Research Philosophies and Approaches

Slide 5.
Understanding research philosophies

and approaches
 By end of this chapter you should be able to:

 Define the key terms ontology, epistemology and explain
their relevance to research;
 Explain the relevance for business research of philosophical
perspectives such as positivism, realism, pragmatism, and
interpretivism;
 understand the main research paradigms which are significant
for business research;
 Distinguish between main research approaches; deductive
and inductive;
 State your own epistemological and axiological positions.
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 5.2
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UNIT-II
A research philosophy is a belief about the

way in which data about a phenomenon
should be gathered, analysed, tested and used.
The term epistemology (what is known to be
true) as opposed to doxology (what is
believed to be true) encompasses the various
philosophies of research approach.
Slide 5.3
research ‘onion’
Slide 5.4
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Induction and Deduction
 The main difference

between inductive and deductive
approaches to research is that whilst a
deductive approach is aimed and testing
theory, an inductive approach is
concerned with the generation of new
theory emerging from the data. ... The aim
is to generate a new theory based on the
data.
Slide 5.5
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Deductive vs Inductive reasoning
Slide 5.6
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Circular model of research process
 Inductive: begin at A
(observation/description),
proceed to B (analysis),
A: observation/ description arrive at C (explanation)
B: Analysis
 Deductive: begin at C
(hypothesis), proceed to A
(gathering data to test
hyp), proceed to B to test
C: Explanation/ Hypotheses/ Theory hyp against data
Slide 5.7
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Induction and Deduction
Slide 5.8
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Unit 2: Philosophy of
research
1. Induction and deduction
Inductive approach of research
•An Inductive reasoning works from observation/s to generalizations

leading to theories.
•This is also called a “bottom-up” approach.
8
Slide 5.9
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research
Note that that is how Newton reached to
"Law of Gravitation"
from
"apple and his head” observation".
In conclusion, when we use

Induction we observe a number
of specific instances and from them infer
a general principle or law. 9
Slide 5.10
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research
Inductive reason starts from specific observations (or

measurement if you are mathematician or more precisely
statistician)
•Look for patterns OR no patterns
•Regularities OR irregularities
formulate hypothesis that we could work with and finally

ended up
developing general theories or drawing conclusion 10
Slide 5.11
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research
Deductive approach of research
•Deductive reasoning works from the "general" to the "specific".
•This is also called a "top-down" approach.
•The deductive reasoning works as follows: think of a theory
about topic and then narrow it down to specific hypothesis
(hypothesis that we test or can test).
•Narrow down further if we would like to collect observations for
hypothesis (note that we collect observations to accept or reject
hypothesis and the reason we do that is to confirm or refute our
original theory).
11
Slide 5.12
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research
In a conclusion, when we use deduction we

reason from general principles to specific cases,
as in applying a mathematical theorem to a
particular problem or in citing a law of physics to
predict the outcome of an experiment.
12
Slide 5.13
13
+ Unit
Unit 2: Philosophy
2: Philosophy of
of research
research
Slide 5.14
14
+ Unit
Unit 2: Philosophy
2: Philosophy of
of research
research
Slide 5.15
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research
2. Subjectivity and objectivity
An objective perspective is one that is not influenced

by emotions, opinions, or personal feelings - it is a
perspective based in fact, in things quantifiable and
measurable.
A subjective perspective is one open to greater

interpretation based on personal feeling, emotion,
aesthetics, etc.
15
Slide 5.16
16
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research
Slide 5.17
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research
Subjective research generally refers to the subjective
experiences of research participants and to the fact that the
researcher’s viewpoint is embedded within the research
process, rather than seen as fully detached from it.
Slide 5.18
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research
 2. Subjectivity and objectivity
 Objective research claims to describe a true and correct

reality, which is independent of those involved in the
research process. Although this is a simplified view of the
way in which research can be approached, it is an important
distinction to think about.
 Whether you think about your research topic in objective or
subjective terms will determine the development of the
research questions, the type of data collected, the methods
of data collection and analysis you adopt and the
conclusions that you draw. This is why it is important to
consider your own perspective when planning your project.
Slide 5.19
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research
 3. Theoretical framework
 A theoretical framework consists of concepts and, together

with their definitions and reference to relevant scholarly
literature, existing theory that is used for your particular
study. The theoretical framework must demonstrate an
understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to
the topic of your research paper and that relate to the
broader areas of knowledge being considered.
 What is the research problem?

