Mukherjee, A; Hoare, D and Hoare, J (2002) Selection of research methodology for phd researchers working with an organization. In: Greenwood, D (ed.) Proceedings of 18th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2002, Northumbria, UK.
Abstract
The issue of management research methodology is a highly debated one. Different perspectives and thought processes are available, both from the scientific and the sociological fields of research. This paper is prepared in context of a full time PhD research, which has to be finished within a specific time limit (with minimal flexibility), in most cases with limited resources, and has to attain an acceptable quality. The paper first discusses the range of methodologies that are available to a full time PhD researcher, giving particular attention to working with an organization. The paper argues that the research methodology, for a PhD researcher working in management related areas in construction, is significantly influenced by several factors, including the desire and skills of the researcher, the influence of the supervisor, the influence of the collaborating organization, the state of development of the research area and a comprehensive risk assessment. These factors collectively decide the context and the content of the research thus guiding the methodological choices. These factors are explored in brief to highlight their importance while examining a research methodology. Given the unlimited range of potential diversity achievable for these factors, the paper demonstrates the necessity of considering feasibility and risk as well as academic acceptability while examining methodological choices.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | phd research; research methodology; research project management |
| Index terms: | supervisor, project management, risk assessment, methodology, research methodology, management research |
| Subjects: | research methods, financial risk, project management theory and practice, research design and methodology, practitioner |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Cost Management, Research Practice, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here