Valdes-Vasquez, R and Klotz, L E (2013) Using the concept-mapping method for empirical studies in construction research. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 139(10): 04013002, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
The concept-mapping method has enabled research advances in medicine and psychology. This method also seems well suited for many of the questions facing construction researchers, but its use remains limited in construction research. Concept mapping helps solicit and organize ideas from experts and stakeholders. This method can be used to categorize results into various clusters that may have competing explanations or backgrounds. It also allows for comparing results among group of participants. This method integrates qualitative group tasks of idea generation, sorting, and rating with two quantitative analyses, multidimensional scaling, and cluster analysis. One of the relevant findings of using these analyses is the creation of visual maps, which can help develop action plans and frameworks. This paper is meant as a guide for applying the concept-mapping method to construction research. Although examples for using this method in construction engineering and management are presented in this paper on the basis of the development of a sustainability framework, the emphasis is on general principles to show how various construction research topics could be explored by using this method.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | concept mapping; construction research; expert knowledge; hybrid methods; quantitative methods |
| Index terms: | medicine, scaling, construction engineering, empirical study, group task, psychology, quantitative analysis, concept mapping, cluster analysis, mapping, quantitative method, maps |
| Subjects: | organization, data analysis and analytics, medical science and clinical practice, research methods, engineering methods, spatial and geospatial analysis, decision analysis, behavioral psychology |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Risk Management, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Business Strategy |
| 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