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RESEARCH METHODS

SEMESTER ONE 2012

Allanah Robinson

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Todays Class

Introductions and Overview

Week One:

Management Research Orientation

What is Management?

What is Research?

A (very) short history of Management Theory

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Learning Objectives

To review types of management research

To describe the relationship between research and

management

To trace management researchs historical

development

To consider the privileging of science.

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What is Management?

Daft:

The attainment of organisational goals in an effective

and efficient manner through planning, organising,

leading and controlling organisational resources Clegg:

Management is much more complex, considers that

management is what managers know (aware) that they

do. Have many sources of knowledge, which managers

then apply

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What is research?

A systematic, careful inquiry or examination to

discover new information or relationships and

expand or verify existing knowledge for some

specified purpose or problem (Bennett) Problems may be theoretical or practical

Many occupations have some aspects of research in

them. Examples

Which examples are Business Research?

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Its research Jim...

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Science and Social Science

Scientific research

Is based on the rules accepted by scientists, especially

physical sciences

Furthers knowledge if the research can be repeated toget similar results

Seeks objective truth: The Truth.

Social science

Attempts to apply scientific method to people and

society

This is not problem free...

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Social Science: The Challenges

Humans can be unpredictable and changeable

We have free will

We can be aware that they are being studied and

respond

Our social environments, especially markets, are

constantly changing

Usually cannot replicate social research at differenttimes or places.

But we still seek Truth by replication

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Revealed Truth/Alternative Research

Common sense (who says?)

Consensus Truth based on intuition, spirituality,

folklore, social interaction.

Counter-Scientific perspective.

Emotion, oral history, case examples, wisdom from

the ancients revelationary experiences.

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Why do business research?

For decision making

To describe something: the way it is

To explain something: why or how is it this way?

To evaluation something: is it going well?

These three goals are the basis of three

classifications of business research.

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Descriptive Research

Find out, describe what is..

Counting and listing things.

Often used to monitor social and economic change

or gain insights into an issue

e.g. Facebook use, unemployment.

Census and other population statistics

Why is this useful?

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Explanatory/Causal Research

To provide an explanation of patterns, trends or

relationships

Tries to illuminate causes:

why/how did that happen?

Ability to make predictions based on causal

research is very useful in business

Future profits New product development trends

Correlation vs Causation

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Evaluative Research

To evaluate, especially the success of managementactions

eg compliance with company policies, success ofstrategies, projects, activities, programmes.

Often linked to profitability, ROI, resource use,performance.

Useful for management

Is this profitable? What could be improved?

How is this operation performing?

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Pilot studies

A preliminary or exploratory study

Used for a number of reasons:

To see whether something exists.

To determine whether an issue merits a full

investigation.

To guide the development of a full investigation.

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Who does research?

Affects the purpose of the research and how

managers may interpret the research

Need to also be aware of who pays for or

commissions research.Why?

Researchers can include:

Academics Students

Public Sector

BusinessConsultants and Managers

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History of Management

Pre-industrial

The Classical School

Behavioural Approaches

Human Relations Approaches

Modern Approaches

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Pre-industrial management

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The Classical School

Principles of scientific management

one best way time and motion studies

Focus on business purpost

Administrative Theory Developed general principles of management

Development of bureaucracy: rational-legal authority

based on positionManagement as a profession

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Behavioural to Human Relations

Behavioural approaches

Recognised complexity of human behaviour and

motivation

Managers role as harmoniser and coordinator Importance of communication and social relationships

Human Relations approaches

Motivation and the heirarchy of needs Theory X and Y : workers want to work?

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Modern Management Approaches

Management science

Uses statistics to for efficiencies

Systems theory

Organisation sum of its parts

Value chain coordination

Contingency approach

Make it up as up go along! Japanese approaches

Longer term focus

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Modern approaches (cont)

Institutional Theory

Culture, politics and power, and the role of the

manager

Fads and Fashions Research on new practices for improved management

Often disappointing

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The Management/Research Relationship