Method of exploratory research

1. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Exploring initial questions
Process of reaching to the topic
Process and factors

2.  “The PhD is ONE FORM of doctorate that is
WELL-ESTABLISHED and there are variations
in the form of PhD offered…” (Green & Powell,
2005)
 Tradition varies…..
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3.  Traditional
 PhD study, often conducted over many years
 By Mid or End career professionals (particularly in
fields like Management, design)
 Advance research methods courses –now a days
common
 Non- traditional
 By publication or portfolio
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4.  Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)/FPM (Fellow Program in
Management)- More of industry orientation, part-time academic
 PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)- More of social science orientation, full-
time academic.
 Doctor of Science (In some countries equivalent to PhD, in others
more than PhD work)
 DPhil
 Etc.
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Depends on eco-system, philosophy of the institution and regulatory
bodies
Distinctions often get blurred
License to teach

5. 12/27/2023
Arts Theology Law Medicine
Arts Science Law Medicine
Humanities
and Social
Science
Science &
Technology
Law Medicine
Humanities
and Social
Science
Science &
Technology Law Medicine
Commerce &
Management

6.  E.g.
University of Oxford
The University’s academic departments, faculties and
research centres are grouped into four
divisions: Humanities; Mathematical, Physical and Life
Sciences; Medical Sciences; and Social Sciences.
SAID Business School forms part of the Social Sciences
Division, one of four academic divisions of the University
of Oxford and the largest grouping of social sciences in
the UK.
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7.  Knowledge driven
 Interdisciplinary opportunities
 Professional development
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RESEARCHER’S IDENTITY

8.  Research training and support (courses &
seminars, teaching experience, additional
research opportunities)
 Supervisory relationship (Choice-No choice, 1
supervisor, 2 supervisors, 3-4 supervisors,
change in supervision team, initial
mentoring)
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9. http://jameshaytonphd.com/how-to-choose-
a-thesis-topic/
Thesis topic: Eco-system,
scientific logic and ideologies

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Ontology
Epistemology
Methodology (Expl, Descript, Experimental)
Methods (Qual, Quant, Mixed)
Philosophy of Science

12. Positivism Realism CriticalTheory Constructivis
m
Ontology Reality is real
and
Apprehensible
(Absolute
poverty)
Reality is real
but only
imperfectly
apprehensible.
Triangulation
on from many
sources is
required.
(Multi-
dimensional
poverty)
Virtual reality
shaped by
social
economic,
ethnic,
political,
cultural, and
gender values
developed
over time.
(Intersectional
poverty,
concept
borrowed from
feminism)
Multiple local
and
specific
constructed
realities.
(poverty is not
monolithic)

13. Positivism Realism CriticalTheory Constructivis
m
Epistemology Objectivist
findings
true
Neither value
free nor value
laden but value
aware.
Findings
probably true.
Value
mediated
findings..
Created
findings.

14. Positivism Realism CriticalTheory Constructivism
Methodology Experiment/
survey.
Verification of
hypothesis:
Quantitative
method.
Case studies,
convergent
interviewing.
Dialogic/dialec
tical
Researcher is a
transformative
intellectual
who changes
the social
world within
which
participants
live.
Hermeneutical
Dialectical.
Researcher
is a passionate
participant
within the
world being
investigated.

15. RESEARCH PARADIGM APPROACH
Positivism An approach which emphasizes causal laws, careful empirical
observations and value-free research. (Asset, income,
consumption)
Critical theory An approach which emphasizes meaningful social action,
socially constructed meaning and value relativism. It
incorporates historically situated structures and
ethnographic. (Exploitative structure)
Interpretivism
(phenomenological)
An approach which allows for a more intensive and flexible
relationship with the respondents. It provides a more in-
depth understanding of the phenomenon of interest and also
known as qualitative research. (Experiences of vulnerability)
Constructivism An approach which suggests that truth is based on a
particular belief system (subjective meaning and social
construction of reality) in a specific context. Realities are
various and are socially based. It attempts to understand the
values that underlie a research finding. (Uniqueness in
vulnerability, e.g. poor pet owners in europe)
Research Paradigm
Overlapping superstructures in Mixed Methods

