elizabeth garnsey doctoral research: navigating the possibilities

1 ELIZABETH GARNSEY Centre for Technology Management Department of Engineering

Elizabeth Garnsey

Doctoral research: Navigating the Possibilities


Aims of Talk

To clarify differences between

• The PhD in principle

• The experience of doing research in practice

• Types of approach • Creative thinking and breakthrough


The Doctoral Dissertation – an example of structure

Abstract1. Introduction2. Literature Review3. Research Methods4. Data Presentation5. Data Analysis6. Discussion and Conclusions


Sets out questions, problems, to be addressed

Explains why these are significant

Summarises content/ structure

Defines key terms/concepts

Write final version of introduction last of all

Introduction


Summarises prior knowledgeIdentifies relevant schools of thought

• Locates gaps• Helps identify issues to address in the research

• Describes and categorises past research

Literature review


Research Methodology

Explains the methodology usedDemonstrates appropriateness and rigour of the evidence and analysisDemonstrates research skills


Data presentation and analysis

• Summarises findings

• Analyses findings in the light of appropriate theory


Conclusion Summarises and integrates findings

Reaches conclusions

Applies findings to practice

Makes recommendations

Acknowledges limitations and further work


ReferencesComplete list of all citations

AppendicesPresent relevant datasetsRelevant but more marginal issuesDescribe details of calculations, methods

Those citations


Examination and Defence

Welcome Dr. X!


I have a well designed research project

Research tasks required are clear & manageable

I am confident that I will complete on time

Agree Disagree

a

c

e

b

d

f

Questionnaire


Path of hopeful

questions Land

Funding vessel

Findings

Selective re-

analysis

Dissemination

Futile findings

Integration Valley

Conclusions

Marsh of Data

CollectionSavannah of

Data Refinement

Creek of despair

Scrap and recycle country

Conceptual high points Desert of

Data Description

Overload fog

Pass of supportive

theory

View point

FogFurther Heights

labyrinths of literature

Analysis Jungles

Plains of

Ignorance

Elizabeth Garnsey IfM CUED

RESEARCH EXPEDITION

Mountains of What You Dont Know

fog


Genius and the rest of us

Not knowing what we don’t know

Path of hopeful

questions Land

Funding vessel

Findings

Selective re-

analysis

Dissemination

Futile findings

Integration Valley

Conclusions

Marsh of Data


Data RefinementCreek of despair



Data Description

Overload fog

Pass of supportive

theory

View point

FogFurther Heights


Analysis Jungles

Plains of

Ignorance


RESEARCH EXPEDITION


fog


ORIENTATION

Research Questions

Research Methods Conceptual Approach

Observations


Research Questions Set Your Direction

Framing the research questions - your topic

• Old topic or new?

• Mainstream or “marginal”?

• Viable?

• Marketable?


Problems Identified by Research Questions

• Why interesting?• Problem, puzzle, paradox?• Who else has addressed them?• How?


Path of hopeful

questions Land

Funding vessel

Findings

Selective re-

analysis

Dissemination

Futile findings

Integration Valley

Conclusions

Marsh of Data





Data Description

Overload fog

Pass of supportive

theory

View point

FogFurther Heights


Analysis Jungles

Plains of

Ignorance


RESEARCH EXPEDITION


fog

Who has dealt with these issues? Visited similar terrain?


Maze of Literature:

Review is not a catalogue of abstracts


Prior work

Avoid random walk through the literature.

Summarise relevant schools of thought.Justify your selection among these.

Refer to leading examples of literaturefrom relevant schools of thought.

Cite examples of key articles, books;Explain briefly why you selected these.

Path of hopeful

questions Land

Funding vessel

Findings

Selective re-

analysis

Dissemination

Futile findings

Integration Valley

Conclusions

Marsh of Data





Data Description

Overload fog

Pass of supportive

theory

View point

FogFurther Heights


Analysis Jungles

Plains of

Ignorance


RESEARCH EXPEDITION


fog


Lit review provides empirical and conceptual grounding

Your research questions can be informed bypropositions put forward in the literature

Propositions - two views:generalizations based on research findings - or logical inference from conceptual model.

Propositions drawn from the literature sum upstate of knowledge.Build on these, but question them.


Research Methodology

Chapter explains and justifies themethodology used.

Manage readers’ expectations

Path of hopeful

questions Land

Funding vessel

Findings

Selective re-

analysis

Dissemination

Futile findings

Integration Valley

Conclusions

Marsh of Data





Data Description

Overload fog

Pass of supportive

theory

View point

FogFurther Heights


Analysis Jungles

Plains of

Ignorance


RESEARCH EXPEDITION


fog


Mountains of what you don’t know

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld 12 Feb 2002Department of Defense News Briefing:

‘As we know, there are known knowns: there are things we know we know.

We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know.

But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don’t know we don’t know.’

Ignorance is no defense


Data presentation

“Describes and summarises the evidence researched.” Data presentation and data analysis are closely connected.

The way we view and collect data is shaped by our assumptions and concepts.


Data Analysis

Examines the data in the light of theory

Conceptual scheme or explanatory framework

Makes sense of your observations.

Evidence and explanation, back and forth.

.


Data presentation and analysis not fully separable

Theories of knowledge are viewing lensesTwo main kinds

Knowledge: information whose validity has been established by tests of proof.

Knowledge as information rendered meaningful by understanding


Scientific Method

External and objective worldIndependent observerValue-free science

Focus on factsReduce to simple elementsHypothesise and test

Operationalise conceptsMeasure variablesLarge samples if possible

Data analysis


Interpretive perspective

Human reality is filtered by cognition.Subjectivity and interests are inevitable.The observer is a participant.

