week iii: research frameworks ~craft of research (2003)
TRANSCRIPT
Key issues for today
Conceptual Framework for research Porter’s Five Forces-
Industry-Level Analytical Framework
What is a ‘conceptual framework’?
A written or visual presentation that:
– “explains either graphically, or in narrative form, the main things to be studied – the key factors, concepts or variables -
– and the presumed relationship among them”.
(Miles and Huberman, 1994, P18)
Where does the conceptual framework fit?
Preparing a conceptual framework can be likened to planning a holiday.
The purpose of the pre-planning of the holiday is to:
– Know how to get to, and return from, your holiday destination.
– Know what to do when you are at the destination.
– To be better prepared, and able to make the most of your holiday, because you can be guided by your previous experiences and by any information provided by others.
What inputs go into developing a conceptual framework?
Experiential knowledge of student and supervisor:
– Technical knowledge.– Research background.– Personal experience.– Data (particularly for qualitative).
Literature review:
– Prior ‘related’ theory – concepts and relationships that are used to represent the world, what is happening and why.
– Prior ‘related’ research – how people have tackled ‘similar’ problems and what they have learned.
– Other theory and research - approaches, lines of investigation and theory that are not obviously relevant/previously used.
How might a conceptual framework be developed?
The pieces of the conceptual framework are borrowed but the researcher provides the structure. To develop the structure you could:
– Identify the key words used in the subject area of your study.
– Draw out the key things within something you have already written about the subject area – literature review.
– Take one key concept, idea or term at a time and brainstorm all the other things that might be related and then go back and select those that seem most relevant.
Whichever is used it will take time and a number of iterations and the focus is both on the content and the inter-relationships.
Conceptual framework: Examples.
The possibilities include:
– Flow charts.
– Tree diagrams.
– Shape based diagrams – triangles, concentric circles, overlapping circles.
– Mind maps.
A Conceptual Framework A Holistic View of an Educational Supply Chain
On-line resource
University
Students
Internal & External Projects
Graduates
Supplied Input (Raw Materials)
Supplied Output(Finished Products)
Research Outcomes
Society
Process Consumer
A Conceptual Framework (Cont.) An Integrated Supply Chain for the Universities
9
Students
Research Projects
Education Supply Chain
Research Supply Chain
Suppliers
Supplied Input
University (Process)
Customers
Consumer
Education Suppliers
Education Customers
Research Suppliers
Research Customers
Research Outcomes
Graduates
Society
Supplied OutputOn-line resource
A Service Provider: Universities
10
University
Education
Research
AcademicAssessment
AcademicDevelopment
PerformanceAssessment
ResearchDevelopment
Graduates with Desirable Quality
Quality Research Outcomes
On-line resource
A ‘flow chart’ of innovation decision making
PRIOR CONDITIONS
1. Previous practice
2. Felt needs/problems
3. Innovativeness
4. Norms of the social system
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
1. KNOWLEDGE 2. PERSUASION 4. IMPLEMENTATION3. DECISION
1. Adoption
2. Rejection
Confirmed Adoption
Later Adoption
Discontinuance
Continued Rejection
Perceived characteristics
of innovation
1. Relative advantage
2. Compatibility
3. Complexity
4. Trialability
5. Observability
Observations of the
decision making unit
1. Socio-economic characteristics
2. Personality variables
3. Communication behaviour
5. CONFIRMATION
(Rogers 2003)
A ‘tree chart’ of changing consumer behaviour
Customers
Changingcustomers
Experience Values Lifestyles Demographics
Productexpectations
Quality Price Purchasing Information
Physical Service
Ease Flexibility
Range
Individuality
Health
Agecomposition
Security
Loss ofloyalty
Value Image
Priorities
Expectations
Knowledge Access
Currency
Variety
On-line resource
A ‘mind map’ of cruise travel and impacts
Trav el
Typ e s o f to u r is ts /
tra v e lle rs
Typ e s o f to u r is m
Are c ru is e rs to u r is ts o r n o t?