16. Exploratory Descriptive Causal/Experiment
al
Objective Discovery of ideas
and insights
Describe market
characteristics or
functions
Determine cause
and effect
relationships
Characteristics Flexible, versatile Marked by the prior
formulation of
specific
hypotheses
Manipulation of
one or
more independent
variables
Often the front end
of total
research design
Preplanned and
structured
design
Control of other
mediating
variables
Methods Expert surveys
Pilot surveys
Secondary data
Qualitative
research
Secondary data
Surveys
Panels
Observation and
other data
Experiments

17.  Reality is complex, seems to be have several
aspects
 Ambiguity
 Needs exploration
 May be done through literature review,
contemplation, secondary data or field
(qualitative research).

19.  To build and organized body of knowledge
about the subject matter
 To develop valid, reliable explanations for the
phenomena within domain

20.  With faith in science emphasizes explanations
which are
 Empirical
 Rational
 Testable
 Parsimonious
 General (broad explanatory power)
 Tentative (with certain degree of confidence, and
admits that better alternate explanation is possible in
future which will change the world-view)
 Rigorously
Ignores Subjectivity in Research

21.  Argues that subjectivity is involved in all
research
 Role of researcher, his value system shapes
the process of research
e.g. Decision to finalize the best factor analysis
model or many other statistical decisions
involve subjectivity

22.  “The formidable complexity of studying
unobservable individual processes in
organizational behavior, such as learning, social
perception, motivation, and attribution, is
exacerbated by intrafirm group decision making,
subtle interfirm phenomena such as trust,
reciprocity, opportunism, and forbearance, and
often sharp differences in the relevant actors'
cultural, national, and organizational settings
(Parkhe, 1991).

23.  Many researchers deal with this complexity by
simply ignoring it. However, this solution to the
problem, acceptable in the well-established
paradigm in economics (Bettis, 1991), is hardly
suitable for management scholars, in as much as
these complexities are among the primary
phenomena demanding concerted attention.

24.  “AsTeece andWinter (1984) pointed out, the
discipline of economics is shaped by very
different concerns from those of
management, including "unquestioning faith
in the rational behavior paradigm, ... and a
delight in the construction of 'parables of
mechanism' that provide a sharply defined
view of an imaginary world in which the logic
of a particular economic mechanism stands out
with particular clarity."

26.  In 1910, F.W.Taylor, an industrial engineer,
observed a Dutch immigrant laborer, Schmidt.
 Schmidt was carrying heavy pigs of iron from one
part of the smoky yards to another at the
Bethlehem SteelWorks.
 Taylor thought that Schmidt was using (a) his
arms and legs to move those pigs of iron and (b)
brain to make decisions on how to pile the iron and
whether to bend from his knee or hip.

27.  If a manuscript is rejected, what should we
do?
 Take the criticisms and suggestions into
consideration;

 Prepare a revised manuscript and send to another
journal;
 Continue until it is finally published.

28.  One reason for rejecting a manuscript might be the mindset
of the reviewers and the editor.
 They have one way of thinking and the current contribution
might not fit within that mental framework.
 If one is sure that the finding is genuine and worth putting in
the literature, it should be published somewhere.

29.  The mindset issue is too important to ignore in publication
process.
 All the pieces that we consider as good may got rejected. In
contrast, the not-so good ones get published.

30.  Getting an idea, devising a method to study to test it out,
obtaining resources, gathering and analyzing data, and finally
publishing the report entail lots of suffering and pain.
 Both laymen and peers resist if you ever come up with a new
information! Why?
 What people know make them blind to what they do not know.
 The entire process is painful. So, you should enjoy inflicting pain
upon yourself!

31.  What is right to do for people in the name of science?
 Is it ethically justified to withhold treatment from people in order to
learn more about a disease and thus hopefully help many more
people in the future?
 Is it ethically justified to study people without their knowing that they
are part of a study?
 Is it justified to lie to people about the procedures they are
undergoing as a part of the study?

