2. Today’s programme Choice of topic Developing the research question Towards the research design The essence of the process of reflection and cognition Stay in control – the road to a great thesis process How to plan thesis work Find your own energy boost

3. Teaching forms Lectures5 % Teaching others80 % Source: Rikke von Müllen

4. From topic choice to research design Topictopic research question methodologyresearch let’s get Choicedelimitation - draft choicedesignto work!

5. Choice of topic Classic pitfalls: Not to regard choice og topic as a piece of work To let oneself be ruled – and not just guided – by others Relevant issues: Rules - The academic profile Interests - The most interesting topic is the right one Ownership – Your work, your decisions Originality - Just a new angle, not Ph.d. research Complexity - Does not mean at large topic

6. Choice of topic Relevant tools: Write lists of pro’s and con’s Draw your topic – mind maps, arrow diagrams Inspiration from literature Inspiration from your surroundings Thesis topics from CBS faculty and companiesThesis topics from CBS faculty and companies on e-campus

7. From topic to research question The right research question rarely appears by itself! And it is not written in the research literature – but the literature is a fine source of inspiration. 2 typical situations:

8. From topic to research question 1.There is published so much about my topic that I can’t find a new perspective. Solution: Read the literature for what is doesn’t say: Which methods are not used? Which of the theories’ boundaries are not explored? Which types of cases are not researched into? What other theoretical areas have not been combined with the topic before?

9. From topic to research question 2.There are nothing published about my topic. Solution: Combine theories from different academic areas that are related to the topic. Then write a literature review and apply the theories together and apart in different parts of the analysis, or develop your own model for analysis where the theories supplement each other. Example: Topic: Something to do with marketing of non-material products via social media. Relevant academic fields: On-line marketing, creative business, social media To develop a research question is a job to be done!

10. Consequences Causes ’Problem tree’ for identifying things to research It is a problem with litter in the streets of Copenhagen People just throw their litter at the streets Danes don´t care about their environment There is a lack of dustbins Authorities don´t priorities the litter problem Change in attitude through time Fastfood and coffee -to-go create more litter There is more litter than there used to be To few people work with cleaning the streets It is not nice to look at Fewer tourists Could be injurious to health Lack of income to the municipality Higer medical expenses Litter at the streets make more people to throw their litter More difficult to change attitude

11. Exercise using association - procedure 1. Conduct an exercise where you brainstorm about your topic using association 2. Allow yourself to be creative! 3. Are some questions sub-questions to other questions? 4. Draw the questions – where can you (not) identify a connection between them? 5. Write the 1st draft version of the research question - Accept that it is hopeless! 6. Look carefully at the 1st version – does it capture everything you wish to research into – and only that?

12. Exercise using association - procedure 7. What is missing and what is to much? – Write it down in a few words 8. Write the 2nd draft version of the research question - Accept that this version is also hopeless! 9. Repeat 7 and 8 until your written research question matches your interests. 10. How does the 2nd version matches the criteria for ’the good research question’? 11. What is missing? 12. Write the 3th draft version of the research question It won’t be perfect – but you can continue work based on it

13. A good research question: - IS OPEN - IS BALANCED - HAS AN ANALYTICAL FOCUS - tension, delimitations, shows academic wondering - theory vs. data Formula: Why does company X do Y (observation/topic) when theory A and B suggest Z? This sentence contains a tension between a known theory and an observed practice.

14. Exercise: The Good Research Question Discuss with the student sitting next to you to what extent the research questions below follows the criteria for the good research question and how the research questions can be improved. Research question no. 1: Will ‘clean air’ as vision or guiding philosophy in the brand platform (the brand’s identity system) entail major changes in the way brand management is conceived and practised in terms of processes, actors and resources? Research question no. 2: "How can a country, as a tourist destination, by means of marketing and branding, reverse the negative safety perception to increase international tourists numbers?" Discuss for 5 minutes. Then we have a plenary discussion

17. A good research question: Article (e-campus/thesis): Vibeke Ankersborg: Problemformuleringer – en nødvendig logisk umulighed i Vibeke Ankersborg og Merete Watt Boolsen (red.)( 2007): Tænk selv! Videnskabsteori og undersøgelsesdesign i samfundsvidenskab, Forlaget Politiske Studier. English version of model and user manual on e campus