 Why is your approach a feasible solution?
Slide 5.20
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research
 4. Conceptual framework
 Theory: A well-substantiatedexplanation acquired

through the scientific method and repeatedly tested
and confirmed through observation and
experimentation. Theories provide a framework for
explaining and predicting phenomena.
 Concepts relate to how data are described and

interpreted, including how particular phenomena are
categorized.
Slide 5.21
Slide 5.22
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research
 Metaphysics: Traditionally, the
word Metaphysics comes
to us from Ancient Greece, where it was a combination
of two words – Meta, meaning over and beyond – and
physics.
 Intoday’s world, however, the word metaphysics has
become a description of many fields of interest. That
interest may be in any one or a combination of the
following subjects:
 Philosophy, Religion, Mysticism, Yoga, Dreams,
Astrology, Meditation, Self-Help Studies, Positive
Thinking, Life After Death, Mysticism, Reincarnation
Slide 5.23
Understanding your research philosophy (2)
Thinking about research philosophy
Ontology: is concerned with nature of

reality.
Ontology is the philosophical study of
being.
A set of concepts in a subject area or
domain that shows their properties and
the relations between them.
Slide 5.24
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Ontology
 5. Ontology and epistemology

 Ontology: The branch of metaphysics (philosophy
concerning the overall nature of what things are) is
concerned with identifying, in the most general terms, the
kinds of things that actually exist.
 Inother words addressing the question: What is existence?
and What is the nature of existence?
 When we ask deep questions about "what is the nature of
the universe?" or "Is there a god?" or "What happens to us
when we die?" or "What principles govern the properties of
matter?" we are asking inherently ontological questions.
Slide 5.25
Ontology
The first aspect of ontology we discuss is

objectivism. The belief that certain things,
especially moral truths, exist independently
of human knowledge or perception of them.
The second aspect, subjectivism holds that
social phenomena is created from the
perceptions and consequent actions of those
social actors concerned with their existence.
Slide 5.26
Slide 5.27
Ontology
 Blaikie (1993) describes the root definition of
ontology as ‘the science or study of being’ and
develops this description for the social sciences to
encompass ‘claims about what exists, what it
looks like, what units make it up and how
these units interact with each other’.
 In short, ontology describes our view (whether
claims or assumptions) on the nature of reality,
and specifically, is this an objective reality that
really exists, or only a subjective reality, created
in our minds.
Slide 5.28
Ontology and epistemology

 Epistemology: The branch of philosophy concerned
with the nature of knowledge itself, its possibility,
scope, and general basis.
 More broadly: How do we go about knowing things? or

How do we separate true ideas from false ideas? or
How do we know what is true? or "How can we be
confident when we have located 'truth'?" "What are the
systematic ways we can determine when something is
good or bad?"
 Soontology is about what is true and epistemology

then is about methods of figuring out those truths.
Slide 5.29
Epistemology
 It concerns what constitutes acceptable knowledge in a field of
study.
 Closely coupled with ontology and its consideration of what

constitutes reality, epistemology considers views about the
most appropriate ways of enquiring into the nature of the
world (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2008) and
 ‘what is knowledge and what are the sources and limits of

knowledge’ (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2008).
 Questions of epistemology begin to consider the research

