Theory and Research Components

There are a number of components to the research strategy that you select to guide your dissertation. These components include things like your chosen:

(a) Research design

(b) Research methodology

(c) Approach within a research methodology

(d) Research method(s)

(e) Use of longitudinal data

(f) Sampling strategy; and

(g) Data analysis techniques.

In some cases, since your chosen research strategy includes so many components, your dissertation title should only include those components that were particularly important to your study. These components of research strategy are highlighted blue text.

Research Design

To illustrate the research design that was used, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods (or other words that mean more or less the same thing):

• Qualitative research design

Barriers to Internet banking adoption: A qualitative study among corporate customers in Thailand

The direct marketing-direct consumer gap: Qualitative insights

The impact of market and organisational challenges on marketing strategy decision-making: A qualitative investigation of the business-to-business sector

Success factors for destination marketing web sites: A qualitative meta-analysis

• Quantitative research design

An empirical investigation of signalling in the motion picture industry

A quantitative method for structuring a profitable sales force

An empirical analysis of price discrimination mechanisms and retailer profitability

• Mixed methods research design

A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict

Research Methodology

To illustrate the research methodology adopted:

Implementation of Deming’s style of quality management: An action research in a plastics company

Organisational knowledge leadership: A grounded theory approach

Networking as marketing strategy: A case study of small community businesses

The impact of pay-for-performance on professional boundaries in UK general practice: An ethnographic study

Approach within a Research Methodology

To emphasise an approach within a broader research methodology. We used the word approach because some research methodologies are not straightforward, but can be approached from a number of different angles; that is, there are different approaches that can be adopted within these research methodologies (e.g., instrumental, exploratory and comparativeapproaches within case study research):

Mentoring women faculty: An instrumental case study of strategic collaboration

Knowledge management in practice: An exploratory case study

International strategic human resource management: A comparative case analysis of Spanish firms in China

Research Method(s)

To highlight a particular research method(s) that was used:

Consequences of the psychological contract for the employment relationship: A large scale survey

Eliciting knowledge management research themes and issues: Results from a focus group study

Stream restoration in the Pacific Northwest: Analysis of interviews with project managers

Use of longitudinal data

To emphasise that the data you used extends over a number of years (use of longitudinal data) or the study was conducted over a long time period (although only the former is likely to apply to dissertation research, since this is usually only a few months long):

Effects of impression management on performance ratings: A longitudinal study

The dynamic nature of conflict: A longitudinal study of intragroup conflict and group performance

Sampling strategy

To highlight some aspect of your sampling strategy (i.e., the situated nature of your study):

• A country, group of countries or region

High-involvement work practices, turnover and productivity: Evidence from New Zealand

Organisational citizenship behaviour of contingent workers in Singapore

Corporate governance in Scandinavia: Comparing networks and formal institutions

Corporate governance, ownership and bank performance in emerging markets: Evidence from Russia and Ukraine

• An industry

Business networks, corporate governance and contracting in the mutual fund industry

Accelerating adaptive processes: Product innovation in the global computer industry

• A type of organisation

Hybrid organisational arrangements and their implications for firm growth and survival: A study of new franchisors

• A group or committee

Earnings management and corporate governance: The role of the board and the audit committee

• People

Toward a better understanding of the psychological contract breach: A study of customer service employees

Data Analysis Techniques

To emphasise a particular data analysis technique used:

Do their words really matter? Thematic analysis of U.S. and Latin American CEO letters

Academics as professionals or managers? A textual analysis of interview data

The role of rhetoric content in charismatic leadership: A content analysis of Singaporean leader’s speeches

Business corruption, public sector corruption, and growth rate: Time series analysis using Korean data

Marketing international tourism to Australia: A regression analysis