Research - Types of Academic Research for Award of Ph. d Degree

Alternatives

 

Exploratory Research

 

Theory Building (Based on own exploration or others explorations)

 

Refining an Earlier Theory (Existing Theory)

 

Testing an Existing Theory

 

Integrated Research

 

If a research project has all the three stages within it, it is an integrated research project. In important areas it could be come a seminal research. But every Ph.d student will not be able to come out with such integrated research projects and complete it within the three or four years that he is supported by an institution. Hence projects of limited scope are attempted as Ph.d research projects. Even research projects undertaken done  professional researchers or academicians have limited scope in majority of  cases.

 

Exploratory Research

 

An exploratory research is undertaken when there are no prior studies and documentation of the phenomenon. In this type of research, the observation skills of a researcher are displayed. The output will be a good documentation of observations and classifications of the observation into tables that have some meaningful categorisation. From the observations the researcher may come out with generalisations regarding the phenomenon under observation.

 

Refining an Earlier Theory (Existing Theory)

 

In this type of research an earlier theory is available and the research finds that theory is still not an adequate explanation of the phenomenon. Based on the observations reported by the earlier researcher or researchers, the candidate may attempt to come with a modified or enlarged model. If required he may also observe the phenomenon once again. But this time, the observation is not purely exploratory. He is guided by the earlier theory and hence his observation is more focused. The output of this type of research is a new theoretical model. The theoretical model may validated by the researcher.

 

Testing an Existing Theory

 

Many research studies are of this category. In this type of research, from an existing theory new testable hypotheses are derived by the candidate and candidates proceeds to collect relevant data and carry out the tests concerned. Candidates have to demonstrate their skill in developing testable hypotheses from theoretical conjectures. A testable hypothesis must have variables for which data can be collected. There has to be a statistical test which can be used to test the hypothesis. Then the data is to collected, validated and then the statistical test is to be conducted. The result of the test is to be interpreted and findings are be given. A conclusion is to be drawn from the findings regarding the phenomenon. The implications for the practical use of the findings and conclusions may be attempted by the researcher.

 

For More Detailed Study

 

http://www2.uiah.fi/projects/metodi/177.htm



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Research for Theory Building

The Cycles of Theory Building in Management Research
January 2005
Paul R. Carlile
School Of Management
Boston University
Boston, MA 02215

Clayton M. Christensen
Harvard Business School
Boston, MA 02163
http://www.innosight.com/documents/Theory%20Building.pdf


The General Method of Theory-Building Research in Applied Disciplines
Susan A. Lynham
Advances in Developing Human Resources, Vol. 4, No. 3, 221-241 (2002)

Theory Building and Hypothesis Testing:
Large- vs. Small-N Research on Democratization
Michael Coppedge
Kellogg Institute
Hesburgh Center
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Paper prepared for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association,
Chicago, Illinois, April 25-27, 2002.
http://www.nd.edu/~mcoppedg/crd/mpsacopp02.pdf





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http://knol.google.com/k/narayana-rao/research-types-of-academic-research-for/ 2utb2lsm2k7a/ 1051

