Business Research Methods
Dr Robert Shaw
School of Management
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
Today
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The hegemony of science
Three kinds of research
New directions in business research
How to write
How to publish
1. The hegemony of science
1. The word “hegemony”
2. Courses for students
3. The ascent & challenges of science
a.
Physics as the exemplar
Understanding
b.
Social sciences
Understanding
c.
Business research
Understanding
hegemony
Leadership, predominance,
preponderance; esp. the leadership or
predominant authority of one state of a
confederacy or union over the others:
originally used in reference to the states of
ancient Greece, whence transferred to the
German states, and in other modern
applications.
Oxford English Dictionary
Hegemony. (n.d.). In Oxford English
Dictionary. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.oed.com
(Hegemony, n.d.)
Business methods courses
1. Textbooks
2. Confusion about purposes
3. Classification of methods
a.
b.
Base on what is done (analogy: menu)
Needs to be base on epistemology and/or
ontology
Philosophical
Purpose
2. Three kinds of research
1. Kinds of papers
a.
b.
c.
Scientific (basic, fundamental)
Operational research (applied)
Philosophical (conceptual, argumentative)
2. Examples of each
a.
b.
c.
Structure of the paper
Epistemological / ontological stance
The production of such papers
Scientific research in business
1. Common
Surveys
Experimental designs
2. Assumptions / ground
Epistemology
Ontology
3. Philosophy of science
Positivism
Constructivism
Phenomenology
Scientific papers
1. An example (next seven slides)
Structure of the paper
Prescribed method
Known standards
Engagement with the tradition
2. The traditions of research
The narrowing of the focus
The proliferation of sub-disciplines
3. Origin of problems - confusion with purposes
Scientific papers
1. An example (next seven slides)
Structure of the paper
Prescribed method
Known standards
Engagement with the tradition
2. The traditions of research
The narrowing of the focus
The proliferation of sub-disciplines
3. Origin of problems - confusion with purposes
Operational research in business
1. Examples
Marketing
Policy
Evaluation
Applied research
Consulting
2. Structure of the paper
In-house use
Report format
Often mimics science
3. Epistemological stance
Technology – a tool
3. New directions
1. Science in business research
More about less
Detached from real problems
The interdisciplinary movement & new requirements
Understanding in the social sciences
2. Philosophy as business research
Phenomenology
Philosophy of management
Philosophy of science
Philosophy of technology
Critical management theory
4. How to write
1. Pros and cons
Scientific enquiries
Operational enquiries
Philosophical enquiries
2. Technology
Screens
Grammar & spell checker
Bibliographic software (Endnote)
Dictionary and thesaurus
Academic databases
Library
Others
My kind of writing
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Find a project – you need something to say
Write the abstract
Commit to a conference
Write, write, write – produce organically
Search online for relevant papers
Support your writing with references
Present it as quickly as possible
Re-write for publication
Submit for referees report
4. How to publish
1.
2.
3.
4.
Control of journals
Academic societies
Open access journals
Set realistic goals