Aim to understand meanings: make sense of experiences

Use multiple methodsSmaller samples, investigate over time


There is overlap between scientific and interpretive approaches in building and testing theory

Many scientists now accept:Intrusion of the observerPath dependence (history matters)Limits to predictionUnderstanding as a goal of science


Interpretive methods

• Logic of inquiry - not dissimilar from scientific method. • Compare expected & observed situations; revise expectations• Compare change in state of research subject between observations• Identify differences. Infer influences.

• Construct propositions about evidence and inferences• Apply these to other cases for support or challenge.

• There are positivist approaches to qualitative evidence

Eisenhardt K. 1989, ‘Building Theories from Case Study Research’, Academy Management Review, 14 (4), 532-550


Positivist vs Interpretive approaches• Positivist approach:

Strength: precision, prediction Weakness: may be mechanistic, formulaic, narrow…

• Interpretive approach: • Strength: gain insight, understanding

– Weakness: how to define and delimit the inquiry? – How to operationalize and replicate?– How to compare and generalize?


Combining qualitative & quantitative methods

• Work with database or survey to establish parameters of the issue at an aggregate level (e.g. size and other attribute distributions or growth rates)

• Establish quantitative associations.

• Drill down to more detailed level and conduct qualitative inquiry into causes


When progress is slow this may be in the nature of the terrain

• Mountains of Ignorance to View Point

• Marsh to Jungle and Back

• Futile Findings to Scrap and Recycle

• Terrain is re-trodden before Pass comes in view

• Impasse and creative breakthrough

Path of hopeful

questions Land

Funding vessel

Findings

Selective re-

analysis

Dissemination

Futile findings

Integration Valley

Conclusions

Marsh of Data





Data Description

Overload fog

Pass of supportive

theory

View point

FogFurther Heights


Analysis Jungles

Plains of

Ignorance


RESEARCH EXPEDITION


fog


Carefully planned research programme may have to change

Task

Summary

Phase 1• Literature Review• Practice Review• Research question formulation• Case Studies (Exploratory)• Preliminary framework

Phase 2

• Case Studies (Building content)• Framework refinement

Phase 3• Literature review• Case Studies (Validate Framework)• Finalise framework

Phase 4• Literature Review• Thesis writing

3rd Year2nd Year1st Year

Preliminary Framework Framework/ Theory BuildingFramework/

Theory Assessment

Thesis writing


Creative Thinking (Koestler 1964)• We rely on ways of thinking (rules, habits, associative contexts,

matrices of thought) that have proved useful. • Formal schools of thought develop along these lines.

• Like physical reflexes & skills, mind sets develop & are applied unconsciously.

• Mental and physical reflexes are efficient.• But they limit flexibility.

• Creativity overcomes inertia and the habitualA. Koestler “The Act of Creation Hutchinson, London 1964


Breakthrough in thinking

• Pasteur discovers inoculation Micro-organism research (yeasts, parasites, bacilli)Vaccination for smallpox (Jenner’s folk cure)

• Darwin: detects operation of natural selectionArtificial selection by breeders

Malthus on overpopulation

• Combining two matrices of thought


Collision of thought paths in two different matrices: breakthrough

planes of thought

Graphic adapted from Koestler, 1964


Humour as intellectual creativity

Do two streams of thought collide in a joke?

Incongruities, anomalies - source of problems in science.


Diffusion of innovation: photovoltaic technology

Demand side explanations were dominant: in development lit:adoption of innovations, cultural response, price

Damian Miller PhD: study in Indian and Indonesian villagesKey differences in diffusion of photovoltaics: entrepreneurs’ role.

Called for change of focus and policy recommendations

Example of shift in explanatory variables and literature base


Japanese versus British Cultures of Innovation?

Study before and after acquisition of UK high techfirms for impact of Japanese culture

Findings were unexpected.

Required shift of Research Questions and in field from organizational behaviour to strategy

Shift in research questions and field


Example of rethinking the research questions From literatureWhat are the attributes of new ventures that succeed?What are the factors creating obstacles to their growth?But 70 -80% of variance between growth performance left unexplained.

New RQs:How do entrepreneurs turn obstacles to advantage?Why is early success often followed by crises?What makes entrepreneurs innovative?


Inexperience no bar to breakthrough

“The student’s matrices of thought are still fluid … Inexperience can be an asset: it entices the novice into asking questions which nobody has asked before, into

seeing a problem where nobody saw one before.” Koestler, The Act of Creation, p. 604


Share your ideas

Join an intellectual community

Create a support group

Enjoy your journey!

Research as a Community Activity


If time - more material- what are propositions?


Propositions can be (1) deduced from theory or (2) inferred from evidence

DESIGNING RESEARCH

· What are data?· Where to find data?· How to measure

data?

Opening Work

SELECTING A TOPIC

REVIEWING LITERATURE

· What are the issues?· What are the

research questions?

· What do we know?

FINDING A GAP

· What is missing?

PUTTING A FRAMEWORK TOGETHER

· What are the relevant theories and variables?

FORMULATING PROPOSITIONS

Gioia and Pitre, 1990 - identified by Caren Weinberg

(1) ”Individuals seek actively to regulate their own behaviour.” (derived from agency theory)

(2) “Employing a cross-functional implementation team is a key factor for success. “ (Derived from an inquiry - to be further tested)

elizabeth garnsey doctoral research: navigating the possibilities

Documents

research findings

research methods4

research methodology

literature sum

maze of literature

literature review3

orientationresearch

data presentation5