32.  Most institutions allow a study to be carried out only if it is
cleared by the IRB.
 An IRB consists of people of diverse backgrounds who
consider whether the method of a proposed research is
humane for participants and free from legal complications
for the institution per se.
 Are the participants free to participate or withdraw?
 Do they know the harmful effects of participation?
 If there is any potential harm, how will they be compensated?
 Can the study be done without deception?
 How will the participants be debriefed?
 Are the investigators aware of the human rights issues?

34.  Sustainability (Objective)
• Primarily about minimizing negative outputs
• Greed Minimization through adhering to values, and
reduction in asymmetry
• CSR /R&R ,CENDERET reports,
• Governance studies
• Inclusive education project, inclusive health care
programmes
• Community economic zones, farmers’ organizations
• Writings on Ethics
• Studies on institutional alliances
 Analytics (Technology)
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35.  Concept interpreted broadly and covers works
related to risk-taking behaviour required for
sustainability
 creativity, innovation, organization change,
human relations and thought, Culture of
empathy, Leadership research, New venture
capital
 Spirituality at work, EQL, Work-Life balances,
Inclusive corporate branding for SMEs etc.
Many of these scholars have also contributed towards other
two, and vice versa
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36.  Research is integral part of academics and linked with teaching, and service
(Smallest Segment)- Survival? of this specie for the next generation
 This segment attaches very high importance to Journal publications
 Intellectual Contribution type - Discipline-based Scholarship
 Research has instrumental value (Largest Segment)
 More important is the delivery in teaching and service which does not have an explicit
relationship with research inquiry and action
 This segment focuses on action
 Intellectual Contribution type Learning and Pedagogical Research
 Research should have direct utility for society (Mid-Size Segment)
 This segment focuses on publishing in various formats
 Concerned about its policy impact
 Alliances and Institutional capability formation are the key measures
 Intellectual Contribution type - Contributions to Practice
However, these views are not contradictory with each other,
Categories are not mutually exclusive, members keep changing the
orientation- But, by and large captures the attitude
The three segments have their own constituencies 36
‘’’Successful teaching is a joint product arising out of research alone (Stigler)