method, and Eriksson and Kovalainen go on to discuss how
epistemology defines how knowledge can be produced and
argued for.
Slide 5.30
research
 6. Positivism and post-positivism
 In its broadest sense, positivism is a rejection of metaphysics.
 It is a position that holds that the goal of knowledge is simply to
describe the phenomena that we experience. The purpose of
science is simply to stick to what we can observe and measure.
Knowledge of anything beyond that, a positivist would hold, is
impossible.
Slide 5.31
research
 In mid-20th Century psychology, it was believed that
psychology could only study what could be directly observed
and measured. Since we can't directly observe emotions,
thoughts, etc. (although we may be able to measure some of
the physical and physiological accompaniments), these were
not legitimate topics for a scientific psychology.
 B.F.Skinner argued that psychology needed to concentrate

only on the positive and negative reinforcers of behaviour in
order to predict how people will behave -- everything else in
between (like what the person is thinking) is irrelevant
because it can't be measured.
Slide 5.32
research
 In a positivist view of the world, science was seen
as the way to get at truth, to understand the world
well enough so that we might predict and control it.
The world and the universe were deterministic
 -- they operated by laws of cause and effect that we
could distinguish if we applied the unique approach
of the scientific method. Science was largely a
mechanistic or mechanical affair.
Slide 5.33
research
 7. Research paradigm and interpretive paradigm
 Paradigm: a set of theories that explain the way a particular
subject is understood at a particular time or Very clear or
typical example used as a model
 A paradigmis a “worldview” or a set of assumptions about

how things work.
 Rossman & Rollis define paradigm as “shared
understandings of reality” Quantitative and qualitative
research methods involve very different assumptions about
how research should be conducted and the role of the
researcher. Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 5.34
research
 The word paradigm originated from the Greek word
“paradeigma” which means pattern. This word was first used in
the research by “Kuhn” in 1962 to describe a conceptual
framework that is accepted by a community of researchers or
scientists and that provides them with an in-depth guideline to
conduct the research.
 Since that time a debate between scientists regarding the best

paradigm to conduct the research has always been there. Until
1980s scientists believed that quantitative research paradigm is
the only paradigm or research approach that should be used in
both pure science and social science research.
Slide 5.35
research
 A research paradigm is an approach or a research model to
conducting a research that has been verified by the research
community for long and that has been in practice for hundreds
of years. Most of the research paradigms emerge from one of
the two of the approaches to research that are positivist
approach and interpretivism approach.
 Every research uses one of the research paradigms to use as
a guideline for developing research methodology and to take on
the research venture in a manner that is most valid and
appropriate. Though basically there are two paradigms but
there are several other paradigms emerged from these two
especially in the social science research.
Slide 5.36
research
 Though basically there are two paradigms but there are
several other paradigms emerged from these two especially
in the social science research. One of the paradigms that
emerged in the recent years is the mixed-method research.
In pure sciences, quantitative research methodology is
clearly the most favoured approach to conducting the
research. In social sciences, there has been debate for over
half a decade about the best methodology to use and this
resulted in the emergence of mixed-method paradigm or
mixed- method methodology.
Slide 5.37
research
 Positivist Paradigm
 Most of the scientific or quantitative research use
positivism as a conceptual framework for research.
Quantitative research always follows positivist approach
because positivists believe in the empirical hypothesis
testing. In pure sciences, positivism is preferred because
of its empirical nature to study facts. In quantitative
research, the research follows a probabilistic model that is
determined by previous research.
Slide 5.38
research
 Positivist Paradigm
 Positivistsbelieve that the findings of one study can be

generalized to another study of a similar kind regardless of it is
conducted in a different environment and situations. This is
true of scientific variables like volume, speed, density, strength,
and weight.
 For example, if a scientific study proves the hypothesis that if

