foundation of management welcome! lars walter lars.walter@handels.gu.se

Foundation of Management

Welcome!

Lars Walter lars.walter@handels.gu.se

Today!

What is method?

Method has to with how you do research

To understand method help you conduct research, but also to understand and evaluate research

- That is, to read scientific texts!

Why did Flyvberg write this text about case studies?

Flyvberg

• When I first became interested in-depth-case study…

• Why? According to Flyberg because – Context important for learning– Represent a way to get a nuanced view of reality – There are benefits to learn from concrete situations– There are no generalized, context independent

theories in social science

His arguments!

The significance of black swans

• Falsification – the benefit of conductingin-depth studies

• Formal generalization is over rated and the force of examples are under rated

Strategies for case selection

• Extreme/deviant cases - To obtain information on unusually cases

• Maximum variation cases - To obtain information about the significance circumstances

• Critical cases - To obtain about Information for logic deduction - if this

valid for this case, it applies to all cases

• Paradigmatic cases Highlights more general characteristics of

Case studies and the idea of Subjective Bias?

• A similar problem with all scientific methods• The ”closeness to” and the ”richness of” data

works against that – case studies typically reports that preconceived assumptions are wrong

• The study objects ”talks back”• Are in the business of falsification rather than of

verification

The value of thick description

• Depth• Complexity• Contradictions • Variety in perspectives • Power games

What is (valuable) konwledge According to Flyvberg?

Society and Research

• Natural Sciences• Quantitative research– deductive

• ”Mode 1”– Evidence– Systematically– Measurable– Objectivity

• Social Sciences• Qualitative research– inductive (or abductive)

• ”Mode 2”– Experinces– ”Trial and error”– Qualitative measures– The significance of

context and subjectivity

Ontological considerations

• The philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality… …”How we understand the world”– Objectivism– Constructionism

• Implications for the questions we ask:WHAT or HOW

Research designIts components…

• Purpose and research question of the study and what they are relevance

• Empirical and analytical framework of the proposed study – previous research and theoretical perspectives

• Research methods – techniques for collecting and analyzing data and why they are suitable

• Analysis and its implications

And their relations…

Research design:

• Experimental• Cross-sectional• Longitudinal• Case study• Comparative

What do you want to study?

• The phenomenon– Based on something that you have observed– Based on something someone else has observed

• Labeling

The research question is rules!!!

Formulate a research question

• Qualitative or quantitative questions• Different kinds of questions:– Descriptive– Analytical– normative

• Make sure that you are able to answer the question!!

Why do you want to study that and the issue of relevance?

• Own interest (curiosity); previous knowledge• It is of current interest (a problem)– sensitivity

• It is of interest for others; utility– assignment

• It is fashionable– trends in research– trends in practice

• Is it feasible?– Problems of: time, space and participation (access)

Research as dialogue – the reviewing of literature

• A least three types of literature reviews are required• • End up with:– Your theoretical frame of reference (connect to research

question)– Indicating studies that will serve as comparison to your

study– Connect to the methodology and techniques that will be

used• Chose a perspective and be stick with it!

Reviewing literatureTheoretical approaches

• Explication - describe• Explanation – put in a context and draw some

conclusions from the text• Exploration – based on what you have read –

develop your arguments and connect to research question

• Compile the literature you have read!

How to study what you want to study

FIELDWORK!!!• The field is where other people live and work;– people who construct their worlds– by acting and producing accounts of their (and

others) actions• Actors – Observers

Reviewing literature – topic/phenomenon

• What have others written about the topic/phenomenon?– Similar topics– Type of study/research design/methods– What kind of theoretical reference are used

• Accumulative – research as dialogue• Exegetic versus inspirational

According to Corvellec (2013) it is both un-fair and un-informed for a teacher to ask students

what theory is,

So, what is theory?

According to Czarniawska (2013) theory is an attempt at a meaningful interpretation of

life and the world.

The fit of ”theories”?

Levels of analysis– Individuals– Groups– Organizations– Societies

The power of grand theories!

What type of questions to they dress.- what, how or why….

Method

Method is what makes your text potentially legitimate as science

Both in the way you do and the way you describe what you done!

Referencing• Who do you talk to?– Research as dialogue (“friends and enemies”)– Makes sure that you use proper “style” – see SJM– Examples of how you make references in the text

– see articles• Scrutinize the texts you use– Check the sources (avoid using 2nd hand sources)– “Critical thinking”