Choosing Research
Strategy and Approach
Lecture 7
Prof. Development and Research
Lecturer: Rositsa Milyankova
Objectives of the lecture:
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To outline the key research philosophies: positivist,
interpretivist and realist
To select one of the two approaches: deductive or
inductive
To identify the main research strategies and explain
why they are not mutually exclusive
To explain concepts of validity and reliability
To understand the ethical issues of selecting research
strategy
The research process “onion”
POSITIVISM
Research
philosophy
DEDUCTIVE
Research
approaches
Experiment
Survey
Cross
sectional
Sampling
Secondary data
Observation
Interviews
Questionnaires
Case
study
REALISM Research
strategies
Grounded theory
Longitudinal
Ethnography
Time
horizons
Action research
INDUCTIVE
Data collection
methods
PHENOMENOLOGY (interpretivism)
Research philosophy
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Positivism
Role of researcher: objective analyst
Working with an observable social reality…the end product can be law-like
generalizations similar to those produced by the physical and natural
scientist (Remenyi et al., 1998)
The researcher is independent and neither affects nor is affected by the
subject of the research
Highly structured methodology
Quantifiable observations that lend themselves to statistical analysis
Complexity is reduced to a series of law-like generalizations – this leads to
interpretivism
Research philosophy
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Interpretivism
(Phenomenology)
Business situations are not only complex, they are unique, a
particular set of circumstances and individuals
To discover ‘the details of the situation to understand the
reality or perhaps a reality working behind them’, associated
with “constructionism” or “social constructionism” – reality
is socially constructed
People place different interpretations on the situation, in order
to make sense of and understand motives, actions and
intentions of other people
Research philosophy
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Realism
Based on a belief that reality exists, independent to human
thoughts and beliefs
Social objects or phenomena, external to or independent of
individuals affect the way people perceive their world,
whether the are aware of them or not
Shares some philosophical aspects with positivism
N.B. Business research is often a mixture between
positivism and interpretivism, reflecting the stance
of realism
Research approaches
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Deductive - testing theory (positivism)
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first develop a theory and hypothesis and then
design a research strategy to test the hypothesis
Inductive - building theory (interpretivism)
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first collect data and than develop theory as a
result of the data analysis
The stages of the deductive research
1. Deducing a hypothesis from the theory
2. Expressing the hypothesis in operational terms,
proposing relationship between two specific variables
3. Testing this operational hypothesis – experiment or
other empirical inquiry
4. Examining the specific outcome of the inquiry (what
is happening?) and either confirm or modify the
theory
5. Modifying the theory (if necessary) in the light of
findings
Case study: absenteeism in a retail store
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Reasons for absence: age of workers, length of service
Longitude of absence?
Highly structured methodology
Researcher should be independent of what is being observed
Concepts need to be operationalized in a way that enables
facts to be measured quantitatively
Reductionism - problems are better understood if they are
reduced to the simplest possible interests
Generalization!!! – select samples of sufficient numerical sizes
The stages of the inductive research
1. Examining the specific problem - why
something is happening?
2. Make sense of the data by analyzing it
3. Formulation of a theory
Major differences between
Deductive and Inductive approaches
Deduction emphasizes:
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Scientific principles
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moving from theory to data
the need to explain causal relationships
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between variables
the collection of quantitative data
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the application of controls to ensure
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validity of data
the operationalisation of concepts to ensure
clarity of definition
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a highly structured approach
researcher independence of what is being 
researched
the necessity to select samples of sufficient
size in order to generalize conclusions
Induction emphasizes:
Gaining an understanding of the
meanings humans attach to events
a close understanding of the
research context
the collection of qualitative data
a more flexible structure to permit
changes of research emphasis as
the research progresses
a realization that a researcher is
part of the research process
less concern with the need to
generalize
Which approach to select?
1. Depending on the wealth of literature:
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More sources, definition of a theoretical framework and - deductive
approach
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Less sources, data generated and analyzed – inductive approach
2. Depending on time:
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deductive approach is quicker to complete
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Inductive needs time
3. Depending on risk:
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Deductive approach is a lower-risk strategy
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Inductive – fear that no theory will emerge
4. Question of audience: who makes the research
5. Who will mark/pay the research
Need for a clear research strategy:
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Why is the approach important?
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Is it possible to combine approaches?
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Which approach I should adopt?
Research strategies
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Experiment
Survey
Case study
Grounded theory
Ethnography
Action research
Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies
Exploratory, descriptive and explanatory studies
Research Strategies
1.
Experiment
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Classical form of research
definition of a theoretical hypothesis
selection of samples of individuals from known populations
allocation of samples to different experimental conditions
introduction of planned change on the variable /s
measurement of a small number of the variables
control of other variables
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Experiment
Puzzle solving
 Two groups – experimental and control
 Four puzzles during each of the three sessions
 Experimental group paid one dollar per
puzzle solved
Research strategies
2. Case study
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Robson (2002:178) defines the case study as: “ …a strategy
for doing research which involves empirical investigations of
a particular contemporary phenomenon within a real life
context using multiple source of evidence”
Generates answers to the questions Why, What, How
‘Development of detailed, intensive knowledge about a single
case, or a small number of related cases’
/Robson (1993)/
Includes questionnaires, interviews, observations, ,
documentary analysis
Challenges the existing theory and provides a source for new
hypotheses
Research strategies
3. Grounded theory
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Theory is developed from data generated by a series of
observations, generation of predictions then tested in further
observations
Best example for inductive approach
Data collection starts without the formation of an initial
theoretical framework
Theory is developed from data generated by a series of
observations which lead to predictions, then tested in further
observations
Research strategies
4. Ethnography (rooted in the inductive
approach)
 Comes from anthropology
 To interpret the social world the subjects
inhabit in the way in which they interpret it
 Time consuming
 The research process needs to be flexible
Research strategies
5. Action research
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The term was used by Lewin in 1946
The researcher is involved in the action for change and
application of the knowledge
emphasis on the purpose of research
involvement of practitioners and close collaboration
implications beyond the immediate project
The action research spiral
Focus upon change
Research strategies
5. Cross-sectional and Longitudinal studies
(time horizons)
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How do I prefer the research to be done –
- as a “snapshot” or cross-sectional - the study of a
particular phenomenon at a particular time
- as a “diary” or longitudinal - to study change and
development, to represent events over a given period
Research strategies
6. Exploratory, descriptive and explanatory
studies
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Exploratory: to clarify understanding of a problem – what is
happening - to search literature, take experts in the subject,
conducting focus group interviews; flexible and adaptable to
change
Descriptive: ‘to portray an accurate profile of persons,
events or situations’ (Robson, 1993)
Explanatory: to study a situation or problem in order to
explain the relationships between variables
Research strategies
7. Survey
To collect a large amount of data from a sizeable population and
standardize it to allow easy comparison
Types:
Questionnaires
Structured Interviews
Questionnaires
Group Administration
Self Administration
Mail Administration
Email Administration
Household Drop-Off
Delivery and collection
Interviews
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Structured interviews
Semi-structured interviews
Unstructured interviews (in-depth)
Standardized interviews
Non-standardized interviews
Respondent interviews
Informant interviews
Structured Interviews
Personal
(face to face
Telephone
Multi-method approaches
Advantages:
 To use different methods for different purposes
in a study
 To enable triangulation
How do I know which method to use?
Credibility of research findings
1. Reliability
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Will the results be the same in other occasions
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Similar observations reached by other observers
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Transparency of the raw data
2.Validity
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If findings are really about what they appear to be
about
3. Generalizability (external validity) – findings
equally applicable to other research settings