Research process management

Though the value of a process-centred view for the understanding and (re-)design of corporations has been widely accepted, our understanding of the research process in Information Systems (IS) remains superficial. A process-centred view on IS research considers the conduct of a research project as a sequence of activities involving resources, data and research artifacts. As such, it helps to reflect on more effective ways to conduct IS research, to consolidate and compare diverse practices and to complement the focus on research methodologies with research project practices. This paper takes a first step towards the discipline of ‘Research Process Management’ by exploring the features of research processes and by presenting a preliminary approach for research process design that can facilitate modelling IS research. The case study method and the design science research method are used as examples to demonstrate the potential of such reference research process models.

Knowledge inquiry in the construction management domain through structured research process and methodology

Construction works are project-based and interdisciplinary. Many construction management (CM) problems are ill defined. The knowledge required to address such problems is not readily available and mostly tacit in nature. Moreover, the researchers, especially the students in the higher education, often face difficulty in defining the research problem, adopting an appropriate research process and methodology for designing and validating their research. This paper describes a ‘Horseshoe’ research process approach and its application to address a research problem of extracting construction-relevant information from a building information model (BIM). It describes the different steps of the process for understanding a problem, formulating appropriate research question/s, defining different research tasks, including a methodology for developing, implementing and validating the research. It is argued that a structure research approach and the use of mixed research methods would provide a sound basis for research design and validation in order to make contribution to existing knowledge.

Engaging creativity through an action learning and action research process to develop an Indigenous art exhibition

In most art exhibitions, the creative part of the exhibition is assumed to be the artworks on display. But for the Capricornia Arts Mob’s first collective art exhibition in Rockhampton during NAIDOC Week in 2012, the process of developing the exhibition became the focus of creative action learning and action research. In working together to produce a multi-media exhibition, we learned about the collaborative processes and time required to develop a combined exhibition. We applied Indigenous ways of working – including yarning, cultural respect, cultural protocols, mentoring young people, providing a culturally safe working environment and sharing both time and food – to develop our first collective art exhibition. We developed a process that allowed us to ask deep questions, engage in a joint journey of learning, and develop our collective story. This paper explores the processes that the Capricornia Arts Mob used to develop the exhibition for NAIDOC 2012.

Demonstrating the merits of the peer research process: A Northern Ireland case study

This article discusses the benefits and challenges of involving peer researchers in social research projects. A research project on pupil participation in policy making on school bullying in Northern Ireland’s schools was commissioned by the Office of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People and undertaken by the National Children’s Bureau in conjunction with researchers from Queen’s University Belfast in fourteen schools across Northern Ireland, utilizing a mixed methods approach. We trained and employed nine 15–18-year-old peer researchers to support them in this project. After the project’s completion, we conducted interviews with six of the peer researchers to investigate how they experienced their involvement in the research. We discuss the findings from these interviews and contextualize in a review
of literature on research involving children and young people.

Preparatory and field work phases in the qualitative empirical research process in management: the case studies approach

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to promote qualitative methodology within the scientific community of management. The specific objective is oriented to propose an empirical research process based on case study method. This is to ensure rigor in the empirical research process, that future research may follow a similar procedure to that is proposed. Design/methodology/approach: Following a qualitative methodological approach, we propose a research process that develops according to four phases, each with several stages. This study analyses the preparatory and field work phases and their stages. Findings: The paper shows the influence that case studies have on qualitative empirical research process in management. Originality/value:. Case study method assumes an important role within qualitative research by allowing for the study and analysis of certain types of phenomena that occur inside organisations, and in respect of which quantitative studies cannot provide an answer.

Problem solving and computer-assisted instruction in science education : analysis of research findings and the research process /

The quantitative component of this study examined the effect of computerassisted instruction (CAI) on science problem-solving performance, as well as the significance of logical reasoning ability to this relationship. I had the dual role of researcher and teacher, as I conducted the study with 84 grade seven students to whom I simultaneously taught science on a rotary-basis. A two-treatment research design using this sample of convenience allowed for a comparison between the problem-solving performance of a CAI treatment group (n = 46) versus a laboratory-based control group (n = 38). Science problem-solving performance was measured by a pretest and posttest that I developed for this study. The validity of these tests was addressed through critical discussions with faculty members, colleagues, as well as through feedback gained in a pilot study. High reliability was revealed between the pretest and the posttest; in this way, students who tended to score high on the pretest also tended to score high on the posttest. Interrater reliability was found to be high for 30 randomly-selected test responses which were scored independently by two raters (i.e., myself and my faculty advisor). Results indicated that the form of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) used in this study did not significantly improve students' problem-solving performance. Logical reasoning ability was measured by an abbreviated version of the Group Assessment of Lx)gical Thinking (GALT). Logical reasoning ability was found to be correlated to problem-solving performance in that, students with high logical reasoning ability tended to do better on the problem-solving tests and vice versa. However, no significant difference was observed in problem-solving improvement, in the laboratory-based instruction group versus the CAI group, for students varying in level of logical reasoning ability.Insignificant trends were noted in results obtained from students of high logical reasoning ability, but require further study. It was acknowledged that conclusions drawn from the quantitative component of this study were limited, as further modifications of the tests were recommended, as well as the use of a larger sample size. The purpose of the qualitative component of the study was to provide a detailed description ofmy thesis research process as a Brock University Master of Education student. My research journal notes served as the data base for open coding analysis. This analysis revealed six main themes which best described my research experience: research interests, practical considerations, research design, research analysis, development of the problem-solving tests, and scoring scheme development. These important areas ofmy thesis research experience were recounted in the form of a personal narrative. It was noted that the research process was a form of problem solving in itself, as I made use of several problem-solving strategies to achieve desired thesis outcomes.

`Building bridges`: a case study of a collaborative research process

'Building bridges' is a metaphor we have used to describe a collaborative research process involving social work academic and senior practitioners from government and non-government child protection and family service organizations in Victoria, Australia. The purpose of the research was to develop a 'practice-generated approach to policy implementation' in child protection practice. The research sought to explore the appropriateness of social constructionist approaches for child protection practice that might enhance the existing risk paradigm. This article aims to critically evaluate the process of 'building bridges' and its outcomes, by focusing on how potential and actual differences between organizational contexts, namely universities and various serviceproviding organizations, may influence relationships between theory and practice. We critically reflect on our research process comparing it with idealized forms of collaborative research discussed in the literature.