Research Methods(MAGMT-501)

Fesseha Afewerk (A/Professor)

Addis Ababa University
School of Commerce
Gradate program
Nov. 2023
 Unit Two
• Review of Literature and theoretical framework in research
2.1 Goals of a literature review
2.2 Types of reviews
2.3 Where to find the research literature
2.4 conducting a systematic literature review (empirical evidences)
2.5 How does a good review look like?
2.6 Theory and research (Theoretical Framework)
2.6.1 Theory
2.6.2Concepts
2.6.3 Propositions
2.6.4 Theory and Research

2
 Review of Literature and theoretical
framework in research
• literature review is based on the premise that
knowledge is cumulative and can be learnt from
and built upon what others have done.
• Scientific research is a collective effort of many
researchers who share their findings with one
another and who pursue knowledge as a
community.
• Today‘s studies build on those of yesterday.
Researchers read studies to compare, replicate,
or criticize them for weaknesses.
Approaching the literature review
• To complete a literature review requires
planning, time, reading, writing, drafting,
reflection and editing.
• A successful literature review has a firm idea of
the research problem and an understanding of
the research framework/paradigm.
• In order to refine the research problem,
conduct preliminary research which will help
you narrow your focus and identity key search
terms.
 Approaching the literature
•
review...
You are expected to ‘place’ your research in the
existing academic literature.
• Simply describing the literature should be avoided. A
critical and analytical judgement which demonstrates
how/where your work is best placed as well as work
that needs developing is essential.
• Your work should contribute to existing literature in
the field.
• Ensure consideration is given to the methodological
and/or theoretical arguments that inform the
literature.
• Be aware of how research paradigms influence the
research.
 What is a literature review?
• It is not an annotated bibliography
• Develops an argument by summarising (present key
information) and synthesis (reorganisation of
information)
• Distinguishes what has already been done and identifies
what needs to be done (Hart, 1998)
• Key developments in the literature (research landscape)
• How your work connects with current literature needs to
be explicit.
• framework where new findings are compared to
previous findings presented in the literature. This takes
place in the discussion section
literature review
 PQRS
Preview Preliminary reading (reading abstract, introduction, 1st sentence
of each paragraph and conclusion). Only read thoroughly when
you are certain the information is relevant to your research
area.

Questions What do you need to find out? What are the main questions and
conclusions of the paper? Are there possible alternative
interpretations of the literature?

Reading Be Active! Search for answers to the questions. Be ACE

Summarise Take selective notes. Use colour and space to organise (note
template)
 Question the readings
Questions to ask when grouping sources

•What are the shared themes, ideas or issues

presented?
•Does there appear to be a gap missing?
•What trends/developments are evident in the
literature?
•What theoretical approaches have you
identified?
 Thesis statement
Developing the thesis statement
•Example:
•‘Companies claim to act in a corporately socially
responsible manner despite continuing to engage
in business that is fundamentally unsustainable’.
•‘Information and Communication Technology
allows employees to be constantly tethered to
their ICT’.
 Research Questions
Identify three questions that your literature will answer. Key topics will
be discussed in these questions. What questions do you need to ask in
order to obtain the answers that will enable you to respond to the
research problem?

Example

Thesis statement
•‘Information and Communication Technology allows employees to be
constantly tethered to their ICT’.
Questions:
•What are the intended consequences of ICT use?
•What are the unintended consequences of ICT use?
•How does ICT use allow employers to expropriate from employees?
 Common approaches to organising a
Lit review
• Chronological: depending on the nature of your
literature and development of ideas, a chronological
approach will present the development of a key trend
and/or progressions and changes in practices.
• Thematic/conceptual: Time is not a factor here. The
review of the literature will be around particular
topics/issues/theories.
• Methodological: This review focuses on the
methodological or paradigmatic approaches to your
material.
 Example structure
Introduction
•Thesis statement
•Purpose of the review and concise overview of the research problem
•Outlines the organisational pattern of the review/sequence of themes
covered and the scope of the research
•Limits, inclusion/exclusion criteria should be clearly outlined.
Body
•Summarisation and Synthesis (discusses and presents findings from the
literature)
•Ensure continuity by summarising each theme/section and present how
it relates to following section.
Conclusion
•Concise summary of the findings
•Presents a rationale for conducting future research
•Identified gaps in the literature should lead logically onto the purpose of
the proposed study (Cronin, Ryan and Coughlan, 2008)
 Common Mistakes to avoid
• Failure to link the findings of the literature review
to your own study
• Does not start the reading process early and fails to
identify suitable sources
• Does not refer to primary sources (lazy research)
• Absence of criticality and accepting findings as
valid without questioning all aspects of the
research design
• Produces an annotated bibliography
 2.1 Goals of a Literature Review
1. To demonstrate a familiarity with a body of
knowledge and establish credibility
2. To know the path of prior research and how a
current research project is linked to it.
3. To integrate and summarize what is known in
an area. A review pulls together and
synthesizes different results.
4. To learn from others and stimulate new ideas.
A review tells what others have found so that a
researcher can benefit from the efforts of
others.
 Goals of a Literature Review

