1. Research that Matters: Pursuing Impactful Research
Prince of Songkla
University
Hat Yai,
Thailand
The 40th National Graduate Research Conference
“Higher Education Harmonization”
20th Oct 2016
Research that Matters: Pursuing Impactful Research
Prof Dr Shahizan Hassan
OYA Graduate School of Business
Universiti Utara Malaysia

2. Presentation Outline Why do you conduct research?
What is impactful research?
Theoretical impact
Practical impact
Policy impact
ROI
Impactful research for higher education
Impactful research and publications
Impactful Research and university reputations/ranking

3. Why do you conduct research?
Purpose must be clear
Purpose of conducting Research
Build reputation?
Meeting KPIs?
To get a degree
Or simply not sure?
To contribute to knowledge?
To contribute to the nation building?

4. What is impactful Research?
Theoretical impact
ROI
Policy making impact
Practical impact

5. Research-based Programs (PhD/ Master)
Theoretical Impact
Contributions to theory (new idea/ model/ framework/ guidelines/ principles/algorithms/ formula, etc.)
Theoretical Impact
Research-based Programs (PhD/ Master)
Fundamental research

6. Theoretical Impact Example: Research in Information System area:
Consists about 110 theories
Your Research should refer/ utilise/ select relevant theories
Your research should have impact on any of these theories (e.g. refinement, merging, alignment)
Delone & MacLean IS Success
Technology Acceptance Model
TOE
Contingency theory
UTAUT
Diffusion of Innovation Theory

7. Practical Impact
Contributions to practice (outcome can be adopted/ adapted/ implemented/ used/ commercialised)
Practical Impact
Applied Research
Research for degree projects (e.g. DBA, MBA, Final year project)
Solving real world problems
Impact on Business and society

8. Practical Impact Examples of practical impact based research projects
New teaching method
Enhanced inventory control system
M-commerce marketing model
Flood mitigation system
Minimalist Interior design for low cost housing
New media participation model for youth

9. Policy Impact
Impact on policy and decision making for both public and private sectors
Policy impact
High impact research grant
Long term projects
Utilise both primary and secondary data
Improve policy and decision making

10. Policy Impact
Examples of policy impact research (Higher education context)
Policy impact
Expatriate academic policy
National education blueprint – impact study
Internship policy
University-industry collaboration framework
National graduate employability model
Education management policy
Outcome Based Education
Ranking and education management
GoT Strategy
Research funding model

11. Return on Investment
Research projects are mostly heavily funded by many parties (Government/ private sector/ NGOs/ International agencies)
These stakeholders need ROI
ROI
Meet objectives
Have value and desired impact
Strong methodology
Reliabale results
Outcome can be adopted/ adapted/ implemented/ commercialised

12. Impactful research for Higher Education
Higher Education Research
Higher education policies/ strategies/ strategic direction
Quality of Teaching and Learning
Graduate Employabili-ty
Technology Innovations
Education management
Impact study of University/ Faculty/ school on community
Curriculum improvement

13. Impactful research and publications
Impactful research is linked to quality publications
Publish in high ranked journals (e.g. ABS List or ABDC List)
Publish in top ranked magazines
Case studies
Books and monographs
Etc.

14. Impactful research and university reputation/ranking
Most international accreditations require institutions to have good track records of impactful research (e.g. AACSB, EQUIS)
Ranking: QS
Times Higher Educations (THE)
Academic reputation (40%)
Employer reputation (10%)
Student-faculty ratio (20%)
International faculty (5%)
Citation per faculty (20%)
International students (5%)
Teaching & Learning (30%)
Research (Volume, income, reputation) (30%)
Citations (30%)
International outlook (7.5%)
Industry income (KT) (2.5%)

15. Impactful research and university reputation/ranking

16. Impactful research and university reputation/ranking

17. Concluding remarks
A good research is the one which has an impact on both theory and practice.
Impactful research determines the development of theory and help improve quality of lives and the way we do things.
Impactful research can also spearhead the academic reputation and standing of an instititution.