Qualitative Research in Information Technology Liaquat Hossain School of IT The University of Sydney

Outline phases in research from research problem to practice? research approaches alternative research methods qualitative research

Phases in research  Research problem  Earlier literature  More detailed research problem  Research design  Data collection and analyses  Conclusions

Orthodox Understanding #1 problems, thoughts, interests exploratory research confirmatory research (Hirschheim, 2002)

Orthodox Understanding #2 problems research knowledge, understanding practice (Hirschheim, 2002)

The Reality: The Vicious Cycle problems research knowledge, understanding practice (Hirschheim, 2002)

Four-Tiered Research Model Paradigms (Functionalism, Interpretivism, Radical Structuralism, Neohumanism) Approaches (Language Analysis, Phenomenology, Action-Oriented, Historical, Conceptual, …) Methods (Ethnography, Case Study, Action research, Field Research, Lab. Experiment, Model building, simulation, ….) Techniques (Hirschheim, 2002)

Research Approaches Two main classes of approaches: –Theory ‘testing’ – apply theory to ‘read’ the data –Theory ‘emergent’ – look for ‘patterns’, understanding emerges from the data (Hirschheim, 2002)

Combining Approaches  Case study/action research leads to  Research question leads to  Theory building leads to  Theory testing with lab. experiments and  Theory testing with field experiments leads to  Theory extension and feedback loop to Theory testing (Galliers, 1992) see also (Mingers, 2001)

Research approaches Mathematical approaches Approaches studying reality –Research stressing what is reality Conceptual-analytical approaches approaches for empirical studies theory-testing approaches theory-creating approaches –Research stressing utility of artifacts artifact-building approaches artifacts-evaluating approaches (Järvinen & Järvinen, 1999)

Alternative Research Methods Constructivist Methods –conceptual development and technical development Nomothetic Methods (“Confirmatory”) –field research, surveys, lab experiments … using the hypothetico-deductive method Idiographic Methods (“Exploratory”) –case studies and action research (Hirschheim, 2002)

Plausible inference Logical inference can be used only when one has complete information about the phenomenon to be modeled In research situation one has –theoretical background –results from previous studies –some data For which of these there exist complete information? Plausible inference is inference with uncertain and incomplete information (Tirri, 2002)

Qualitative Research Methods: –action research –case study research –ethnography –grounded thoeory Data sources: –observation and participant observation (gield work) –interviews and questionnaires –documents and texts –reseracher’s impressions and reactions Modes of analysis: –hermeneutics –semiotics –narrative and metaphor

Philosophical perspectives positivist research interpretive research critical research

Underlying assumptions (Myers,