scholarly journals The role of diagnostics as a means of engaged scholarship and enhancing SME research

Author(s):  
Mark Gilman ◽  
Jacob Salder

This paper explores the methodological challenges facing SME researchers through overdependence on quantitative methods. It proposes how a diagnostic-based form of engaged scholarship can enhance the portfolio of research tools and address existing deficits in current research methods by building on tools developed as part of a multi-determinant research process for exploring SME growth. The paper argues existing methods of SME research are insufficient to address their heterogeneous and context-dependent nature. New tools are therefore required to mitigate embedded shortcomings in terms of depth and breadth of understanding alongside impact for practice and for SMEs as active stakeholders in the research process. The design and implementation of diagnostic tools has the scope to address these deficits. The benefit of this paper is to outline an additional approach to SME research which addresses embedded issues in existing methods. It proposes a tool that addresses certain academic research challenges, but also integrates research more substantially with policy and SME requirements. In thus doing it makes a novel contribution to debates on how SME research is undertaken, to the development of methodological tools appropriate for dealing with the challenges of contemporary research, and to methodological approaches integrating research within wider networks and communities.

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 1649-1657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betty S. Black ◽  
Holly Taylor ◽  
Peter V. Rabins ◽  
Jason Karlawish

ABSTRACTBackground:Study partners for dementia research participants are vital to the research process, but little is known about their role, responsibilities, and experiences. Study partners are usually family members or friends – often the patient's informal caregiver – who are knowledgeable about and usually accompany the participant to study visits. This study examines researchers’ perspectives on the role of study partners in dementia research.Methods:Qualitative data collection and analytic methods were used. Semi-structured individual interviews with principal investigators, study coordinators, and research nurses (i.e. researchers; n = 17) at two academic research sites were recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed to identify themes in the data.Results:According to researchers, study partners either make or help make research enrollment and post-enrollment decisions, serve as knowledgeable informants for the participants, manage the logistics that enable participants to comply with a study's protocol, and provide comfort and encouragement for the patient to engage in and complete a study. Researchers describe ideal qualities of study partners as being able to provide reliable information, being dependable and adherent to the protocol, and not expecting a benefit. They also report that study partners may face both practical and emotional challenges during research participation. However, researchers believe that study partners derive dementia-related education, caregiver support, and satisfaction from their involvement in research.Conclusions:Investigators, potential study partners, and institutional review boards should be aware of study partners’ research responsibilities, challenges, and their interests as caregivers.


Author(s):  
Kay Fielden

Mindfulness is a whole state of being that is not usually linked with academic research in information systems. However if we take Denzin and Lincoln’s (2000; 2003), first qualitative research phase, which is the consideration of the key role of the researcher in socially-situated research, it soon becomes evident that a mindful researcher (Fielden, 2005) is more likely to conduct quality research than one who is not. In this discussion paper the qualities of mindfulness (Fielden, 2005) are explored; Denzin and Lincoln’s (2003) 5-stage qualitative research process is then mapped onto these multiple characteristics of mindfulness; and also onto a timeline for a typical qualitative research process in information systems. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to include mindful practices in research methods and supervision training in information systems, which is a contribution to the literature in this area.


Author(s):  
Kay Fielden

Mindfulness is a whole state of being that is not usually linked with academic research in information systems. However if we take Denzin and Lincoln’s (2000; 2003), first qualitative research phase, which is the consideration of the key role of the researcher in socially-situated research, it soon becomes evident that a mindful researcher (Fielden, 2005) is more likely to conduct quality research than one who is not. In this discussion paper the qualities of mindfulness (Fielden, 2005) are explored; Denzin and Lincoln’s (2003) 5-stage qualitative research process is then mapped onto these multiple characteristics of mindfulness; and also onto a timeline for a typical qualitative research process in information systems. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to include mindful practices in research methods and supervision training in information systems, which is a contribution to the literature in this area.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Coghlan ◽  
Bev Sparks ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Mike Winlaw