Article Directory - European Journal Of Business Research Methods

Volume 2 Issue 1 July 2003 http://www.ejbrm.com/vol2/v2-i1/v2-i1-papers.htm Editorial Comment Frank Bannister           A Critique of using Grounded Theory as a Research Method George Allan, Department of Information Systems and Computer Applications, Portsmouth University, UK           Supporting information literacy for starting MBAs through action research Ann Brown, Martin Rich and Clive Holtham, Cass Business School, London UK           Gender disparity in organisation and the resultant human resource mismanagement: A case analysis Ronald B. Crawford, University of Greenwich Business School, UK           Inductive theory generation: A grounded approach to business inquiry Dr. David Douglas, Business School, Staffordshire University, UK.           Getting results from online surveys – Reflections on a personal journey Rachel A. McCalla, Henley Management College, UK           Knowledge management: A critical investigation Stephen K. Probert, Computing and Information Systems Management Group, Cranfield University, Swindon, U.K.           Discourse analysis and complex adaptive systems: Managing variables with attitude/s Charl Walters & Roy Williams, w.w associates, Reading, U.K.           Telehealth in the UK: A critical perspective Ela Klecun-Dabrowska, Department of Information Systems, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton St, London WC2A 2AE, UK.       Volume 2 Issue 2: July 2004   http://www.ejbrm.com/vol2/v2-i2/v2-i2-articles.htm                                                                                                       Editorial Comment                   Conceptualising Participatory Action Research – Three Different Practices   47             Grounded Theory and the ‘And’ in Entrepreneurship Research   59             Using a Multimethod Approach to Research Enterprise Systems Implementations José Esteves, Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain Joan Pastor, Universidad Internacional de Catalunya, Spain (pp 69-82)   69             Using the Glaserian Approach in Grounded Studies of Emerging Business Practices   83             Issues in Online Focus Groups: Lessons Learned from an Empirical Study of Peer-to-Peer Filesharing System Users   95             Perspectives on Management Research Design and Orientation: Quandaries and Choices   111             A Researcher’s Dilemma - Philosophical and Methodological Pluralism Karl Knox, Nottingham Trent University, UK (pp 119-128)   119             From PostGrad to Professional: Useful tips for choosing and executing a doctoral thesis Dr Sam Lubbe, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa (pp 129-134)   129             Historiography - A Neglected Research Method in Business and Management Studies John O’Brien, Dan Remenyi, and Aideen Keaney, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (pp 135-144)   135             The Undergraduate Dissertation: Subject-centred or Student-centred? Tina Shadforth and Brendon Harvey, Coventry University, UK (pp 145-152)   145             Increasing business students’ Confidence in Questioning the Validity and Reliability of their Research Teresa Smallbone and Sarah Quinton, Oxford Brookes University, UK, (pp 153-162)   153             Multi-perspective management research: Fusion or confusion? Les Worrall, Wolverhampton Business School, Telford, UK (pp 163-170)       Volume 3 Issue 1 July 2005 http://www.ejbrm.com/vol3/v3-i1/v3-i1-papers.htm The Development of an Evaluation Framework for Partnership Working Maurice Atkinson Southern Health and Social Services Board, Northern Ireland     Through a Glass Darkly: Fact and Filtration in the Interpretation of Evidence Frank Bannister Trinity College, Dublin     Towards a Second Order Research Methodology Jim Brown1 and Petia Sice2 1Draeger Safety UK Ltd, Blyth, Northumberland, UK 2Northumbria University, School of Informatics, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK     The Nexus Between Teaching and Research: A Qualitative Study Using two Focus Group on Academic Information Systems Teachers Kevin Grant1 and Stuart Fitzgerald2 1Caledonian Business School, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK     Grounded Theory: Its Diversification and Application Through two Examples From Research Studies on Knowledge and Value Management Kirsty Hunter, Subashini Hari, Charles Egbu and John Kelly Glasgow Caledonian University, UK     Mixed-mode Surveys Using Mail and Web Questionnaires Matthias Meckel, David Walters and Philip Baugh Lancashire Business School, University of Central Lancashire, UK     Grounded in Practice: Using Interpretive Research to Build Theory Bruce H. Rowlands Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

 

Volume 3 Issue 2 September 2005

http://www.ejbrm.com/vol3/v3-i2/v3-i2-papers.htm

Developing Information Systems Design Knowledge: A Critical Realist Perspective Sven A. Carlsson Informatics, School of Economics and Management, Lund University, Sweden

A Generic Toolkit for the Successful Management of Delphi Studies Jacqueline Day and Milena Bobeva Business School, Institute of Business and Law, Bournemouth University, UK

Learning Logs: Assessment or Research Method? Tim Friesner1 and Mike Hart2 1Business and Management, University of Chichester, UK 2Business Management Group, University of Winchester, UK

Interpretivism and the Pursuit of Research Legitimisation: An Integrated Approach to Single Case Design Felicity Kelliher School of Business, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland.

