Methodological choices in enterprise systems research
Sedmak, M. and Longhurst, P. (2010) Business Process Management Journal, Vol 16(4), pp 76 - 91
This paper discusses research design choices available to enterprise systems researchers from a social science perspective. The overall approach is relevant to most IS systems research as it unpacks the different layers including the researchers notion of reality (epistemology), theory building (variance and process theory), research approach, strategy and the method of inquiry (survey, experiment, case study and grounded theory). The authors also discuss techniques for data collection as well as researcher involvement in the research setting (immersed, external or participant).
From the onset the paper acknowledges the complexity of information systems research and highlights the problematic distinction between closing an IS project and going 'live'. A second hurdle for a novice researcher is the absence of standardised terminology within the research community. While the third issue is the bias towards positivist views. No less than 96% of the papers reviews had positivism as the dominant epistemology.
An important distinction is made between research method (quantitative or qualitative) and the method of inquiry. Whereas the former refers to the type of data used, the latter is concerned with the method adopted to collect these data (case study, survey, ground theory etcetera).
Constant innovations in technology remove opportunities for longitudinal studies spanning several years. New multi-method research techniques present viable alternatives to traditional approaches given the short time window innovation presents. The paper highlights the current haze of research methodology arising from rapid technology change. It offers a set of tools as starting points for more informed decisions in choice of research methodology.
This paper discusses research design choices available to enterprise systems researchers from a social science perspective. The overall approach is relevant to most IS systems research as it unpacks the different layers including the researchers notion of reality (epistemology), theory building (variance and process theory), research approach, strategy and the method of inquiry (survey, experiment, case study and grounded theory). The authors also discuss techniques for data collection as well as researcher involvement in the research setting (immersed, external or participant).
From the onset the paper acknowledges the complexity of information systems research and highlights the problematic distinction between closing an IS project and going 'live'. A second hurdle for a novice researcher is the absence of standardised terminology within the research community. While the third issue is the bias towards positivist views. No less than 96% of the papers reviews had positivism as the dominant epistemology.
An important distinction is made between research method (quantitative or qualitative) and the method of inquiry. Whereas the former refers to the type of data used, the latter is concerned with the method adopted to collect these data (case study, survey, ground theory etcetera).
Constant innovations in technology remove opportunities for longitudinal studies spanning several years. New multi-method research techniques present viable alternatives to traditional approaches given the short time window innovation presents. The paper highlights the current haze of research methodology arising from rapid technology change. It offers a set of tools as starting points for more informed decisions in choice of research methodology.
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