37.  Social Entrepreneur (Brock and others, 2008
amongst other)
 Employee entrepreneurship (Agrawal, R. et al. in
The Academy of Management Journal, 2004)
 Alliances, Indigenous knowledge, (Parmar, C.
2006, in Seminar, An invitation to A South Asian
University)
 Innovations in Innovation (Prasad, C S with
others)
 Self regulation (Shiva,V, 1997;Anand, S, 2006;
Shah,T. and others)
Integration with the concept of research entrepreneurship
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39.  Knowledge Silos in Society
 Department Silos in Organizations
 Are there Silos related to gender, caste, and
institutional identities in so-called modern
organizations?
WE NEEDTOTESTTHIS IN INDIAN INSTITUTIONSAND MARKETS
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40.  Conflicts by primary identities (religion, region, caste)
 Conflicts by secondary identities (IIT, IIM, Universities)
 Can this explain knowledge hoarding?
 Does this impact organizational boundary?
 A barrier in innovation
 Positive side: Can conflicts create creative tensions?
ISTHIS LINKEDWITH CORPORATE IDENTITY?
CANWE REALLYCREATE CULTURE OF EMPATHY INTHIS CONTEXT?
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41.  Understanding about organizational culture
 Organizations are embedded in wider socio-economic reality:Which is
characterized by inequalities, consumerism, alienation, resistance, conflicts,
hierarchies
 Time periods have their own language
 Business Policy to Strategy to Ecology
 Strategic Orientation, Market Orientation, HR Orientation, New Employee
Orientation and so on
 E-commerce, E-Marketing, E-CRM, E-governance
 Entrepreneurship, Political Entrepreneur, Social Entrepreneur, Research
Entrepreneur, Employee Entrepreneur
 Organization learning , Learning organizations, Knowledge Management,
Knowledge organizations, KnowledgeWorkers
 Economic Capital, Human Capital, SocialCapital,Cultural Capital
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42.  How important these issues (in which Indian organizations
are embedded) are?
 Is lack of cognitive justice key to hoarding or culture of
distrust?
 Are we working on similar issues?
 How important is the role of caste in relationship
marketing?
 What is the role of primary identities while studying
insider information in the context of information
asymmetry prevalent in stock trading?
 Do we appreciate that our works are highly
interconnected?We work on fairly common themes?
 Do we acknowledge each others’ contribution in a proper
way?
 Do we cooperate with each other or compete?
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43.  Growth vs. Inequality
 Directed Creativity vs. Individual Solo Acts
 Reaching to Ambidextrous Leadership
 Optimization of inter-dependence and
independence
BOTH FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING MODES NEEDTO BE
PROTECTED INTHE FRAMEWORKOF COGNITIVE JUSTICE
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44.  But now, especially with the globalization of
business education, we will have to go beyond the
inherent naivete of the “invisible hand”
– Growth and Sustainability
– “Real” Efficiency and equity
– Private and Public (Business and Government)
REFLECTIONSON CLASSICAL DEBATE BETWEEN COMMUNISMAND
CAPITALISM- MANY SHADES IN BETWEEN (GANDHIAND NEHRUTRIED
TO CREATETHE BALANCE BETWEENTHESETWO BUT INTHEIR OWN
WAYS
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45. Key issues as stated by Singh (2012)
1. Workers in India do not enjoy their work.
2. Students do not enjoy their study.
3. Power is not exercised in a responsible way.
WHAT ISTHE CENTRAL PROBLEM?
LACK OF RESPECT? LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT? LACK OF DIGNITY?
HUMAN LIFE IS NOTVALUABLE IN INDIA? SOCIAL SECURITY IS LOW?
THE ELEGANTTHEORY OF COGNITIVE JUSTICE BY SHIVVISVANTAHAN
DEALSWITH ALL OFTHE ABOVE ANDTHAT ISWHY BEGETS FURTHER
CONTRIBUTION FROM OTHERS
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46.  Do I need to start with the problem?
 Starting from lack of trust in an organization
 and then reaching to culture of empathy
 Do I need to start with the area?
 OCD or Relationship Marketing or Brand Management
 And then reaching to assessment of school programme
intervention or applying to SMEs
 If I have a technique can I use this to solve some
problem?
 Aggregation of negative outputs with DEA
 Can be used to understand Brand’s efficiency in social
media space
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47.  Broad vocabulary (B)
 Knowledge Management
 OCD
 Brand Management
 Understanding of research methods (U)
 Gives us frame or perspective
 Theoretical lenses/Topic (T)
 power and politics
 Sense making
 Corporate Identity and Customer Orientation
 Firm Size and Socio-environmental Performance
 Social Media and Consumer Complaint Behaviour
 Cognitive Justice and Gandhian Branding
 OrganizationalCulture and Empathy
BUT, the path varies, Many do not start with any of the above but
straightway from the broad problem which is relevant, interesting, and
doable and then look for- BUT 47

48.  Will School based Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation in CBSE
make the process of learning more enjoyable?
 Will it impact classroom effectiveness?What impact it will have for
school, teachers, team of teachers, and students?
 How School based Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation in CBSE is
related to learning or teaching effectiveness.
 What is the role of schools there?What is the role of teachers there?
What is the incentive for teachers in this?What students like what they
do not like?What is the role of parents there?
 What kind of organizational design changes this necessitates?
 Then relating this with the T- theoretical perspective
IF I HADTO STUDYTHE ABOVE IWILL STUDYTHIS FROMTHE
PERSPECTIVE OF COGNITIVE JUSTICE.T- depends on our interests which
is dependent on one’s intellectual eco-system. If CJ can not explain this I
will search for alternate explanation. Hence,T is to be opted by
researcher which will be defined by her eco-system.
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