18. From research question to research design A skeleton for a structured consistency: Structure Research questionIntroduction Material usedTheories and methodologies Sub question/Which parts ofAnalysis chapter 1 Hypothesisliterature and data? Sub question/Which parts ofAnalysis chapter 2 Hypothesisliterature and data? Sub question/Which parts ofAnalysis chapter 3 Hypothesisliterature and data? Conclusion

19. What does the research question calls for?  Consistency between research question, levels of knowledge and methodologies.  The formulation of the research question itself dictates the kind of knowledge your research can possible create and the kind of methodologies and data you can possible apply. Classic errors: To conclude at a level of knowledge different from the researched level of knowledge To use a research design for testing theories even though the objective of the thesis is not to test a theory ` `

20. What does the research question calls for in terms of methodology? - exampel Intranet Initial research guestion: Why do employees in organisation X not use the Intranet, and how can management incorporate the Intranet into the daily work of employees? Calls for: Qualitative analysis of the employees Qualitative analysis of the Intranet’s present form and use Qualitative analysis of the need of the organisation Empiricals studies of others on digital media in organisations Conclusion: Context dependent knowledge about this particular case.

21. What does the research question calls for in terms of methodology? - exampel Intranet Initial research guestion: How widespread is the use of intranet in Danish organisations and how is the connection between the use of intranet and employee satisfaction? Calls for: Quantitative analysis of the spread of use of intranet Quantitative analysis of employee satisfaction Empiricals studies of others on employee satisfaction Empiricals studies of others on digital media in organisations Statistical knowledge Conclusion: Generalised, descriptive knowledge

22. What does the research question calls for in terms of methodology? - exampel Intranet Initial research guestion: How does the concept of Intranet and the use hereof appear in social science literature on digital media in organisations and how can Foucault’s concept of power contribute to our understanding of the use of Intranet? Calls for: A literature review on the literaure on digital media in organisations, particulary the use of Intranet A discussion on Foucault’s work A comparative analysis of the above. Conclusion: A new theoretical view on the concept of Intranet.

23. What does the research question calls for - Exercise: 1.Tell the student next you what you would like to write about. 2.Help each other to find possible methods. 3.7 minutes for each thesis.

24. The essence of the process of cognition It is easier to act when you know why, you react the way you do.

26. The essence of the process of cognition Crucial decisions Many Few Little A lot of Knowledge

27. The essence of the process of cognition The wrong approch: Develop the research question read theory collect data analyse write up the repport conclude Even if you use a theory testing design, you should write while you read!

28. The essence of the process of cognition Characteristics: You need to make a lot of unfounded decisions without knowing the consequences It is impossible to control everything It is good to be confused! Feels stupit

29. There are a lot of unanswered questions in thesis writing. The unanswered questions represents knowledge that you haven’t gained yet and that you either choose to delimit yourself from or to research and thereby answer.

30. Stay in control – the road to a great thesis process 1.Be familiar with the learning processes in major academic work 2.Acknowledge that the thesis process is exactly that – there are a lot of unanswered questions 3.Regard the process as a job to be done – set aside sufficient amount of time and energy 4.Apply different techniques for different actions 5.Regard knowledge production and text production as integrated parts of the process,not two different things Source: Vibeke Ankersborg (2011): Specialeprocessen! Tag magten over dit speciale, Forlaget Samfundslitteratur

31. Stay in control – the road to a great thesis process 6.Don’t regard writing as a goal in itself – focus on the knowledge production 7.Be aware of your choices and the direction of the thesis that the choices lead to 8.Delimit your research 9.Accept that your research question cannot be perfect 10.Write tentative research designs for each version of possible research question Source: Vibeke Ankersborg (2011): Specialeprocessen! Tag magten over dit speciale, Forlaget Samfundslitteratur

32. Stay in control – the road to a great thesis process 11.Use the chosen research design as a guideline 12.Treat the literature on methodology just as seriously as you treat the literature on theory 13.Do not try to read al relevant literature, and not set aside the first 3 months for reading only 14.Formulate an objective for your knowledge production 15.There are not just one way of writing a thesis – so find your own way 16.Remember that this is your first thesis – you are suppose the learn along the way Source: Vibeke Ankersborg (2011): Specialeprocessen! Tag magten over dit speciale, Forlaget Samfundslitteratur