SO C IAL C O N TIN G EN C Y TH EO R Y
W h o g e ts to g o ?H e g e m o n y c la s s
In d iv id u a l n o t p a r t o f m a s s
PO ST STR U C TU R ALISMF o u c a u lt - fre e d o m a n d c o n tro l
K n o w le d g e - p o w e rs
PO ST M O D ER N ISMB a u d s ila rd - H yp e s re a lity
G o ffm a n - fro n ts ta g e /B a c k s ta g e au th e n tic ity
Cultu
re/
places
Peo
ple
Enviro
nm
ent
C ru is e r im p a c ts
Ad v a n ta g e s D is a d v a n ta g e s
W h y n o tm a s s to u r is m
W h a t typ e o f im p a c t a n d
w h a t typ e o f to u r is t?(Jennings 2001)
International Competitiveness of Asian Firms: A Conceptual and Research Framework
Figure 1. An Integrated Model of International Competitiveness of Enterprises in Asia
Interaction CreatesInternational Competitiveness
(higher export profitability, export market share)
Technology & ICT
Human Resource
Organizational Structure
Internal FactorsExternal Factors
Role of Government
Finance & Capital
On-line resource
Stage 1
Recognition
Stage 2
Digestion
Stage 3
Decision making
Stage 4
Reinforcement
Stage 5
Resolution
Having no choice: priority of life, only LDLT, for family, only me
Reaching a decision: anxiety and conflict
Facing transplantation: impatience and nervousness
On-line resource
Why are conceptual frameworks useful?
Conceptual frameworks provide researchers with:
– The ability to move beyond descriptions of ‘what’ to explanations of ‘why’ and ‘how’.
– A means of setting out an explanation set that might be used to define and make sense of the data that flow from the research question.
– An filtering tool for selecting appropriate research questions and related data collection methods.
– A reference point/structure for the discussion of the literature, methodology and results.
– The boundaries of the work.
What are the limitations of a conceptual framework?
Conceptual frameworks, however, also have problems in that the framework:
– Is influenced by the experience and knowledge of the individual – initial bias.
– Once developed will influence the researcher’s thinking and may result in some things being given prominence and others being ignored – ongoing bias.
The solution is to revisit the conceptual framework, particularly at the end when evaluating your work.
According to Porter, the nature of competitiveness in a given industry
can be viewed as a composite of five forces.
Industry Rapidly Evolving
Buyer
Suppliers
New Entrants
Substitute product
Rivals
Carriers AT&T
VoIPSkype
More Company EntersStrong brands and finance
Established mobile ManufactureLG/Samsung
Software giantGoogle/MS
Consumers marketCorporate market
Apple iPhone's Five Forces of Competition
The contribution of the conceptual framework
The conceptual framework encapsulates the research as it:
– Sets out the focus and content.
– Acts as the link between the literature, the methodology and the results (regardless of when in the PhD process it is produced).
Thus it can be/will be the focus/starting point of the evaluation of originality in terms of the criteria outlined by Hart (1998). For example:
– Is what has been focussed on entirely new?
– Is the way the subject been investigated different to the ‘normal’ approaches?
– Has new light been shed on previously explored issues?
References
Hart C. (1998): Doing a Literature Review.” London, Sage. Jennings G. (2001): Tourism Research. Australia, John Wiley and
Sons. Maslow A (1954): “Motivation and Personality.” New York: Harper. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, M. A. (1994): “Qualitative Data Analysis: An
Expanded Sourcebook” (2nd edition). Beverley Hills, Sage. Rogers, E.M. (2003): “Diffusion of Innovations.” 5th Edition. London,
Simon and Schuster. Smyth R. (2004): “Exploring the Usefulness of a Conceptual
Framework as a Research Tool: A Researcher's Reflections.” Issues In Educational Research, Volume 14.
Yin R. K. (1994): “Case Study Research: Design and Methods.” (2nd edition) California, Sage.