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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Sven-Olof Collin. EVALUATION OF CIVILEKONOM THESIS. PROBLEM. Motivation , but no aim. Aim. Scientific problem. Student ignorance. Practical problem. Well informed, i.e., educated. Common mistake: A list of six questions. METHOD.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

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  1. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Sven-Olof Collin

  2. EVALUATION OF CIVILEKONOM THESIS

  3. PROBLEM Motivation, but no aim Aim Scientific problem Student ignorance Practical problem Well informed, i.e., educated Common mistake: A list of six questions

  4. METHOD Reflective account of method used Method for the thesis and Method for data collection Pragmatic methodology, multi method Common mistake: Endless words dealing with café method or non-reflective description

  5. THEORY/ Literature review Theoretical competence - simplicity/abstraction - logic Common mistake: Words by others are theory

  6. THEORY DEFINED • A theory is a statement of causality between two or more factors Theory is very practical: THE RAIN THEORY When it rains, you’ll be wet.

  7. EMPIRICS Rigorous

  8. ANALYSIS Stringent but Creative Common mistake: Mechanic application or just babbling

  9. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions: To understand the deeper meaning of the results and drawing valid conclusions concerning theoretical and practical relevance. Return to the problematisation return to the theory what have we learned and what can you teach

  10. PRESENTATION Communication and Critique! Common mistake: Bad language, many pages Maximum of Informational content/number of pages

  11. ORIGINALITY New knowledge appear when someone think differently Common mistake: Not stringent, rigorous and/or logical

  12. PROCESS Process: To work with the thesis independently and in a goal oriented, ambitious, and productive way. Engaged Vital Planned but flexible Common mistake: Too late, too lazy, too absent

  13. THEORY OF SCIENCE

  14. THE UNIVERSE OF SCIENCE • Ontology What is? • Epistemology How do I know? • Methodology How do I investigate? To know about the surroundings in order to be capable of knowing the map and to make educated choices

  15. ONTOLOGY Assumptions that are not discussed Human laws: Utility maximisation Similarity attracts, dissimilarity repulse Societal laws: Profit maximisation Equilibrium Conflict Consensus Conscious of ontological assumptions

  16. ZEITGEIST Democracy Market 1965 1985 Society Friends M E Family Reason

  17. Epistemology How do I know? Inductivist Experience Rationalist Reason

  18. RATIO: REASON Immanuel Kant Das Ding an Sich A A A priori form before experience

  19. METHODOLOGY Induction Deduction Abduction Theory level Empirical level Observation level R E A L I T Y

  20. INDUCTION + Based on actual experience + Many variables observed - Everything cannot be observed - Few cases observed Hypothesis/Theory generation

  21. DEDUCTION + Based on actual knowledge + Many cases observed - Everything cannot be observed - Few variables observed Hypothesis/Theory testing

  22. ABDUCTION + Based partly on knowledge and partly on experience + Open for new factors - Everything cannot be observed - Few cases observed Hypothesis/Theory evaluation

  23. CHOICE OF BASIC METHODOLOGY Absent • Induction • Abduction • Deduction Theory Unclear/Weak Strong Common mistake: No book on the subject=Absent theory Imagine that you will think of something that no one has thought about!

  24. CRITERIA OF SCIENCE • Critical, revolutionary attitude Science is an attitude where you are always prepared to creatively and critically reconsider the established truths, opinions and methods • Values Notice: who put the question (Myrdal) • Examinable Repetition: The research has to be presented in a way that makes it possible to repeat the research Falsification: Knowledge has to be able to falsify Openness: Full account of the results and the research

  25. THE PRINCIPLE OF FALSIFICATION • Knowledge is superior if • not yet has been falsified • that are more exposed for falsification than other theories • that explains more phenomenon's than other theories • that are simpler than other theories Remember: Knowledge are those statements that are not yet falsified

  26. THREE RESEARCH ORIENTATIONS • Positivism • Hermeneutics • Critical theory objectivity, generality, value indifference intersubjectivity, individuality, value validity objectivity, generality, value validity • Overall ideals • Conceptual clarity • Logic • Fit with data Individual ideals Objectivity or intersubjectivity Generality or individuality Value indifference or value validity