a certain finish is applied to a fine cotton tulle fabric it will lose
some of its natural strength, these results can be generalized
to another similar fabric that gets the same after-finish.
Slide 5.39
research
 Interpretivist Paradigm
 Most of the qualitative research in social sciences use
interpretivism approach to research. Interpretivists believe that
human behavior is multilayered and it cannot be determined by
pre-defined probabilistic models. It depends on the situations
and is determined by environmental factors other than the
genes.
 A human behavior is quite unlike a scientific variable which is
easy to control. Human behaviors are affected by several
factors and are mostly subjective in nature. Therefore
interpretivistic believe in studying human behavior in the daily
life rather than in the controlled environment.
Slide 5.40
research
 Most of the scientific or quantitative research use positivism as
a conceptual framework for research. Quantitative research
always follows positivist approach because positivists believe in
the empirical hypothesis testing. In pure sciences, positivism is
preferred because of its empirical nature to study facts.
 In quantitative research, the research follows a probabilistic

model that is determined by previous research. Positivists
believe that the findings of one study can be generalized to
another study of a similar kind regardless of it is conducted in a
different environment and situations.
Slide 5.41
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Theoretical and Conceptual
Framework
A framework provides an explicit
explanation why the problem under study
exists
 How???
 by showing how the variables relate to each

other
Slide 5.42
A Theory
A theory comprises a generalization that

systematically explains the relationship
between phenomena.
 Its basic components are concepts
 Thus the theory is a set of statements, each
of which expresses a relationship among
the concepts
Slide 5.43
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Overall objectives of theories and
framework
 To make scientific findings meaningful and
generalizeable
 To summarize existing knowledge into
coherent systems and stimulate new
research by providing both direction and
impetus
 All theories and frameworks are considered
tentative
Slide 5.44
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Theoretical framework
 Thought of as a map or travel plan
 Important to consider relevant theory underpinning the knowledge

base of the phenomena under study
 Kinds of questions that cross our minds (Sinclair, 2007)
• What do I know about the phenomenon that I want to study?
• What types of knowledge are available to me (empirical, non-

empirical, tacit, intuitive, moral or ethical)?
• What theory will best guide my practice or research work?
• Is this theory proven through theory-linked research?
• What other theories are relevant to this practice?
• How can I apply these theories and findings in practice/research?
Slide 5.45
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Theoretical Framework
 Emanate from theories that influence a research or
underpin a construct under study
 Theories could be from a singular influence

(discipline) or from a multidisciplinary vantage
point
 Could comprise of
 several constructs (attachment or psychotherapy research;
mentalization, complex trauma) or
 ideas about particular participants (young adults, elderly,
preschool children, migrants) or
 could even be around different outcomes (psychopathy,
HIV + status, reduction in psy-symptom).
Slide 5.46
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research
Conceptual framework is like a

process that involves mapping out
or visualizing these theoretical
threads to form some
diagrammatic representation of
inter-relatedness
Slide 5.47
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When we conceptualise
 Definitions
 What is the meaning of the word or term or idea
 What is the actual use of the word
 What are the boundaries within which a term

operates
 What are the contrary examples of the word
Slide 5.48
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Concepts
 Enable interpretation of a subject
 Analyze complex subject matter
 Synthesize separate pieces of a subject matter into

a unit
 Perceive similarities and differences
 Enable us to make value judgments
 Extend our knowledge
Slide 5.49
DEVELOPING YOUR CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The conceptual framework describes and explains the
concepts to be used in the study, their relationships with each
other, and how they are to be measured.
Developing your conceptual framework requires five main

steps:
1. Identifying the relevant concepts.

2. Defining those concepts.
3. Operationalising the concepts.
4. Identifying any moderating or intervening variables.
5. Identifying the relationship between variables.
Slide 5.50
Slide 5.51
Research paradigms
Definition
‘A way of examining social phenomenon from

which particular understandings of these
phenomena can be gained and explanations
attempted’
Saunders et al. (2009)
Slide 5.52
Research Approaches (1)
Deduction
5 sequential stages of testing theory
 Deducing a hypothesis
 Expressing the hypothesis operationally
 Testing the operational hypothesis
 Examining the specific outcome of the enquiry
 Modifying the theory (if necessary)
Slide 5.53
Characteristics of Deduction
 Explaining causal relationships between variables