Purpose Whilst academic research can capture an existing sense of place, the act of placemaking through strategies such as events depends upon the attitudes and actions of precinct managers and event organisations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the collaborative research process between researchers and a precinct manager that highlighted an event’s ability to contribute to placemaking within that precinct. Design/methodology/approach Using the results of this event experience study, informal interviews with the SPA research partners, secondary data and a longitudinal, reflective account of the research collaboration, the research process itself was investigated to see how it assisted in the (re)design of the event within the precinct manager’s placemaking strategy to encourage a family-friendly, beach-centred culture within the precinct. Findings It is proposed that the research results combined with a collaborative research process itself facilitated a shift from the business imperative on the event’s economic performance indicators to a broader discussion of the event’s role in shaping local’s (and visitor’s) perceptions of place, and allowed a broader discussion of the role of events in driving a “liveability” and/or placemaking agenda, complementing the economic impact agenda, for the precinct manager. Practical implications The paper suggests how and why it is important for academics to work collaboratively with precinct managers to translate the concept of placemaking into the actual design of events within a place. To do so requires the researchers to bridge the gap between theory and practice. For the concept to be translated into action, greater attention was drawn to the placemaking role of events, positioning it along economic impact measures as a valuable outcome of events. Originality/value Few co-authored studies, representing both researchers and practitioners exist within the events sector, and this study contributes towards understanding process of research impact, by considering the forces capable of delivering a placemaking agenda through a precinct’s event portfolio.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Mohd Syafiq Aiman Mat Noor ◽  
Azyan Shafee

The primary purpose of action research carried out by teachers is to improve their own educational and pedagogical practices in a specific context. However, teachers need to develop a more critical stance on their practice to interrogate and validate their action research systematically. Literature suggests that action research can be strengthened through the involvement of critical friends who can ask provocative questions, provide data to be examined through another lens, and offer a critique of a person’s work as a friend. This narrative review paper seeks to emphasize the role of critical friends and propose a critical friend framework that can be integrated into action research studies. It extensively reviews the role of critical friends in action research with illustrations from previous studies. It offers a critical friend’s protocol according to the action research process of self-reflective cycles, namely reconnaissance, planning, action and observation, and reflection. It is therefore suggested that teachers should consider the incorporation of critical friends into their action research studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692110652
Author(s):  
Luciara Nardon ◽  
Amrita Hari ◽  
Katlin Aarma

Scholars are increasingly calling for research that “makes a difference” through theoretical, practical, societal, and educational impacts. Recognizing that academic research lags behind practitioners’ issues and that most academic writing is inaccessible to those who need the knowledge, some scholars are calling for embedding social impact in the research process itself. We argue that participant reflection can increase social impact by changing the way individuals think, behave, and perform. Research interviews can be interventionist with the potential to facilitate participant reflection; however, the current literature on the topic is fragmented. We combine this fragmented literature with discussions of social impact and interview techniques to propose interview principles to facilitate participant reflection toward social impact. We hope to stimulate researchers across a broad range of disciplines to think more intentionally about the impactful role of a common qualitative methodological tool, interviews, to support research participants and engage in socially meaningful research.


Author(s):  
Erin Zigler ◽  
Sophie Grelson ◽  
Jerry Hoepner

Several investigations have established the benefits of undergraduate student research experiences, including improved understanding of the research process, development of research skills, improved ability to interpret research, interest in future research experiences, and considering academic/research careers. Unfortunately, some students are intimidated by the research process and avoid such opportunities for growth. Such student perceptions may limit engagement in research, compromising knowledge and skills to critically evaluate research so necessary for clinical practice. The present investigation examined the student mindset perceptions pre- and post-course and student perspectives towards research following an undergraduate research course. A mixed quantitative and qualitative design was employed. While student mindsets were primarily growth based at the outset, students reported gains in perspectives on mindsets and confidence following the course. Qualitative findings further highlight the development of applications to the profession, understanding the research process, research skills, and the challenges of research. Intentional scaffolding of a research course may reduce intimidation and foster positive attitudes towards the importance of research in the discipline.