Tell me a Story – A way to Knowledge Dan Remenyi School of Systems and Data Studies, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

Applying a Behavioural Simulation for the Collection of Data Kristina Risom Jespersen The Aarhus School of Business, Department of Marketing and Statistics, Denmark

 

Volume 4 Issue 1 November 2006

http://www.ejbrm.com/vol4/v4-i1/v4-i1-papers.htm

Contents		Page
Editorial Arthur Money Professor Emeritus Henley Management College
Can Methodological Applications Develop Critical Thinking? Deborah Blackman 1 and Angela Benson 1 1School of Management, University of Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2 School of Service Management, University of Brighton, Eastbourne, UK		1
Getting the most from NUD*IST/NVivo Alison Dean and John Sharp Kent Business School, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK		11
Applying Multidimensional Item Response Theory Analysis to a Measure of Meta-Perspective Performance K. Michele Kacmar 1, William L. Farmer 2, Suzanne Zivnuska 3 and L. A. Witt4 1 Department of Management and Marketing, The University of Alabama, USA 2 FedEx Express, Suzanne Zivnuska, USA 3 College of Business, California State University, USA 4 University of Houston, USA		23
Proposals for Designing and Controlling a Doctoral Research Project in Management Sciences Jacques Lauriol, Groupe ESC Rouen, Mont-Saint Aignan Cedex, France		31
Validation of Simulation Based Models: A Theoretical Outlook. Morvin Savio Martis Manipal Institute of Technology, India		39
Motivators for Australian Consumers to Search and Shop Online Ian Michael College of Business Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai, UAE		47
A Case Study on the Selection and Evaluation of Software for an Internet Organisation Pieter van Staaden¹ Sam Lubbe² 1 Faculty of Informatics, Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cape Town, South Africa 2 School of Information Systems and Technology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa		57

 

Volume 5 Issue 1 July 2007

http://www.ejbrm.com/vol5/v5-i1/v5-i1-papers.htm

Contents		Page
Editorial Ann Brown
Is Research that is both Causally Adequate and Adequate on the Level of Meaning Possible or Necessary in Business Research? A Critical Analysis of Some Methodological Alternatives. D.A.L. Coldwell School of Management, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa Open University, Milton Keynes, UK		1
Learning from a Doctoral Research Project: Structure and Content of a Research Proposal Javed Iqbal Impact College, School of Business and Management, Manchester, UK		11
The Ethical Impact of Business and Organizational Research: the Forgotten Methodological Issue? Margaret Lindorff Monash University, Victoria, Australia		21
Strategies for Teaching Research Ethics in Business, Management and Organizational Studies Linda Naimi Organizational Leadership, Purdue University, USA		29

           

Volume 5 Issue 2 Special Issue ECRM Lisbon, July 2007 http://www.ejbrm.com/issue-current.htm Contents   Page Editorial Ann Brown       How Hospitality Industry Managers' Characteristics could Influence Hospitality Management Curricula Sjoerd A. Gehrels CHN University, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands 37         Research Dilemmas in Management and Business Studies John Mendy University of Lincoln, Lincoln Business School, UK 49         Development of Variant Definitions for Stakeholder Groups with regard to the Performance of Public Transit in the United States K. Jason Keith Phillips1 and Diane M. Phillips2 1Department of Marketing, West Chester University, Pennsylvania, USA 2Department of Marketing, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 61         Applying Grounded Theory to Study the Implementation of an Inter-Organizational Information System 1Joan Rodon and 2Joan A. Pastor 1Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain 2Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain 71         Managing the Fear Factor (or how a Mini-viva Assessment can Improve the Process of Learning for International Students) Susan Sayce Bournemouth University, UK 83         The Catalog Usability Questionnaire – Adoption and Validation of a Usability Scale for Print-Catalogs Sebastian Schulz Gunnar Mau Günter Silberer Institute of Marketing and Retailing, University of Göttingen, Germany 93         Wasting Time: The Mission Impossible with Respect to Technology-Oriented Security Approaches Andreas E Wagner and Carole Brooke Lincoln Business School, University of Lincoln, UK 117         The Use of Grounded Theory and of Arenas/Social Worlds Theory in Discourse Studies: a case study on the discursive adaptation of information systems Ana C. Vasconcelos University of Sheffield, United Kingdom 125

 
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