 Establishing controls for testing hypotheses
 Independence of the researcher
 Concepts operationalized for quantitative measurement
 Generalisation
Slide 5.54

Induction
Building theory by –
 Understanding the way human build their world
 Permitting alternative explanations of what ’ s
going on
 Being concerned with the context of events
 Using more qualitative data
 Using a variety of data collection methods
Slide 5.55
Choosing your research approach
The right choice of approach helps you to
 Make a more informed decision about the research

design
 Think about which strategies will work for your
research topic
 Adapt your design to cater for any constraints
Adapted from Easterby-Smith et al. (2008)
Slide 5.56
Combining research approaches
Things worth considering
 The nature of the research topic

 The time available
 The extent of risk
 The research audience – managers and markers
Slide 5.57
Deductive and Inductive research

Major differences between these approaches
Table 4.2 Major differences between deductive and inductive approaches to

research
Slide 5.58
Summary: Chapter 4
Research philosophy
 relates to the development of knowledge and

the nature of that knowledge
 contains important assumptions about the way

in which you view the world
Slide 5.59
Chapter 5
Formulating the research design
Slide 5.60
The Process of Research Design
 Research choices
 Research strategies
 Time horizons
Slide 5.61
Research Design
The research design needs
 Clear objectives derived from the research question
 To specify sources of data collection
 To consider constraints and ethical issues
 Valid reasons for your choice of design

Slide 5.62
Classification of the research purpose
Exploratory research
 is a valuable means of finding out ‘what is happening to
seek new insights; to ask questions and to assess
phenomena in a new light’.
 Useful if you wish to clarify your understanding of a

problem, such as if you are unsure of precise nature of
the problem.
 It may well be that time is well spent on exploratory

research, as it may show that the research is not worth
pursuing!
Slide 5.63
Explanatory
 There are three principal ways of conducting explanatory research:
 A search of the literature;
 Interviewing ‘experts’ in the subject;
 Conducting focus group interviews.
Slide 5.64
Descriptive studies
 The object of descriptive research is ‘ to ‘portray

an accurate profile of persons, events or
situations’.
 This may be an extension of, or a forerunner to a
piece of exploratory research or, more often, a
piece of explanatory research.
 It is necessary to have a clear picture of the
phenomena on which you wish to collect data
prior to collection of data.
Slide 5.65
Explanatory research
 Studies that establish causal relationships

between variables may be termed explanatory
research.
 The emphasis her is on studying a situation or a
problem in order to explain the relationship
between variables.
Slide 5.66
Research Strategies
Experiment Action research
Grounded theory Survey
Ethnography Case study
Archival research
Slide 5.67
Research Strategies
An experiment will involve
 Definition of a theoretical hypothesis

 Selection of samples from know populations
 Random allocation of samples
 Introduction of planned intervention
 Measurement on a small number of dependent
variables
 Control of all other variables
Slide 5.68
Research Strategies
Survey: key features
 Popular in business research

 Perceived as authoritative
 Allows collection of quantitative data
 Data can be analysed quantitatively
 Samples need to be representative
 Gives the researcher independence
 StructuredSaunders,
observation andfor Business
Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods interviews th can
Students, 5 Edition, © Mark beLewisused
Saunders, Philip and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 5.69
Research Strategies
Case Study: key features
 Provides a rich understanding of a real life context

 Uses and triangulates multiple sources of data
A case study can be categorised in four ways
and based on two dimensions:
single case v. multiple case
holistic case v. embedded case
Yin (2003)
Slide 5.70
Research Strategies
Action research: key features
 Research IN action - not ON action
 Involves practitioners in the research
 The researcher becomes part of the organisation
 Promotes change within the organisation
 Can have two distinct foci (Schein, 1999) –
the aim of the research and the needs of the sponsor
Slide 5.71
Research Strategies
Grounded theory: key features
 Theory is built through induction and deduction

