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The Treatment of Complex Literatures within the structure of a PhD.

Professor Gus Geursen explores the treatment of complex literatures within the structure of a PhD thesis. This seminar discusses various strategies for managing complex literature, including scoping, analytical comprehension, and synthesis.

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The Treatment of Complex Literatures within the structure of a PhD.

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  1. The Treatment of Complex Literatures within the structure of a PhD. Professor Gus Geursen School of Marketing University of South Australia

  2. Literature on thesis writing related to marketing • Chad Parry (1998), • A structured approach to presenting a thesis. AMJ 6(1) 63-85 and Commentary by Uncles (1998) • Adams and White (1994) • Dissertation Research in Public Administration: an Assessment of Methods and Quality PAR 54(6) 6565-576 • Clark (1965) • Writing up the Doctorial Thesis GMR 25-31

  3. Cooper (1989) • Integrated Research a guide for Literature Reviews. Sage • Krathwohl (1977) • How to prepare a research proposal University of Syracuse • Phillips and Pugh (1994) • How to Get a PhD Open University Press

  4. Sources of material for this seminar • In order to demonstrate my discussion of literature I will use a thesis • A internal conceptual model of the small firm • Other thesis referred to are by Dr Phil Hellier, Dr Liz Hempill and my other past and present students.

  5. The Structure of the thesis as an argument • Chapter 1 Introduction and overview of this thesis • Chapter 2Issues in defining • Chapter 3Literature review • Chapter 4 Research method • Chapter 5 Active research Your Work • Chapter 6 Active research Your Work • Chapter 7 Active research Your Work • Chapter 9 Conclusions, implications and identification of further research. Fitting it back into the literature

  6. Chapter 1 Introduction and overview of this dissertation • Introduces the thesis. • Provides a general context from a discipline perspective and a general perspective. • Why is it important to study this area. • What is being explored. • What are the fundamental question/s explored in the thesis. • What is the scope of the thesis.

  7. Chapter 2Issues in defining….. • This is your opportunity to define your terms and to justify your definitions. • This chapter can also be used to establish any unusual words/language in the thesis. • If well written the chapter will act as a reference for the reader to progress from.

  8. Chapter 3Literature review • The heart of the thesis and subject of this seminar

  9. Chapter 4 Research method • Will flow out of literature chapter but also have its own literature • Composition • The research questions • Issues in the research approach • The research philosophy of this dissertation • Implications of the research philosophy • Stages in research for this dissertation • Stage 3 Case studies • Stage 4 Empirical substantiation

  10. Chapter 9 Conclusions, implications and identification of further research • Introduction • Contribution of the conceptual model to business literature • Contribution of the model components to business literature • Further research • Conclusion

  11. Structure of the thesis • Chapter 1 Introduction and overview of this dissertation • Chapter 2Issues in defining small business • Chapter 3Literature review • Chapter 4 Research method • Chapter 5 The firm as a generative and an extractive phenomenon • Chapter 6 The cashflow component model • Chapter 7 The generative component of the firm • Chapter 9 Conclusions, implications and identification of further research

  12. What you need to comment on • What has been said. • Overall • Specifically • Q. What and how is it related to my problem What has been concluded • Specifically • Generally • What is its substance • Q. What and how is it related to my problem

  13. Engaging a literature regardless whether it is complex or simple • What needs to be covered. • Range of aspects • Range of literatures What and how is it related to my problem

  14. Problems • What should be in ? • What should be out? How do you produce a transparent argument

  15. Steps in managing a complex literature • Step 1 Scoping the literature • Step 2 Grasping the Literature Analytically • Step 3 bring the story together

  16. Step 1 Scoping the literature • Survey the general area and do it carefully as misses will come back and bite you • Search carefully and extensively. If you find a paper that arrears relevant look at its references and pick up the authors who are frequently quoted. • Search widely and preferably cross discipline. • Search chronologically.

  17. Legal Literature agent, principal and clie nt (Cheshire and Fifoot 1988; Latimer 1999) Marketing Literature Consumer Behaviour Agency Theory GAP Relationship maintenance Gap filled by this thesis filled and benefits of the Relationship outcomes thesis definitions and outcomes (Bergen, Dutta, and (Akerlof 1970; Walker 1992) and Meckling 1976) (Marsh and Zumpano 1998; Moore, Smolen, and Conway 1992; Black, and Simmons 1987) Society Laws Boundaries and limitations of legalistic control; codes of conduct (Kucera 2002; Molho 1997; Sitkin and Roth 1993) eg Liz HemphillAn examination of agent-principal relationship establishment: The case of Real Estate Specific parameters and definitions of the agency relationship; remedies for - Principal’s decision to Gap filled by this thesis commit (Bagozzi 2000; Bagozzi & Dholakia 1999) (Singh 200 0; Sitkin & Boundaries, drivers Roth 1993) - Agency relationship agency relationship Jensen 1994b; Jensen Agent behaviour - Drivers of agent behaviour -

