowledge
E.g. new research setting/context?
Should not be too broad or narrow
Needs to be feasible but also worthy of a contribution to knowledge
Tips from supervisors in formulating your research questions
Choose a topic that interests you
Ask yourself whether you can answer the research question
Read a lot!
Identify your strengths and weaknesses, interests and personal development opportunities and build this into the design of your project
Don’t pre-commit to one idea, approach or research design at the exclusion of other approaches
Use opportunities to talk to others about your research
Research something that might be interesting to others
Start writing early. Analysis always takes longer than you think. Building in a cushion around the deadline can add value to your research.
Remember this is not your life work or a bid for a Nobel Prize!
Listen to your supervisors advice but be free to make your own choices
Handouts…
Two case study examples of good practice when formulating a research question
Well articulated aims and objectives
HA = HOUSING ASSOCIATION
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Poorly articulated aims and objectives
Exercise
What makes them good and bad?
Use the slide on ‘criteria for evaluating research questions’ to help guide your answer?
What have you learnt from this exercise?
Exercise
See handout on producing research aims and objectives
Literature review
Knowledge doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and your work only has value in relation to other people’s. Your work and your findings will be significant only to the extent that they’re the same as, or different from, other people’s work and findings.’ (Janowicz, 1995 quoted in Saunders et al, 2000, p. 42).
Why is it needed?
Crucial part of your dissertation - standalone chapter
Provides the basis of which to justify your research questions and build your research design
Informs how you collect your data and enables you to analyse your data in an informed way
Can feel very daunting – overwhelmed by the sheer amount of literature out there!
Important to focus on developing a clearly defined boundary – making judgments about what to include and what not to include
Why is it needed?
Important that you don’t just ‘reinvent the wheel’
Your work needs to demonstrate how your work builds on others in the same field
Enables you to develop an argument about the significance of your research and where it leads
Affirms your credibility as someone who is knowledgeable in your subject area
Not simply reproducing theories or opinions of others (descriptive) but to interpret what they have written in relation to a particular viewpoint (analytical)
Purpose of the literature review
What is known about the area?
What concepts and theories are relevant to this area?
What research methods and strategies are used when studying this area?
Are there any significant controversies/differing perspectives on this area?
Are there any differences in findings in relation to this area?
Are there any unanswered questions in this area?
Stages of literature review
preliminary: overview of topic area
identify previous research, use to focus on a particular aspect, and begin to define research questions
narrower and deeper search,
to explore in depth the key studies, issues and theories on which you will draw (will form main basis for your literature review)
references specifically related to your choice of methods
(include in methods chapter)
follow up search:
link to emergent findings and ideas
The literature review process
Source: Saunders et al. (2003)
Figure 3.1 The literature review process
Using the literature to develop your research questions
Develop research questions from reviewing the literature
You may find that upon reading, there are things that come up that you want answering
Can therefore help identify gaps in the research
E.g. why women are not progressing to be senior managers in my organisation – are they choosing not to go that way or is something holding them back?
Unlikely to be a precise textbook that matches your subject focus
It is for you to identify specialised subject for review
Getting the most out of your reading
Take good notes
Make sure you write down the author and date (copy and paste the weblink to the article too!)
Can be infuriating when you can’t find/remember the article you have referenced.
Note page numbers when using direct quotes – wasted time searching through.
Develop critical reading skills
Need to go beyond summarising/regurgitating what you have just read
This is about asking questions about the significance of the work – what are the strengths and weaknesses in terms of the credibility or the conclusions drawn?
E.g. study on barriers for men taking up Shared Parental Leave has focused on heterosexual men, and not the unique barriers that may be faced by homosexual couples.
Getting the most out of your reading
Use your review to show why your research questions are important
If the argument is that a lot of research has been done on heterosexual couples around SPL but not homosexual couples, the literature review is the point where you justify this assertation.
Or outline the nature of differences between two competing positions within the review
The idea that women ‘choose’ not to progress into senior management positions (Hakim) and the idea that women face structural barriers which inhibits their progression (Tomlinson and Durbin)
Lit review allows you to locate your own research within a tradition of research in an area
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Getting the most out of your reading
Bear in mind you will be return to the literature in your discussion/conclusion sections
So any literature you need to analyse your findings should be covered
E.g. not enough to consider SHRM models only if you are comparing across workforce groups (HR architecture model to help theorise this).
Don’t try to get everything you read into the review
Important that you are analytical/using the literature to build up to your research gap
This will undermine your ability to get your argument across
Typically will need to revise your literature review after data collection in order to make sense of your data
E.g. issues implementing SHRM because of ineffective line manager implementation then need to focus on this area of research too (Purcell and Hutchinson 2007 on Selfridges).
SHRM= STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
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Searching the existing literature
Usually start with a couple of references
Ask your supervisor for a few initial references
But do NOT expect them to provide you with an extensive reading list – it is your job to become a specialist in your area
Search recommended readings in course materials, or from textbooks
Look at the references at the end of relevant textbook chapters or articles
Define the keywords that help define the boundaries for your topic of research
Search electronic databases using key words – google scholar, library website etc.