 Helps to predict and explain behaviour
 Develops theory from data generated by
observations
 Is an interpretative process, not a logico-
deductive one
Based on Suddaby (2006)

Slide 5.72
Research Strategies
Ethnography: key features
 Aims to describe and explain the social world

inhabited by the researcher
 Takes place over an extended time period
 Is naturalistic
 Involves extended participant observation
Slide 5.73
Research Strategies
Archival research: key features
 Uses administrative records and documents as

the principal sources of data
 Allows research questions focused on the past
 Is constrained by the nature of the records and
documents
Slide 5.74
Research Strategies
The role of the practitioner-researcher
Key features
 Research access is more easily available
 The researcher knows the organisation
 Has the disadvantage of familiarity
 The researcher is likely to their own assumptions
and preconceptions
 The dual role requires careful negotiation
Slide 5.75
Multiple research methods

Research choices
Figure 5.4 Research choices

Slide 5.76
Multiple research methods
Reasons for using mixed method designs:

 Triangulation
 Facilitation
 Complementarity
 Generality
 Aid interpretation
 Study different aspects
 Solving a puzzle
Slide 5.77
Time Horizons
Select the appropriate time horizon
 Cross-sectional studies
 Longitudinal studies
Slide 5.78
Credibility of research findings

Important considerations
 Reliability
 Validity
 Generalisability
 Logic leaps and false assumptions
Slide 5.79
Research design ethics
Remember
‘The research design should not subject the

research population to embarrassment, harm or
other material disadvantage’
Slide 5.80
Summary: Chapter 5
Research design turns a research question and
objectives into a project that considers
Strategies Choices Time horizons
Research projects can be categorised as

Exploratory Descriptive Explanatory
Research projects may be

Cross-sectional Longitudinal
Slide 5.81
Summary: Chapter 5
Important considerations
 The main research strategies may combined in
the same project
 The opportunities provided by using multiple
methods
 The validity and reliability of results
 Access and ethical considerations
Slide 5.82
+
Developing a
Methodological Framework
GreTIA Project
Slide 5.83
+ Motivation- CHANGE
Integrated transportation and energy model framework

83 (iTEAM, MIT - TRANSPORTNET 2009 )
Slide 5.84
+ Research Objectives 84
 Study the Northern Aegean region
 Plan an innovative green insular transport system by:

 optimising various appropriate resources (data collection, analytical
tools)
 mobilising various transport modes and technologies
 Evaluate the environmental, economic and social impact of

green transport policies
 Social objectives
 familiarize residents and tourists with operating practices of green
transport
 cultivate new attitudes and behavior of travelers for green transport
modes
 increase local prosperity, happiness, and sustainable development
Slide 5.85
+ Research Objectives for

RESIDENTS
 Identify and quantify the factors that affect

travelers decision making process towards:
 Carownership;
 Residential/Workplace location;
 Mode choice; and
 Destination choice.
 Investigate individual activities and travel

patterns.
Slide 5.86
+ Behavior
 Mismatch between residential location & job
location(activity locations-housing proximity);
 Desire to live in low density environment and
externalities of travel;
 Lack of alternatives to the private automobile
and/or private motorcycle;
 What could happen if we are able to influence
 Residents and tourist in green option in a
sustainable/green)community strategy vision?
Slide 5.87
+ Innovation (1/2) 87
Merge ideas and methodologies from

various sciences;
Utilize state-of-the-art collection techniques
and measurement tools:
 Behavioral data:
 on-line questionnaires, GPS devices, Headsets
Emotiv
 Environmental data:
 direct point or line measurements of air
pollutants, satellite observations.
Slide 5.88
+ Innovation (2/2) 88
 Advanced model development:

 travelbehavior and activity based modeling
 microsimulation modeling
 transportation network simulation
 air quality modeling and spatial distribution of pollution
 Link tourism to transport;