  27. POSITIVISM • Explanation: A=> B Causal: A precede B in time (game of marbles) Functional: A is a effect of B (Christmas) • Generality: Social laws • System Critic: Societies are not nature, control and social engineering

  28. COLLIN, THE POSITIVIST Theory: statements about causality Independent factors: The factors that explains Dependent factor: What I explain Factor Operationalisation Variable Observation empirical testing

  29. Interpretation HERMENEUTICS Dialogue Understanding Interpretation Dialogue Understanding • Understanding (Verstehen) through interpretation • Individuality • Lifeworld Interpretation Dialogue Understanding Interpretation Critique: Who are you to claim that you understand another person when you cannot understand yourself? Dialogue Pre-understanding

  30. WHY HERMENEUTICS? • The dialectics of social life: everything creates its own negation. Resistance against social engineering • Market segmentation in the research market due to increasing competition among academic teachers

  31. CRITICAL THEORY • Research for liberation, for change • Revealing the power structures of society • Value oriented

  32. WHY CRITICAL THEORY • To reconcile the separation between system and individual • To accomplish societal change

  33. PROBLEM

  34. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? Discrepancy Addition Expected / Wished Outcome or State Knowledge Investment behaviour A knowledge problem, not an ignorance problem or a practical problem Observed Outcome or State Coase theory of the firm

  35. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A PROBLEM • Scientifically interesting • Practically/Politically interesting • Methodologically possible • Do I have the competence/education • INTERESTING FOR ME! You are the strained worker

  36. AIM OF THE THESIS I. Why have an aim? Tradition The need of the supervisor Directing the mind and the work during the whole process + focused + avoiding to be adrift + communication continuously criticised

  37. AIM OF THE THESIS II. The aim of the thesis is to get 30 points Pragmatic, but not informative…. The aim of the thesis is to get knowledge about how corporations choose accounting methods Object, but too wide The aim of the thesis is to get knowledge about how corporations choose accounting methods through the application of positive accounting theory Object and theory, but get knowledge is too loose The aim of the thesis is to explain how corporations choose accounting methods through the application of positive accounting theory Object and theory and research strategy

  38. METHOD How will the aim be realised

  39. METHODOLOGY

  40. METHODOLOGY • Selection of method for the thesis Inductive - Deductive • Selection of method for observation Experiment Survey Case study • Selection of method for data collection Interview Questionnaire Documents ...

  41. SELECTION OF METHOD FOR THE THESIS The nature of the scientific problem Well defined Theory present Explorative No No Descriptive Yes No Explanatory Yes Yes The researchers knowledge interest Explanation Understanding Change Deductive Inductive

  42. SELECTION OF METHOD FOR OBSERVATION Number cruncher Story teller Methodological pragmatism

  43. METHODOLOGICAL PRAGMATISM Experiment Survey Case Study Number of variables Very few Few Many Number of cases Many Few Few No New relations No Yes Generality Yes Yes No

  44. EXPERIMENT • Controlled environment • Few variables • Strong theory Theory testing ‘absurd’ Disregarding reality Clean

  45. SURVEY • Generalisation through sampling from a population • often economical, using questionnaire • Strong theory Theory testing Knowledge for populations Superficial False generalisation

  46. QUESTIONNAIRE/INTERVIEW GUIDE Theory hypotheses or concepts Operationalisation to observable variables Transformation to questions Pilot testing of questionnaire Final version

  47. QUESTIONNAIRE/INTERVIEW GUIDE II Common mistakes Asking without knowledge tell me about your investment plans No testing xxx yyy zzz No operationalisation of concepts how were you socialised?

  48. CASE STUDY • Many variables/ rich observations • Find new relationships= theory development, theory induction Anecdotal Not rigorous True new knowledge Uncover many relationships/history

  49. CASE STUDY II Let’s get out and talk to them. Let’s make a case study A MISTAKE YOU WILL PAY FOR! Rigorous (Yin-book) for example: selection of cases, selection of data collection method, selection of functions, persons. Qualitative AND quantitative data Qualitative AND quantitative analysis

  50. DATA COLLECTION

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