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BUS 710 DB Forum 1 GALL - Reply
Advanced Business Research Methods (Liberty
University)
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Discussion Board Forum 1, Part A
Primary Types of Real-World
Research Chare’ Gallimore
Liberty University
DBA -
Accounting
BUSI 710 DBA Foundations of Applied Research
Methods Fall D 2020 Section D15
Professor Steward Huang, Ph.D.
November 1, 2020
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Case Study vs. Consulting Research
Abstract
There are many ways to conduct research. Case study and consulting research are two ways to
produce results that are applicable to real world problems. They offer diverse platforms that lend
to complex issues within a research project.
Discussion
There are many different types of research. Academic research is can be defined as a
systematic investigation into a problem or situation, where the intention is to identify facts or
opinions that will assist in solving the problem or dealing with the situation. (Robson, McCartan,
2016). This academic (sometimes referred to as “scholarly”) focuses on research goals that arise
from researchers that are independent from business influence. It uses formal, scientific, and
systematic procedures to discover answers. Questions are more conceptual and theoretically
focused. Academic research is usually guided by an existing theory with the research completed
to reject or support the theory. Findings are generally made public. On the other hand, “real
world” or professional research is defined as work performed to advance an individual or
corporate goal, issue, or question. Real world research focuses on research goals/questions that
emerge from business requirements. It may or may not use formal, scientific, and systematic
procedures to discover answers. It is not grounded in theories and may not require a
representative sample. It may be focused in one discipline, or span disciplines, as needed. It may
be peer-reviewed or reveal results through professional conferences, industry or trade
publications and articles.
There are many cross interests and processes within research methods. There are
similarities and duplications in questions asked, problems that are established, validation of
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results within the field and profession, results bring new information and knowledge, and the
research must adhere to ethical research standards. While Case study and consulting research
may focus less on methodology, there is a strong correlation between the structures and
methodology of them and academic research. The end goals are just a bit different.
Good problem for a case study.
Over the last 45 years case study research has changed substantially within methological
developments. This has enabled case study research to provide a platform that supports diverse
disciplines with varied philosophical perspectives and approaches. (Harrison, Birks, Franklin,
Mills, 2017). A case study is a research approach that is used to generate an in-depth, multi-
faceted understanding of a complex issue in its real-life context. It is an established research
design that is used extensively in a wide variety of disciplines. Two examples that widely utilize
case study research are social sciences and healthcare. Research consultants additionally use case
study research to conduct specialized and targeted research on behalf of a client to produce a
final analysis of requested key findings. These consultants are normally experts in a particular
field, sometimes scientific, and can provide reports in areas the company's full-time staff cannot.
Case study research is an evaluative research processes that often results in subjective outcomes.
Utilizing a systematic, measured model before, during, and after the research offers an evidence-
based approach to evaluation and consulting research that can increase validity and reliability
providing improvements in conclusions and outcome. For example, a pharmaceutical company
may hire a consultant to conduct research into existing patients. These consultants then report
back to the company on their findings, allowing the company's scientists to focus on product
development.
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Case studies can provide extensive written data, along with additional questions the
research revealed for future studies. The Department of Education at the University of Warwick
in England studied skills needed in the workplace and submitted an 80-page document that
outlined limited findings, with extensive future research suggestions. The culmination of their
research became an analytical framework that demonstrated the complexities of goals and
questions, and key research areas. (Green, Hogarth, Thom, MacLeod, Warhurst, Willis, Mackay,
2017).
Case studies can also provide a research platform within more mathematical disciplines,
such as statistics. Huang, SenGupta, and Lii conducted a study that applied a mixture of
statistical models to create an improved model that could be utilized across questions and
goals. (Huang, SenGupta, Lii2011). Mathematical study results can be combined with
observational findings that apply methods to a wide range of healthcare settings with complex
topics and contextual influences. (Morgan, Pullon, Macdonald, McKinlay, Gray, 2017).
Good problem for a consulting research.
Consulting research can focus on business questions and present to findings on business
issues backed by reliable data. This research can provide insights that integrate varying methods
and formats to solve problems that lead to insightful and fully actionable plans. Research
assistants within the formal education process, in the form of apprenticeships, can act as
formative professional research consultants. Their contributions advance their knowledge base,
skills, and can inspire a life-long passion for research. (Pollon, Herbert, Chahine, & Falenchuk,
2013).
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Field research can incorporate observational findings with historical research and
combine the findings in new ways. One study researched participants reinterpreting
organizational tests through the application of orienting, disorienting, and reorienting
deconstructive questions. They used complimenting knowledge, previous research findings, and
alternative strategies drawn from health care research projects to produce findings with
alternative understandings, concealed meanings, and reflexivity. (Wright, Middleton, Hibbert,
Brazil, 2020).
When beginning research, a dynamic design, evaluation, change and methodology such
as quantitative and qualitative approaches must be decided with findings in mind. The research
must decide the relative emphasis, as well as how pragmatic the results are needed.
References
Green, A., Hogarth, T., Thom, G., MacLeod, K., Warhurst, C., Willis, R., Mackay, S., (2017).
Local skills case study: Research report, March 2017. University of Warwick Institute
for Employment Research and SQW Ltd. Department of Education. ISBN: 978-1-
78105- 741-4.
