Research Methods in Management This Page Intentionally Left Blank Research Methods in Management A concise introduction to research in management and business consultancy Geoff Lancaster AMSTERDAM ●BOSTON ●HEIDELBERG●LONDON●NEW YORK ●OXFORD PARIS ●SAN DIEGO ●SAN FRANCISCO ●SINGAPORE●SYDNEY●TOKYO Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP 30 Corporate Drive, Burlington, MA01803 First published 2005 Copyright © 2005, Geoff Lancaster. All rights reserved The right of Geoff Lancaster to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright holder except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, England W1T 4LP. Applications for the copyright holder’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: ((cid:2)44) 1865 843830, fax: ((cid:2)44) 1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also complete your request on-line via the Elsevier homepage (http://www.elsevier.com), by selecting ‘Customer Support’ and then ‘Obtaining Permissions’ British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Acatalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data Acatalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress ISBN 0 7506 6212 3 For information on all Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann publications visit our website at http://www.books.elsevier.com Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd, Chennai, India Printed and bound in Great Britain Contents About the Author ix Acknowledgements xi 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background and major themes 1 1.2 Using this book 3 1.3 Chapter structure/studying each chapter 5 1.4 The research/consultancy project 6 1.5 Concluding comments 8 2 Managing Your Development as a Manager 9 Learning outcomes 9 2.1 The importance of continued professional development for the manager 10 2.2 Approaches to professional development: self-development 11 2.3 Action learning: process and principles 13 2.4 Working with and learning from others 14 2.5 Planning a self-development programme 14 2.6 Concluding comments 18 2.7 References 19 2.8 Glossary 19 3 Introduction to Research in Management 20 Learning outcomes 20 3.1 The theoretical antecedents tomanagement research: epistemological versus ontological orientations 21 3.2 Deductive versus inductive research 22 3.3 Nomothetic versus ideographic research 27 3.4 Problems and issues in management consultancy-type research 30 vi Contents 3.5 Concluding Comments 33 3.6 References 34 3.7 Glossary 34 4 Management Consultancy and Research 36 Learning outcomes 36 4.1 The consultant and consultancy: development and meaning 37 4.2 Why organizations use consultants: advantages and contributions 38 4.3 Disadvantages and limitations of management consultants 40 4.4 Management consultancy – types, roles and activities 42 4.5 Non-directive versus directive consultancy models 43 4.6 Other Styles of consulting 44 4.7 Internal versus external consultants 47 4.8 Developments in management consultancy approaches and techniques 47 4.9 Professional and ethical issues in management consultancy and research 48 4.10 Concluding comments 49 4.11 References 50 4.12 Glossary 50 5 The Consultancy Research Process 51 Learning outcomes 51 5.1 Management consultancy and research: an overview 52 5.2 Initiating the consultancy/research process: meeting/identifying the client 53 5.3 The consultancy research project/topic 56 5.4 Planning and agreeing the consultancy/research brief 59 5.5 Designing and agreeing to the research plan 60 5.6 Completing the consultancy cycle 61 5.7 Concluding comments 62 5.8 References 62 5.9 Glossary 63 6 An Overview of Data Collection: Approaches, Methods and Techniques 64 Learning outcomes 64 6.1 Data, information and decisions 65 6.2 Types of data 65 6.3 Methods of data collection 68 6.4 Issues in data collection 69 6.5 Choosing between data collection methods 74 Contents vii 6.6 Concluding comments 77 6.7 References 77 6.8 Glossary 78 7 Data Collection: Secondary Data 79 Learning outcomes 79 7.1 Secondary data: meaning and scope 80 7.2 Planning secondary data collection 82 7.3 Internal secondary data 85 7.4 External secondary data 87 7.5 Criteria for evaluating secondary data 92 7.6 Concluding comments 94 7.7 References 94 7.8 Glossary 95 8 Data Collection: Observational Research 97 Learning outcomes 97 8.1 The nature and purpose of observational research 98 8.2 Observation approaches and techniques 99 8.3 Planning and implementing observational research 105 8.4. Other issues in observational research 108 8.5 Concluding comments 110 8.6 References 111 8.7 Glossary 112 9 Data Collection: Experimental, Quasi-experimental and Action Research 113 Learning outcomes 113 9.1 The nature and purpose of experimentation: classical experimentation 114 9.2 Structuring experimental research design: key steps 118 9.3 Quasi-experimentation 121 9.4 Action research 123 9.5 Concluding comments 127 9.6 References 127 9.7 Glossary 128 10 Data Collection: Asking Questions 129 Learning outcomes 129 10.1 Questioning as a means of data collection 130 10.2 Interviews 133 10.3 Questionnaires, surveys and samples 137 10.4 Surveys 146 viii Contents 10.5 Concluding comments 151 10.6 References 152 10.6 Glossary 152 11 Analysing Data 154 Learning outcomes 154 11.1 Analysis: nature and roles 155 11.2 The purpose of analysis 157 11.3 Quantitative versus qualitative data analysis 159 11.4 Semiotics 166 11.5 Steps in analysing qualitative data 170 11.6 Issues in and approaches to analysing qualitative data 172 11.7 Concluding comments 173 11.8 References 173 11.9 Glossary 174 12 Actioning Research 176 Learning outcomes 176 12.1 Interpreting and diagnosing research findings, making recommendations and taking decisions 177 12.2 Designing the implementation and action plans 179 12.3 Implementation and follow up 180 12.4 Control and evaluation: disengagement 182 12.5 Concluding comments 184 12.6 References 185 12.7 Glossary 185 Appendix I: Activity Solutions 186 Appendix II: Bibliography 194 Appendix III: Internet Gateways, Research and Databases, Search Engines and Directories for Social Science Researchers 201 Appendix IV: Amalgamated Glossary 203 Appendix V: Referencing and Advice on Presentation 209 Index 255 About the Author Professor Geoff Lancaster MSc, PhD, FCIM, FLCC Chairman, Durham Associates Group, Castle Eden, Co. Durham, with offices in London and Hull, UK; Bahrain; Jeddah and Dhahran, KSA; Dubai, UAE; Kish, Iran; Muscat, Oman; Doha, Qatar; Lusaka, Zambia and Johannesburg, South Africa. The company was established in 1990 to engage in business con- sultancy and education. An international division was established in 1994, and the company received the Queen’s Award for Exporting in 1999.