Designing Qualitative Research

1. Designing Qualitative Research Hugh Willmott Research Professor in Organizational Analysis Cardiff Business School Home Page : http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/close/hr22/hcwhome `Designing a research project is all about making decisions. These range from broad, general decisions about what approach to adopt in order to tackle a particular topic, to narrow, more specific decisions about what specific data to obtain, from where and how’ (Thomas, p. 20)

2. Outline of Session • Recap • Why Design? • Design and Qualitative Inquiry • Practicalities of Design

3. Recap of Sessions 1 and 2

4. Four Main Aspects (from course outline) • Understanding the theoretical underpinnings of different traditions of qualitative research • Understanding the diversity of methods in qualitative research • Examining design and execution issues in qualitative research • Appreciating the political and ethical issues and dilemmas that accompany research activity

5. Recap of Sessions 1 and 2 • The meaning of qualitative research • where are its boundaries? what are its methods? what makes it `research’? • The standing of qualitative research • is it inferior (anecdotal, illustrative) or preparatory to quantitative research? • should qualitative research comply with the protocols and by judged by the criteria attributed to quantitative research re. validity, etc? • The conduct of qualitative research • which approach to take? Which methods to use? What skills to develop? What justifications to invoke? • The ethics of qualitative research • is qualitative research unacceptably intrusive? What accountability is there of the researcher to the researched? • Do the conditions and consequences of research render it inherently politico-ethical?

6. Key Elements of Research

7. Why Design?

8. Purpose of Research Strategy and Design Attentiveness to research design and strategy is intended to improve the chances of producing a defensible thesis by providing positive responses to questions such as: • Have I reviewed the relevant literature? • Is my review sufficiently focused and critical? • Are my methods appropriate? • Has my empirical research been thoughtfully and carefully undertaken? • With respect to data collection/construction, its analysis and its presentation? • Are my conclusions effectively supported and qualified? • Have I drawn out the implications of my findings / contribution? Suggestions for future developments?

9. What is you research question(s)? What is the purpose of the research? What is its theoretical orientation? What is the justification for the method(s) being used? What principles guide the analysis of data? What ethical issues are involved in your research? Do you have a feasible timetable for your research (project management)? Do you have access to the necessary resources? Have you acquired the skills necessary for the above? What are your dissemination plans? Adapted from Mason, p. 45 A Checklist of Design-Relevant Questions

10. Design and Qualitative Inquiry

11. To Design or Not to Design? (1) `Thinking qualitatively means rejecting the idea of a research design as a single document which is an entire advanced blueprint for a piece of research…’ Mason, p. 25 • Exercise • Split into groups of three or four • Some groups develop arguments in support of Mason. Other groups develop arguments against. • Hint : It is necessary to explore what `thinking qualitatively’ might mean and also to consider whether the `advanced blueprint’ is an idealised notion generated to legitimise research activity.

12. To Design or Not to Design? (2) What Mason says: `qualitative research is characteristically exploratory, fluid and flexible, data-driven and context-sensitive. Given that, it would be both inimical and impossible to write an entire advance blueprint’ • `Exploratory’ - damning with feint praise? • `Fluid and flexible’ – undisciplined? • `Data-driven’ – how can data drive anything? • `Context-sensitive’ – context-according-to-whom?

13. `once you have formulated your research questions, your research is already set on certain tracks in relation to its design and strategy because you have started to position it ontologically and epistemologically’ (Mason, p. 25) Design…or…self-clarification • Idea of `research design’ needs to be rethought in context of qualitative inquiry • Map is not the territory • Premature specification of design, perhaps driven by funding or progression requirement? • Explication of stance on key issues • Central research question (s) • Logic of means of addressing research question(s) • Consistency of stance and approach • Range and combination of relevant methods • On-going process of critical reflexivity • e.g. connection of day-to-day decisions (such as time allocation for different activities) to objective of addressing research question(s)

14. Practicalities of Design

15. Adapted from Mason, p. 30 Practical `Designing’ • Exercise • Work through each of these boxes • Prepare to give a brief presentation to the class which (a) indicates how you completed the boxes and (b) shares the reasoning that informed this process

16. If / when you have to prepare or revise a proposal… Elements of a Research Proposal • Description of the proposed research and questions to which it is directed • Evidence of its appropriateness for the purpose at hand (e.g. PhD dissertation) • Positioning in relation to existing bodies of knowledge (empirical and theoretical) and anticipated contribution to them • Conceptual Framework – sense-making apparatus [see next slide) • Specification and justification of proposed research method(s) in relation to research questions and conceptual framework • Timetable e.g. preparation of spreadsheet identifying tasks on one axis and timings on the other axis • Anticipation of possible problems and relevant remedies • Identification of required resources

17. Final Thought : Qualitative Research as Intricate Fabric `I think metaphorically of qualitative research as an intricate fabric composed of minute threads, many colors, different textures, and various blends of material. This fabric is not explained easily or simply. Like the loom on which fabric is woven, general frameworks hold qualitative research together’ J.W. Creswell (1998), Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, London: Sage, p13

18. Additional Recommended Reading • J.W. Creswell (1998), Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, London: Sage • J. Ritchie and J. Lewis (2003), Qualitative Research Practice, London: Sage, Ch3-5 • C. Seale (1999), The Quality of Qualitative Research, London: Sage • D. Silverman (2005), 2nd ed., Doing Qualitative Research, London: Sage, Ch 10