Contents of the book in detail
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Part I Introduction to Research Methodology |
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Chapter 1 The Language of Methodology |
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Methodology
Methodological views Methodology and reality Methods Choosing and developing methods Theory of science, methodological views and paradigms Methodology and operative paradigm Awareness and self-reflection The outline of the book Points of reflection Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 2 The Act of Creating Knowledge |
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A methodological start To think and to reflect critically
Seeing and thinking The importance of the perspective Understanding and explaining factors
Three methodological views
The study area of entrepreneurship Some "unconditional" reflections over the area of entrepreneurship The analytical view
Ultimate presumptions Interesting issues and perspectives Conceptualization Methods and methodics Results
The systems view
Ultimate presumptions Interesting issues and perspectives Conceptualization Methods and methodics Results
The actors view
Ultimate presumptions Interesting issues and perspectives Conceptualization Methods and methodics Results
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 3 To Become a Knowledge Creator |
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What is science? Being a scientist and creating knowledge "Practiced" and "reconstructed" logic A few basic dichotomies to keep in mind Reality assumptions Prerequisites, explanations, understanding and results
The analytical view The systems view The actors view
More about reality, explaining, understanding, and results
The analytical view The systems view The actors view
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Part II Three Methodological Views |
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Chapter 4 The Analytical View |
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Some basic concepts
Reality and models Causal relations, explanations and hypotheses The creation of knowledge problem Deduction, induction, verification - and abduction Operational definitions The concept of analysis Ceteris paribus The philosophical foundation of the analytical view The relation of the analytical view to its paradigm Discovery and explanation General theses Difficulties in relation to explanations Examples of theoretical results Points of reflection Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 5 The Systems View |
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The roots of the systems view Systems explanation and systems understanding Examples of classic systems models
Some important concepts of classic systems models
Examples of classic systems interpretation Systems view in the 21st century A "common" systems language
Systems, subsystems and components Open and closed systems Systems environment Real systems vs. models and interpretations of systems Magnifying level Systems relations Structural and processual perspectives Systems analysis, systems construction and systems theory
The knowledge orientations of the view
Three illustrative studies
The success of Silicon Valley The Balinese culture Female entrepreneurship
The relation of the systems view to its paradigm
Examples of formulation of theoretical results Points of reflection Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 6 The Actors View |
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An uncertainty principle in social sciences Some denotations of conceptual meaning
Concepts as meaning Intentionality Social science knowledge Dialogue Dialectics Actor Observer Observer-Actor Diagnosis
Development of understanding
Language development Action
Reality: A social construction
Transformation Subjectification Externalization Objectification Internalization Social dialectics
A continuous synthesizing process Everyday reality
The relation of the actors view to its paradigm
In general Prerequisites of the actors view: Metatheories Understanding and results
Language The different levels of language Scientific language
Diagnosis
Engagement Dissociation The Continuation A Comment
The objective of creating knowledge
Actors-based denotation of conceptual meaning Structurally based denotation of conceptual meaning Dialectically based denotation of conceptual meaning Denotation of conceptual meaning and scientific language
Some theoretical and action-oriented starting points
Social phenomenology and the actors view Developing human procreative power
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Part III Methodology |
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Chapter 7 Methodical Procedures |
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Procedures as lessons in harmony Operative paradigms Some "common" groups of techniques
Techniques for selecting units of study Traditional techniques for collecting data
Secondary information Primary information: Direct observation Primary information: Interviews Primary information: Experiments
The approaches' relation to the traditional techniques
The analytical approach and traditional techniques The systems approach and traditional techniques The actors approach and traditional techniques
Measurement techniques and techniques for controlling reliability Validation techniques
Some "specific" groups of techniques
The analytical approach and sampling The analytical approach and validation of measurements The systems approach and historical studies The systems approach and case studies The actors approach and dialogue The actors approach and language development
Knowledge creating interface of language development The procreative report
The problem of objectivity
An overview The analytical approach and the objectivity problem The systems approach and the objectivity problem The actors approach and the objectivity problem
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 8 Methods in Language and Action |
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The three worlds of knowledge Analytical procedures
ANA 1: Professor Peterson about good research ANA 2: The service bank questions ANA 3: A causal experiment ANA 4: How to improve response rates ANA 5: Know and "Don't know" ANA 6: Dr. Stone's test
Systems procedures
SYS 1: Professor Anholts' introductory lecture SYS 2: The bank as a system SYS 3: Calmex Co. as an amusement park SYS 4: Rose's final term paper SYS 5: Technical cooperation SYS 6: The answer is written in history
Actors procedures
ACT 1: Professor Wild about research as an innovative idea ACT 2: Jones and Jones on uniforming methods ACT 3: The number of rejects must decrease ACT 4: An experiment in organization and leadership ACT 5: Graduate paper on the concept of quality ACT 6: Knowledge creating and examination
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 9 Methodics |
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The analytical approach
In general Methodical procedures Methodics
The goals of the approach A plan for determining problems A study plan for analytical studies D: A study plan for descriptive studies E: A study plan for explanatory studies F. A study plan for forecasting studies G: A study plan for guiding studies
The systems approach
In general Methodical procedures Methodics
The goals of the approach A study plan for determining finality relations in systems studies A study plan for forecasting studies A study plan for guiding studies
The actors approach
In general Methodical procedures Methodics
The goals of the approach A study plan for actors studies
Excellence in knowledge-creating work
Applying the three methodological views Points of reflection Recommended further reading |
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Part IV Approaching Methodology |
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Chapter 10 The Analytical Approach |
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Introduction Case I: Business bankruptcies
Broad outline
Methodics
The case and the analytical approach Orienting initial study (descriptive purpose)
Methodical procedures Methodics
Resources and resource transformation in the bankrupt company (explanatory purpose)
Formulating the problem Planning the study Designing methods for collecting data Collecting data Coding and arranging data Controlling causality Reporting the results
Assessment and suggested steps (guiding purpose)
Case II: Entrepreneurial activities in different countries
Introduction Overview GEM Adult Population Survey
In general Formulating the problem Planning the study Designing methods for collecting data Collecting data Coding and arranging data Controlling causality Reporting the results
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 11 The Systems Approach |
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Introduction Case I: Electronics Ltd.
