Research Skills for Management Studies 1st Edition by Alan Berkeley Thomas 0415268990 9780415268998

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ISBN 10: 0415268990 

ISBN 13: 9780415268998

Author: Alan Berkeley Thomas

The recent growth of interest in the systematic study of management has transformed a once neglected area of research into one that now attracts a huge number of postgraduate students. Despite this, there has been a distinct lack of research guides tailored specifically for management studies. Designed as a comprehensive introduction to the main phases of a research project, this textbook fills that void. It leads students from the very first stage of initiation through to final publication, considering the nature of research skills and the fundamental elements of the research process, whilst exploring the institutional context in which management research is carried out. Taking current debates and the surrounding philosophical and strategic issues in hand, this book combines the key theories with the best practical advice to offer a completely rounded introduction to the topic. It includes guidance and specific reference to real management research projects, as well as case examples, activities and further reading lists, and is essential reading for anyone undertaking a management studies research project.

Table of contents:

1 Research Skills for Management Studies
Some basic assumptions
The researcher’s skills
The structure of the book
Finally, why do research?
Key reading
Further reading

2 What is research?
The basic tasks of research: describing and explaining
Types of research
Strategies, methods and designs
The research process
Evaluating research: five key questions
Key reading
Further reading

3 Ways of knowing
How do you know?
The epistemology of science
Epistemological orientations
Epistemological orientations in management research
Keeping philosophy in its place
Key reading
Further reading

4 Problem fields
The field of management research
Academic tribes and territories
Is management research distinctive?
Management: a problematic problem field
Key reading
Further reading

5 Problem identification
Entering the problem field
Sources of problems
Reviewing the literature
What makes for worthwhile research?
Preparing a research proposal
Key reading
Further reading

6 Research ethics
Ethics in research
Managing ethical issues
A case study in research ethics: Milgram’s research on obedience to authority
Key reading
Further reading

7 Research strategies The experiment and survey
Selecting units for study
Experimental designs
The survey
Key reading
Further reading: The experiment

8 Research strategies The case study, ethnography and action research
The case study
Ethnography
Action research
Key reading: The case study
Further reading: The case study

9 Data construction by asking questions
Questioning data: straight questions, crooked answers?
Theories of questioning
A theory of error detection and its failure
Questionnaire design
Key reading
Further reading

10 Data construction by making observations
What is observation?
Why observation?
Is what you see what you get?
Methods of observation
Observer roles
Styles of observation
Key reading
Further reading

11 Data construction by using documents and records
The role of documents and records in management research
Epistemological orientations to documentary sources
The use of existing datasets
Documentary sources
Advantages of documents and records
Possibility of using large samples
Appropriateness for longitudinal research
Appropriateness for historical studies
User-friendliness
Types of document
Evaluating documentary sources
Key reading
Further reading

12 Data analysis and interpretation
Basic processes: describing and explaining
Interpreting quantitative data
Quantitative summarization
Quantitative relations: making patterns
Statistical inference
Assessing significance
Interpreting qualitative data
Qualitative summarization
Qualitative relations: making maps and telling stories
Software for quantitative and qualitative analysis
Key reading
Further reading: Quantitative analysis and interpretation

13 Writing and publication
Getting round to writing
What should be included?
Structuring the text
The arts of scholarly writing
Organizing the writing
Word budgets
Discovery through writing
Producing drafts
Pitfalls to avoid
Publish – and flourish!
Preparing to submit
If at first you don’t succeed
Key points
Key reading
Further reading

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Tags: Alan Berkeley Thomas, Research, Management, Studies