2017 ◽  
pp. 98-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Tirole

In the fourth chapter of the book “The economy of the common good”, the nature of economics as a science and research practices in their theoretical and empirical aspects are discussed. The author considers the processes of modeling, empirical verification of models and evaluation of research quality. In addition, the features of economic cognition and the role of mathematics in economic research are analyzed, including the example of relevant research in game theory and information theory.


1970 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
Анжеліка Шамне

У статті розглянуто сучасні підходи до інтерпретації категорії розвитку, розкрито теоретичні  та методологічні підходи до вивчення категорії розвитку у сучасній психології, визначено її психологічний  зміст,   моделі,   структуру   та   динаміку.   Категорія   розвитку   розглядається   як   епіцентр   наукової  проблематики у психології та як поняття інтегративного типу. Розвиток проаналізовано як категорію,  явище і проблему психології розвитку в різних аспектах аналізу. Розглянуто місце розвитку в системі  споріднених психологічних понять. У статті також аналізуються психологічні аспекти теоретичних та  методологічних  постнекласичних  тенденцій  вивчення  природи,  характеру  та  визначення  психічного  розвитку. Постнекласична парадигма та плюралістична методологія пізнання визначають розмитість  дисциплінарної мови  та  врахування  ролі  соціокультурного  контексту  при  вивченні  психологічних явищ.  Важливими тенденціями сучасного теоретико-методологічного стану психологічних досліджень розвитку  також є визнання неефективності моністичного підходу до його вивчення, взаємозв'язок теоретичних ідей  та   спроби   створення   метатеоретичних   схем,   постнекласичне   розуміння   розвитку   як   принципово  незавершеного   процесу   саморуху,   актуалізація   антропологічного   діапазону   проблем   та   посилення  спрямованості на роль культурного контексту в дослідженні розвитку людини.  The article deals with the modern approaches to the interpretation of the category of development, reveals  the theoretical and methodological approaches to study of development in modern psychology, its psychological  content, patterns, structure and dynamics. Category of development is viewed as an epicenter of scientific issues in  modern  psychology  and  the  concept  of  the  integrative  type.  Category  of  development  is  considered  as  the  phenomenon  and  the  problem  of  developmental  psychology  in  various  aspects  of  the  analysis.  Analyzed  the  development site in the related psychological concepts. The article analyzes the psychological aspects of theoretical  and methodological postnonclassical contemporary trends in the study of nature, character, and determination of  mental  development.  Postnonclassical  paradigm  and  pluralistic  methodology  of  knowledge  determine  the  disciplinary blurring and increase of the role of the analysis of socio-cultural context in the study of psychological  phenomenon. The important tendencies of modern theoretical and methodological state of psychological researches  of development are facts of inefficiency of the monistic approach to its study, interconnection of theoretical ideas  and   attempts   of  creating   metatheoretical   schemes,   postnonclassical   understanding   of   development   as   a  fundamentally  uncompleted  process  of  self-motion,  actualization  of  anthropological  range  of  problems  and  strengthening of focus on the role of cultural context in research of human development.   


e-Finanse ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Piotr Bartkiewicz

AbstractThe article presents the results of the review of the empirical literature regarding the impact of quantitative easing (QE) on emerging markets (EMs). The subject is of interest to policymakers and researchers due to the increasingly larger role of EMs in the world economy and the large-scale capital flows occurring after 2009. The review is conducted in a systematic manner and takes into consideration different methodological choices, samples and measurement issues. The paper puts the summarized results in the context of transmission channels identified in the literature. There are few distinct methodological approaches present in the literature. While there is a consensus regarding the direction of the impact of QE on EMs, its size and durability have not yet been assessed with sufficient precision. In addition, there are clear gaps in the empirical findings, not least related to relative underrepresentation of the CEE region (in particular, Poland).


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