Using newspapers and internet sources for information
Should not regard these sources of information as substitutes for academic research
However, they will have connections with theory and may help illuminate/exemplify it
Up to date contextual information
e.g. the impact of Brexit on recruitment and retention issues in the NHS, the extent of low pay and ZHC in retail etc.
ZHC = ZERO HOUR CONTRACT
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Example internet sources
Policy organisations: Equality and Human Rights Commission, Resolution Foundation, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Work Foundation, Institute for Policy Research.
Government bodies: Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Office for National Statistics, Eurofound, Women and Equalities Committee (Parliament).
Charities: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Stonewall, Family and Childcare Trust, Citizens Advice Bureau.
Trade unions, employer/worker associations: TUC, USDAW, British Women’s Pilots Association, ACAS, Chambers of Commerce
Newspapers: use reputable sources such as the BBC, The Guardian etc – NOT the Daily Mail or Wikipedia!!
Online coursework essays are not a reputable or valuable source of information either…
Keywords and defining search parameters
Work out keywords that will allow you to identify suitable references in search engines
What terms are used to describe the subject
Performance management, employee appraisal, performance measurement.
Think of a number of keywords that underpin your project – don’t type out whole sentence
Women, barriers, human resource management and banking
Note the keywords used in the literature (often cited at the beginning of an article)
Referencing your work
Emphasises you are aware of the historical development of your subject
Harvard model of referencing for Business and Management discipline:
http://www.citethisforme.com/harvard-referencing
Key skill is to keep a record of what you have read – notes including bibliography (author, date, page numbers, link to article)
Do not leave this until the very end – wastes time trying to find the specific article you read, not to mention page numbers!
Remember to include page numbers when paraphrasing or direct quotes – key to avoid plagiarism
Easy way to cite articles..
Go to google scholar and search for the article you’d like the full reference for
Click on the cite or button showing “
Copy and paste the Harvard reference from the list and insert in your bibliography
Also works for books but you may need to edit in order to include specific book chapters if referencing an edited book
Plagiarism
The practice of passing off someone else’s work as your own
You are doing this by not including references
Typical mistakes students make are:
Not including page numbers when paraphrasing or direct quotes
Adding a reference at the end of a paragraph instead of after each point made in reference to someone else’s work
This may mean a reference after each sentence BUT you don’t need a reference is when it is your own analysis i.e. making sense of the contribution etc.
Using online essays (even if referenced!) is frowned upon– avoid, or check their sources for ideas of literature to review.
Self plagiarism – do not pass off work you have previously written as something new.
Structuring your literature review
Introduction – define scope and purpose of the literature review; provide overview or ‘roadmap’
Start at general level, outline main contextual features of topic
Provide brief overview of key ideas, theories, approaches, controversies relevant to topic
Critically summarise, compare, contrast contributions by key writers
Link sections together – establish coherent narrative/story
Narrow down to highlight work most relevant to your area – identify research gaps
Highlight areas where your research will provide fresh insights
summarise at the end of the chapter – explain how the literature review has informed your research questions. (Anderson, 2009)
Common weaknesses of literature review chapters
too long and too descriptive:
should analyse competing views and theories, evaluate previous related research studies, give your own (reasoned) opinion; show clearly how your research uses these ideas and concepts.
poorly structured:
sections need to relate to, and build on each other
inadequately referenced:
make extensive use of references to show your familiarity with key literature, the depth of your reading, to support your assertions, and as evidence for your claims
Example of a bad literature review
Why is it bad?
It does not evaluate the summarized research, does not show any relationship between theories.
Organized by listing authors, presented using chronological order, instead of organized using the research (key concepts or theories). A chronological order should be avoided
It is not critical It does not relate to the writer’s research
Example from a good literature review
HA = HOUSING ASSOCITION
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Why is it good?
Grouped similar information
Shows the relations between different works
It guides the reader to understanding the contribution of the work by pointing out the shortcomings/gaps of the state of the art
It is organized around ideas and not researchers
Today’s task
Consider the key words or phrases that underpin a potential research project of your choice
Next identify some initial key academic references (between 5 and 10)
Should be in relation to your topic
May include classic sources, some new/cutting edge, empirical or conceptual etc.
Explain and justify your selection i.e. what is the paper about and what is the contribution to your research project
This may mean briefly outlining your proposed research project in a few sentences about.
You may wish to identify any links you see between the selection of papers – e.g. contrasting perspectives or methodologies
You may wish to outline any gaps in your selection of papers i.e. further areas of research (conceptual debates, methodologies, research contexts, specific authors/articles) you wish
May wish to start constructing into a table format – identify paper, what is it about? Methods? What is the contribution/how does it relate to my proposed study?
Next week – assessing validity and reliability in qualitative research
Read chapter 17 in Bryman and Bell 2015
Bring a qualitative research article of your choice to class – will be critiquing it using the criteria discussed in class
Will be doing a pub quiz – prizes to be won!