5. Identification of variables.
Important variables that are likely to
influence the problem situation are
not left out of the study.
6. Helps in developing theoretical
framework.
 2.2 Types of Reviews
1. Self-study reviews increase the reader’s
confidence.
2. Context reviews place a specific project in
the big picture. One of the goals of review is
creating a link to a developing body of
knowledge.
3. Historical review traces the development of
an issue over time.
4. Theoretical reviews compare how different
theories address an issue.
 Types of Reviews…
5. Integrative review summarizes what is
known at a point in time.
6. Methodological reviews point out how
methodology varies by study.
 Characteristics of
Effective Literature Reviews
• Outlining important research trends
• Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of
existing research
• Identifying potential gaps in knowledge
• Establishing a need for current and/or future
research projects
 Reading and Researching
• Collect and read material.
• Summarize sources.
– Who is the author?
– What is the author's main purpose?
– What is the author’s theoretical perspective? Research
methodology?
– Who is the intended audience?
– What is the principal point, conclusion, thesis, contention, or
question?
– How is the author’s position supported?
– How does this study relate to other studies of the problem or topic?
– What does this study add to your project?
• Select only relevant books and articles.
 Four Analysis Tasks of the
Literature Review
TASKS OF
LITERATURE
REVIEW

SUMMARIZE SYNTHESIZE CRITIQUE COMPARE

 Summary and Synthesis
In your own words, summarize and/or
synthesize the key findings relevant
to your study.
• What do we know about the immediate area?

• What are the key arguments, key characteristics,

key concepts or key figures?

• What are the existing debates/theories?

• What common methodologies are used?

 Comparison and Critique
Evaluates the strength and weaknesses of the
work:
• How do the different studies relate? What is new, different,
or controversial?
• What views need further testing?
• What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradicting, or
too limited?
• What research designs or methods seem unsatisfactory?
Analyzing: Putting It All Together
Once you have summarized, synthesized,
compared, and critiqued your chosen material,
you may consider whether these studies
• Demonstrate the topic’s chronological development.
• Show different approaches to the problem.
• Show an ongoing debate.
• Center on a “seminal” study or studies.
• Demonstrate a “paradigm shift.”
 2.3 Where to Find the Research Literature

– Computer: on line systems.

– Scholarly journals.
– Books – containing reports of original
research, or collection of research articles.
READERS or Book of Readings
– Dissertations.
– Government documents.
– Policy reports and presented papers.
– Bibliographic indexes.
 2.4 conducting a systematic literature review
(empirical evidences)
1. Define and Refine a Topic - Prior to the review of
literature have a good idea of the topic of your interest
2. Design a Search - The researcher needs to decide on the
type of review, its extensiveness and the types of material
to include. Set parameters on your search
3. Locate Research Reports - Locating research reports
depends on the type of report or ―outlet‖ of
research being searched. Use multiple search strategies -
Articles in Scholarly Journals, computerized literature
search, Scholarly Books, Dissertations, Government
Documents, Policy Reports and Presented Papers
 2.5 How does a good review look like?

• communicate a review‘s purpose to the

reader by its organization.
• organize common findings or arguments
together.
• reflects clear, logical thinking.
 2.6 Theory and research (Theoretical Framework)

• The purpose of science concerns the

expansion of knowledge, the discovery of
truth and to make predictions.
• Theory building is the means by which the
basic researchers hope to achieve this
purpose.
• Prediction and understanding are the two
purposes of theory.
 2.6.1 Theory
• theory is a systematic and general attempt to
explain something.
 2.6.2Concepts
• A concept (or construct) is a generalized idea
about a class of objects, attributes, occurrences,
or processes that has been given a name.
• Concepts are the building block of a theory.
Concepts abstract reality. For Moving up the
ladder of abstraction, the basic concept becomes
more abstract, wider in scope, and less amenable
to measurement.
• The scientific researcher operates at two levels:
on the abstract level of concepts (and
propositions) and on the empirical level of
variables (and hypotheses).
 2.6.3 Propositions
• Propositions are statements concerned with
the logical relationships among concepts. A
proposition explains the logical linkage among
certain concepts by asserting a universal
connection between concepts.
 2.6.4 Theory and Research
• research produces facts and from facts we can
generate theories. Theories are soft mental images
whereas research covers the empirical world of hard,
settled, and observable things. In this way theory
and fact (research) contribute to each other.
• According to Merriam (1988), theories can be
classified into three types:
– grand theories, which are most often found in the natural
sciences
– middle-range theories, which are placed higher than mere
working hypotheses, but do not have the status of a
grand theory
– Substantive theories, which are developed within a
certain context.
 Theory and Research…
• theoretical framework offers the conceptual
foundation for constructing the edifice of
research
• a theoretical framework:
– Elaborates the relationship among the variables.
– Explains the logic underlying these relationships.
– Describes the nature, and direction of the
relationships.
 The use of Theoretical Framework in
Research
• Make an inventory of variables
• Specify the direction of relationship
• Give a clear explanation of why we should expect
the proposed relationships to exist.
• Make an inventory of propositions
• Arrange these propositions in a sequential order
• Schematic diagram of the theoretical model be
given
 Characteristics of
Effective Literature Reviews
• Outlining important research trends
• Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of
existing research
• Identifying potential gaps in knowledge
• Establishing a need for current and/or future
research projects
 Summary
Purpose of a Literature Review
The literature review is a critical look at the
existing research that is significant to the work
that you are carrying out.
• To provide background information
• To establish importance
• To demonstrate familiarity
• To “carve out a space” for further research
 Key elements of literature review
1. Theoretical review
2. Empirical review
3. Conceptual framework
Unit II ends