 Financial evaluation of green policies; and
 Develop a policy analysis tools for an island
environment.
Slide 5.89
METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK 89
+
WP1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WP2: EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
WP9:
POLICY
PLATFORM
WP4:
DEVELOP-
TOURIST
MENT
PREFERENCES
WP7:
TRANSPORT
WP5:
NETWORK
ENVIRONME-
SIMULATION
NTAL
ANALYSIS
WP10: PROJECT DISSEMINATION

Slide 5.90
+
Behavioral ·
Scenarios
Residential and Workplace Choice
· Car Ownership (Compatible vs Hybrid)
Framework · Implementation of Activities (Physical
Movement vs Information and Communication
Technologies - ICTs)
Developed based: · Mode Choice (walk, bike, bike share, carpooling,
Factors Affecting Travel Behavior
Travel Alternatives Characteristics

bus on demand, dial a ride, car, hybrid car)
1. on the in-depth
· Tourist Destination Choice
Individual Characteristics
Travel Environment
literature review Travel Preferences
and analysis; and Short & Long Distance Well-Being/

Attitudes and Scheduled & Not Scheduled Activities Satisfaction
Perceptions Peak and Off Peak Travel Inidicators
2. on a priori
assumptions.
Individual/Household Travel Choices
Tourist Travel Choices
SP surveys
Policy Scenarios
Impacts
Activities/Travel
Environment
Well-Being
Slide 5.91
+
Behavioral Framework
Development of the behavioral

framework based:
 on the in-depth literature review and
analysis conducted in WP2; and
 on a priori assumptions

Research Philosophies and Approaches

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Research Philosophies and Approaches

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Slide 5.

Understanding research philosophies

 By end of this chapter you should be able to:

A research philosophy is a belief about the

 The main difference

Inductive approach of research

•An Inductive reasoning works from observation/s to generalizations

•This is also called a “bottom-up” approach.

In conclusion, when we use

Inductive reason starts from specific observations (or

formulate hypothesis that we could work with and finally

In a conclusion, when we use deduction we

Deductive approach of research

Deductive approach of research

An objective perspective is one that is not influenced

A subjective perspective is one open to greater

 Objective research claims to describe a true and correct

 A theoretical framework consists of concepts and, together

 What is the research problem?

 Theory: A well-substantiatedexplanation acquired

 Concepts relate to how data are described and

Understanding your research philosophy (2)

Thinking about research philosophy

Ontology: is concerned with nature of

 5. Ontology and epistemology

The first aspect of ontology we discuss is

Ontology and epistemology

 More broadly: How do we go about knowing things? or

 Soontology is about what is true and epistemology

 Closely coupled with ontology and its consideration of what

 ‘what is knowledge and what are the sources and limits of

 Questions of epistemology begin to consider the research

 B.F.Skinner argued that psychology needed to concentrate

 A paradigmis a “worldview” or a set of assumptions about

 Since that time a debate between scientists regarding the best

 Positivistsbelieve that the findings of one study can be

 For example, if a scientific study proves the hypothesis that if

 In quantitative research, the research follows a probabilistic

 by showing how the variables relate to each

A theory comprises a generalization that

 Important to consider relevant theory underpinning the knowledge

 Kinds of questions that cross our minds (Sinclair, 2007)

• What do I know about the phenomenon that I want to study?

• What types of knowledge are available to me (empirical, non-

• What theory will best guide my practice or research work?

• Is this theory proven through theory-linked research?

• What other theories are relevant to this practice?

• How can I apply these theories and findings in practice/research?

 Theories could be from a singular influence

Conceptual framework is like a

 What is the meaning of the word or term or idea

 What is the actual use of the word

 What are the boundaries within which a term

 What are the contrary examples of the word

 Analyze complex subject matter

 Synthesize separate pieces of a subject matter into

 Perceive similarities and differences

 Enable us to make value judgments

 Extend our knowledge

DEVELOPING YOUR CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Developing your conceptual framework requires five main

1. Identifying the relevant concepts.

‘A way of examining social phenomenon from

Saunders et al. (2009)