A comprehensive plan for empirical research
Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences
August 26, 2023
Form small groups. Present and discuss the findings of your homework. Focus on following questions:
Agree on one theory and one method that you will present in the plenum.
The action plan
A research design is the blueprint for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data that
Drawing a conclusion from a general premise to a specific instance: from theory to data.
Inferring a general conclusion from a set of specific observations: from data to theory.
Making sense of an observation by drawing inferences about the best possible explanation: educated guessing.
Good research involves strategies for exploration, rationalization, and validation (Recker 2021).
The key benchmark against which your research design must be aligned is the problem statement as specified in the research question(s)—the research design must match logically the research question.
Spectrum | One end of continuum | Other end of continuum | |
---|---|---|---|
Aim | Exploratory | vs | Explanatory |
Method | Qualitative | vs | Quantitative |
Boundary | Case | vs | Statistical properties 1 |
Setting | Field | vs | Laboratory |
Timing | Several cases, one point in time (cross-sectional) | vs | One case over time (longitudinal) |
Outcome | Descriptive | vs | Causal |
Data, risks, theory, feasibility & instrumentation
The alignment between research question(s) and design does not have to be unidirectional. In fact, most research questions are tweaked and altered over time to reflect an updated research design, although research questions should retain their prominence over the research design (Recker 2021).
Consider the research questions you have formulated and derive an appropriate research design (using the spectrum outlined above).
Discuss your reasoning with your neighbor.
Strategy used to answer a research question.
Main strategies of inquiry in IS (Recker 2021):
Compare qualitative and quantitative methods using following requirements of scientific research:
Give an example for each method (specific approach).
Requirement | Qualitative | Quantitative | Design science | Computational |
---|---|---|---|---|
Controllability | Low | Medium to high | High | Low to medium |
Deducibility | Low | Medium to high | Low | High |
Repeatability | Low | Medium to high | High | High |
Generalisability | Low | Medium to high | Low | Low to medium |
Explorability | High | Low to medium | Low to medium | High |
Complexity | High | Low to medium | Medium to high | Medium to high |
According to the publications in the eight main journals, the most important topics in the field of IS between 2007 and 2018 were electronic commerce/business, information systems research, and IS usage/acceptance, with the survey method being the predominant research methodology (Mazaheri et al. 2020).
Research recently published papers in your field and, using the main strategies of inquiry in IS, try to find one paper for each strategy.
Explain relevant points of the different research designs that might help you in your work.
For instance the required sample size for a survey or experiment.