Harrison, H., Birks, M., Franklin, R., Mills, J. (2017). Case Study Research:
Foundations and Methodological Orientations. Forum: Qualitative Social Research,
18(1), Art. 19, http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1701195.
Huang, S., SenGupta, A., Lii, K-S., (2011). Application of Dirichlet mixture of normal in
growth curve models. Statistical Methodology, Vol. 8, pp. 434-441. DOI:
10.1016/j.stamet.2011.04.004.
Morgan, S.J., Pullon, S. R.H., Macdonald, L.M., McKinlay, E.M., Gray, B.V., (2017). Case
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Study Observational Research: A Framework for Conducting Case Study Research
Where Observation Data are the Focus. Qualitative Health Research, Jun, (27, 7), pp.
1060-1068. DOI: 10.1177/1049732316649160.
Polon, D.E., Herbert, M., Chahine, S., Falenchuk, O., (2013). From Research Assistant to
Professional Research Assistance: Research Consulting as a Form of Research Practice.
Journal of Research Practice, Vol.9, (2, M6). ISSN: 1712851X.
Robson, C., McCartan, K., (2016). Real world research (4th edition). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
ISBN: 9781118745236.
Wright, A.L., Middleton, S., Hibbert, P., Brazil, V., (2020). Getting on with Field Research
Using Participant Deconstruction. Organizational Research Methods, Vol 23(2), pp.
275- 295. Sage Journals. DOI: 10.1177/10944281187821589
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Annotated Bibliography
Green, A., Hogarth, T., Thom, G., MacLeod, K., Warhurst, C., Willis, R., Mackay, S., (2017).
Local skills case study: Research report, March 2017. University of Warwick Institute
for Employment Research and SQW Ltd. Department of Education. ISBN: 978-1-
78105- 741-4.
This case study research attempted to understand the way in which local-national
and local-local collaborative working needs to develop enhancing skills in England.
Additionally, skills utilized abroad were included. An analytical framework was
developed to explore the workings of the current skills system and identification of
possible improvements. The study demonstrated complexities that exist in the large
number of questions considered. The key issues around improving a local skills system,
and the barriers that exist within this improvement were addressed.
Harrison, H., Birks, M., Franklin, R., Mills, J. (2017). Case Study Research:
Foundations and Methodological Orientations. Forum: Qualitative Social Research,
18(1), Art. 19, http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1701195.
This article addresses Case Study research from an historical perspective, and the
evolution that has resulted in a more pragmatic, flexible research methodology evident
today. This newer methodology provides more comprehensive and diverse ranges of
approaches that will assist across disciplines. Methodological variations along with
summaries of key elements are also provided.
Huang, S., SenGupta, A., Lii, K-S., (2011). Application of Dirichlet mixture of normal in
growth curve models. Statistical Methodology, Vol. 8, pp. 434-441. DOI:
10.1016/j.stamet.2011.04.004.
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This case study research created a growth curve model with an auxiliary variable using
mixtures of standard components and distributions. The simulation results show
improved statistics over models without their model (DMN-Dirichlet mixture of normal).
Morgan, S.J., Pullon, S. R.H., Macdonald, L.M., McKinlay, E.M., Gray, B.V., (2017). Case
Study Observational Research: A Framework for Conducting Case Study Research
Where Observation Data are the Focus. Qualitative Health Research, Jun, (27, 7), pp.
1060-1068. DOI: 10.1177/1049732316649160.
The study describes the distinctive characteristics of case study observational research,
and apply the method to a wide range of healthcare settings with complex topics and
contextual influences.
Polon, D.E., Herbert, M., Chahine, S., Falenchuk, O., (2013). From Research Assistant to
Professional Research Assistance: Research Consulting as a Form of Research Practice.
Journal of Research Practice, Vol.9, (2, M6). ISSN: 1712851X.
This is a self-study that documents the formative role research assistants played in
authors’ development as research consultants.
Robson, C., McCartan, K., (2016). Real world research (4th edition). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
ISBN: 9781118745236.
In this text there are given a bulleted list of steps when carry out a project that was a
helpful beginning in this learning process. Chapter one explains the differences between
“real world research” and “academic research” along with topics and objectives each is
best suited to deliver. Social research is one area where research applicable to ‘real world’
scenarios is good. Also explained are scientific methods of research, and quantitative and
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qualitative traditions. Chapter 7 explains case studies as flexible, qualitative methods in
greater depth.
Wright, A.L., Middleton, S., Hibbert, P., Brazil, V., (2020). Getting on with Field Research
Using Participant Deconstruction. Organizational Research Methods, Vol 23(2), pp.
275- 295. Sage Journals. DOI: 10.1177/10944281187821589
The paper presents a technique that involves research participants reinterpreting
organizational texts through the application of orienting, disorienting, and reorienting
deconstructive questions. Participant deconstruction, according to the authors,
complements existing strategies within field research through relationships, outsider and
insider knowledge and by facilitating research participants’ questioning and
challenging. The results indicated alternative latent understandings, concealed meanings,
and reflexivity for participants and researchers. Application of the technique within this
study were examples drawn from health care research projects.