  18. Trade Theory and Development Economics: Role of skill-intensity, macro-level environmental factors and organizational factors (Czinkota et al. 1998; Deardorf 1984) i.e. absolute advantage (Smith 1776), comparative advantage (Ricardo 1819), factor proportion (Leontief 1950; Ohlin 1967), demand similarity (Linder 1961), technology gap (Posner 1961), skill gap (Hirsch 1967), product cycle (Vernon 1966), market imperfect (Krugman 1990), competitive advantage of nations (Porter 1990), modified factor proportion (Wood 1994), resource-advantage (Hunt and Morgan 1995) • development economics (Hymer 1972; Schumpeter 1952; Stiglitz 1996; 2002; • UNCTAD 2002) • Ecological Organization Theory: • Relationship between business environment, firm resources, business strategy • and business performance (Thorelli 1967) • . • Resource-Based • Theory: • Relationship between • firm resources and • performance (Barney • 2001; Collis 1991) i.e. • export barrier internal • to the firms and export • performance (e.g. • Bauerschmidt et al. • 1985; Industrial Organization Theory: Relationship between external environments and performance (e.g. Aldrich 1979; Hofer 1975; Porter 1980; Scherer 1990); i.e. export barrier external to the firms and export performance (e.g. Bilkey and Tesar 1977;Bodur 1986; ; Das 1994; ; Katsikeas et al. 1996; Leonidou 1995c, 2004; Ratanasithi 2002; Styles and Ambler 1994) Export Marketing Mix Theory: Relationship between export marketing mix strategy and export performance (Bilkey 1987) Strategy Theory: Relationship between strategy and performance (e.g. Eisenhardt 1999; Minzberg 1985) GAPExport Performance Eg Saran’s thesis Resource-Based Theory: Relationship between firm resources and performance (Barney 2001; Collis 1991) i.e. export barrier internal to the firms and export performance (e.g. Bauerschmidt et al. 1985; Da Silva and Da Rocha 2001; Katsikeas et al.1996)

  19. Trade Theory and Development Economics: Role of skill-intensity, macro-level environmental factors and organizationalfactors (Czinkota et al. 1998; Deardorf 1984) i.e. absolute advantage (Smith 1776), comparative advantage (Ricardo 1819), factor proportion (Leontief 1950; Ohlin 1967), demand similarity (Linder 1961), technology gap (Posner 1961), skill gap (Hirsch 1967), product cycle (Vernon 1966), market imperfect (Krugman 1990), competitive advantage of nations (Porter 1990), modified factor proportion (Wood 1994), resource-advantage (Hunt and Morgan 1995) development economics (Hymer 1972; Schumpeter 1952; Stiglitz 1996; 2002; UNCTAD 2002)

  20. Invaluable discoveries • Look for scope though • Themes. • Patterns • Areas covered and missed. • Especially look for the invaluable contributions such as citation analysis, broad studies which provide overviews of an area. If you cannot find these you will have to develop them yourself so look very carefully.

  21. Some useful hints • Look for any summary analysis, literature reviews such as a citation analysis or extensive lit review paper • Academy of Management Review. • Journal of Accounting Literature. • Journal of Economic Literature • Look for mega analysis. • Read the lit review sections of the good papers and see if anyone has taken a holistic view.

  22. An example of a literature scope Taken fromA conceptual model of the small firm

  23. An existing paperAn Empirical analysis of small business literature

  24. Figure 3.2 Subjects in journal/academic articles exerting the greatest impact on contemporary small enterprise research

  25. Make comments of what you observe provided they are justified for example • After figure 3.1 classification • On the basis of these comments it is not surprising that the literature appears fragmented and non-cohesive. • After figure 3.1 classification citation analysis • Clearly, the research to this point had not generated material that helped to provide an integrated understanding of small businesses as a whole.

  26. Engage the literature further and comment on what has been found. • for example there were two holistic studies Williams (1989) and Storey, Keasey, Watson and Pooran (1990)

  27. The Williams (1989) study The characteristics Williams chose to collect data on were in four groups: • Enterprise characteristics, • Owner/manager characteristics, • Management practices and business dynamics, and • Owner/manager reaction and development.

  28. What Williams did • Studied approx 4000 continuing businesses for 15 years and approx 4000 failed businesses • Collected detailed data on all the characteristics identified every 6 months • Did extensive survey work with each failed business

  29. The contribution of the Williams study • Observation 1 • It is critical to determine and understand what controls are used in a small firm and how these are used. • Observation 2 • It is important to understand how these controls actually function as components of the management process of small business. • Observation 3 • A framework model if available would provide a most useful reference point for the study of small business.

  30. An opportunity for you to comment use it to make a visible contribution • For example • The design elements encapsulated in each observation are missing from Williams’ study and may well be the reason for his work not achieving its model building objective. A framework model of small business, if it could be assembled, might eventually provide a means to usefully re-explore Williams’ data.

