Research Methods for Business and Management: a guide to writing your dissertation(Global Management Series)

This updated and revised edition offers a comprehensive overview of key research methods and the main choices available when undertaking research in business and management. New to this edition is a comprehensive, practical guide on how to write your dissertation – invaluable to all. It is a clear, concise and practical guide containing wealth of outstanding examples for each method covered. Central to this edition is the 'methods map' (chapter 4), which sets out a logical process for researchers to articulate their position in relation to five key aspects of their research philosophy. In addition, the editors have developed a free app to accompany the book and this enables novice researchers to quickly develop a comprehensive justification of their particular research design in an interactive way. Taking you through the entire life cycle of a dissertation, the text covers everything from the purposes of research through to chapters on gathering primary and secondary data; using literature; quantitative and qualitative research; managing your research; using data and research ethics. Individual chapters are allied to a powerful critical commentary showing how some of the world’s leading scholars have used particular methods in their own research. Carefully constructed to achieve the greatest clarity for the student the text gives the reader: * In-text exercises * End of chapter’ review questions with solutions * Exemplar papers identified and discussed for each of the main methods *Directed further reading for developing understanding in key areas It is an essential learning aid for upper level undergraduates and postgraduates across a wide range of business and management courses and it comes with a range of supported learning materials including tutorials, lecture slides and tutor notes. Kevin O’Gorman is Professor of Management and Business History and Head of Business Management in the School of Languages and Management in Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He trained in Glasgow, Salamanca and Rome as a philosopher, theologian and historian. His research interests have a dual focus: Origins, history and cultural practices of hospitality, and philosophical, ethical and cultural underpinnings of contemporary management practices. Using a wide range of methodological approaches he has published over 80 journal articles, books, chapters, and conference papers in business and management studies. Robert MacIntosh is Professor of Strategy and Head of the School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University. He trained as an engineer and has worked at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde. His research on the ways in which top teams develop strategy and on organizational change has been published in a wide range of outlets. He has a long-standing interest in research methods for business and management studies and has published on the relevance of management research using methods that include ethnography and action research. He has consulted extensively with public and private sector organizations and sits on the board of the charity Turning Point Scotland.

Table of Contents:
Preface; Ch 1 The Nature of Research (MacIntosh and Caldwell); Ch 2 Finding a Project (MacLaren and Hill); Ch 3 The Literature Review (Danson and Arshad); Ch 4 Research Philosophy and Case Studies (O’Gorman, Lochrie and Watson); Ch 5 Finding Your Data (Papachroni and MacIntosh); Ch 6 Working with Historical and Contemporary Data Sources (Gori, Perz-Vega, O’Gorman); Ch 7 Gathering Qualitative Data (Curran, Lochrie and O’Gorman); Ch 8 Analysing Qualitative Data (Sang and Sitko); Ch 9 Gathering Quantitative Data (Taheri, Lu and Valantasis); Ch10 Analysing Quantitative Data (Taheri, Lu and König); Ch 11 Managing Ethics in Research Projects (Richards, Wimalasena and MacLean); Ch 12 Managing the Research Project (Sanders, Tens and MacIntosh); Index