The start Planning of the operative paradigm
Methodics
Stewart's ambitions Systems analysis
Methodical procedure Methodics Discussions with senior management Discussions with the TCM department Discussions with the CCM department Stewart's formulation of the problem and his new systems proposal
Reporting the results And then?
Case II: Chinese business culture
How it started Initial methodical procedures The operative paradigm
Potential finality relations Designing methods and collecting data Do you want to bring in understanding? Coding and arranging data Controlling validity Reporting the results
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 12 The Actors Approach |
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Introduction Case I: Development of business and activities
Starting point Operative paradigm as experimental flow Production philosophical meeting 1
The questions The deeper undercurrents of business development Qualification in cultural meeting Finish
In-between dialogues
The questions and shape of the dialogues
Production philosophical meeting 2
An explorative methodics Business artistic creation
The procreative report
The embryo to businesses With the disposition of the master Enriching the encounter with the audience/customer/market Business embryos as works of art
Case II: A Line of business with adaptation problems
Introduction History The starting point for the study Problem and purpose The development of the operative paradigm
Operative paradigms as a continuity Historical development and description Actors intentional method Actors constitutional method Organizational documentary method Selection Classification work The total methodics of the study
Feedback and the continuing dialogue
Descriptive dialogue as feedback
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Part V Methodology of Complementarity |
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Chapter 13 The Views as Transformative Operators |
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An introductory summary
The continuation
Quality and complementarity
Complementary criticism
Back to the future A warning for the road Criticism of the analytical view
In general Criticism from the systems view Criticism from the actors view The response of the analytical view to this criticism
Criticism of the Systems View
In general Criticism from the analytical view Criticism from the actors view The response of the systems view to this criticism
Criticism of the actors view
In general Criticism from the analytical view Criticism from the systems view The response of the actors view to this criticism
The idea of reconciliation
Some principles of complementarity
Adapting of existing concepts and theories Collecting data Modeling and interpreting data
Exceedance as a methodological result
Crealiability of complementarity
The thematic language of methodology Points of reflection Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 14 - Three Cases - Knowledge of Complementary |
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Introduction Case I: The analytical approach as transformative operator
Background First meeting with the study area The researcher's thoughts in the beginning Determining the problem Transformative operations
The study area in theory - Primary procedures The study area in theory - Complementary procedures The study area in practice - Primary procedures The study area in practice - Complementary procedures Methodics
Results
Case II: The systems approach as transformative operator
Introduction Transformative operations
Primary procedures Complementary procedures
Some results A Comment on complementarity
Case III: The actors approach as transformative operator
Starting point The complementary ambitions of the researcher Transformative operations
Primary procedures Complementary procedures Methodics
Results
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
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Chapter 15 Methodology as Business Creating Intelligence |
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Crealiability of complementarity in focus Knowledge creating as production factor Knowledge audit
A ground plan for knowledge audit
Knowledge intelligence
Business and competitive intelligence Business creating intelligence
Points of reflection
Recommended further reading |
| Appendix |
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A1 Some ontological and epistemological perspectives. A2 Some philosophers on paradigm
A2.1 Kuhn A2.2 Feyerabend A2.3 Törnebohm A2.4 Classifications of paradigms
A3 Explaining and understanding A4 Explaining thinkers and theories
A4.1 Positivism A4.2 Analytical philosophy A4.3 Holism A4.4 Structuralism A4.5 Marxism and critical theory A4.6 Systems thinking A4.7 Symbolic interactionism A4.8 Grounded theory A4.9 Sensemaking
A5 Understanding thinkers and theories
A5.1 Hermeneutics A5.2 Phenomenology A5.3 Ethnomethodology A5.4 Social constructionism A5.5 Metaphorical thinking
A6 Can be seen as either explaining or understanding
A6.1 Ethnography A6.2 Cultural studies A6.3 Narratives
A7 Two unique personalities
A7.1 Michel Foucault A7.2 Ludwig Wittgenstein
A8 A summary
A9 Recommended further reading |
| Glossary |