  31. Storey, Keasey, Watson and Pooran 1990 • What Story et al Did • Obtained financial data (annual reports) of a sample a selection of small manufacturing businesses; - Compared the financial performance of small manufacturing firms with the creation of employment in those enterprises as a +&- measure of success.  The objective of Storey et al. was to model the small firm through prediction of failure, an objective not achieved by the study.

  32. The Storey et al. study contribution Observation 4 Profitability, and thus viability, is persistently present in a continuing small business and not just in periods centred around growth stages. Furthermore, it cannot be assumed that profitability directly relates to growth.  Observation 5 Cashflow or liquidity should be an aspect of small business to examine and have an important role in small business management.  Observation 6 A single summary source such as annual accounts or statistical models is not a sufficient database for model development. A range of sources must be explored if the drivers and relationships necessary for small business to function are to be understood.

  33. Compare the studies • E.g Williams and Storey et al. observations Observation 7 Research based on a comparison of survivor and non-survivor firms has not produced information from which a small business model can be developed.

  34. Figure 3.3 Research model used

  35. A key problem in literature driven research studiesis the absence of connective links.

  36. In complex literatures you need to stay unattached until the relationships fall out • Let the literature talk to you • Don’t get committed to a particular view. Stay loose. • Let the relationship and method requirements fall out. • Use Observations until you are ready to commit.

  37. Step 2 Grasping the Literature Analytically • After you have scoped the literature identify the areas you want to look at more closely. • It is here that you should draw together the relevant literatures you wish to explore in detail.

  38. Example of headings chosen • Constraints in small business • Workload in small business. • Small business growth • Small business and its business environment • Research into the links between small business components • Business orientations and their influence • Common elements between orientations • Some general observations about orientation literature • Opportunity recognition

  39. Treatment of each headinge.g.Constraints in small business • Material • Discussion of workload and need to focus (Williams 1989 Beddall 1990) • Support in literature • Cohn and Limberg (1972), Rohrer, Hibler and Replogle (1969). Classical organisational literature and research (for example the discussion of Fayol, Gulick, Urwick, Mooney and Taylor in Dalton; Lawrence and Lorch 1970 or see Odiorne 1987).

  40. Observations • Observation 8 • Small business is constrained by the limitations of its resource base. Observation 9 • The limited resource base of small firms will cause managers to select a very limited and simple set of tools, with which to perform only the most necessary management information tasks. Observation 10 • The complexity of small business also has an effect on the selection of management tools. • Observation 11 • Tools need to be multifunctional and capable of embracing a number of small business management needs if they are to be of value.

  41. e.g. 2 Workload in small business • Material • Beddall (1991) Williams’ (1989) (Stubbart 1989, p. 326). (Johston-Laird 1988, 1983; Hogarth 1980; Kahneman, Slovic and Tversky 1982; Simon 1956, 1955; Smircich and Stubbart 1985; Thurow 1983). Simon (1979, 1978) (Bedeian 1984).Lindblom (1979, 1959) (Stein 1981, p. 922 (Quinn 1992, 1981, 1978) stress.

  42. Observations • Observation 12 • In an environment where time is at a premium and in a pressured environment constant priority choices are unavoidable. • Some more discussion….. • see Kellogg 1995; Cottingham 1986; Bougin, Weick and Binkhorst 1977; Higgins and Barth 1975; Stubbart and Ramaprasad 1988; Boden 1988; Pylyshyn 1986; and Johnson-Laird 1988, 1983). In fact, the apparent conflict in Williams’

  43. Observation 13 • By virtue of the limitation of their resource base and past experience, small business managers require an extreme ability to set attention priorities. • Discussion • Observation 14 • Focal points are needed in small business to set the priorities for allocation of time by the owner/manager and thus avoid work overload. These still need to be identified. • Discussion • Observation 15 • An evoked set of data exists, that is a set of identifiable pieces of information forming a basis from which small businesses makes its decisions.

  44. Research into the links between components • Observations • Observation 18 • The locus of control and management in small business is directly vested in the owner/manager. This person is central to all the decision paths. • Observation 19 • In small business all decision paths pass directly through the owner/manager, and this person directly determines the organisational response.

  45. The problem is to stay unattached until the relationships fall out • Let the literature talk to you • Don’t get committed to a particular view. Stay loose. • Let the relationship and method requirements fall out. The use of observations let you do this in a complex literature and they also draw attention to what you think! In the thesis used as an example there were 56 observations.

  46. Step 3 bring the story together • Develop Propositions by Bringing the Observations together into groups that support your model arguments

  47. The propositions • From a conceptual modelling perspective a key observation is that orientations can be divided into two groups, those concerned with the generative and those concerned with the extractive contributions to the firm (observation 54). This observation is fundamental to the conceptual modelling process because it suggests: • Proposition 1 • The firm can be conceptualised as consisting of two components: the generative and the extractive.

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