You will be working from the statement of intent about your project and the introduction that you originally prepared in DOC650 along with the literature review that you prepared in DOC660. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of the structure of your project, what you hope to accomplish with it, who you will be working with on it, and what you will actually be doing. The purpose of this methodology statement is to describe systematically what you will be doing in your research and how you will be doing it.
In the Case for this module, you will be reviewing numerous readings relating to different kinds of studies and how they are structured, the relationship between research questions and study design, and the constraints on research posed by different kinds of designs. You will then be asked to review your study and your research questions in light of this material, and to select and describe an appropriate study design that you believe will help you answer the research questions you have posed. This will constitute the first section of your project methodology.
As the course progresses, you will be making a series of decisions in which you will increasingly specify the structure of your project. These decisions build on each other in critical ways. However, you are not locked into previous decisions if you subsequently decide you need to change direction. In each subsequent module, as you build up your methodology, you will have an opportunity to go back and revise and/or extend the sections completed in previous modules. Case grades given for the first four modules will be advisory rather than final. Your ultimate grade will be based on the completed methodology at the end of the course.
Case Assignment
Prepare a 5- to 7-page paper in accordance with the Assignment Expectations below, describing the basic research design for your project, in accordance with the following outline:
- Restate your research question(s), simply and directly.
- Describe your basic assumptions about the project, the research site, and the participants, as well as the role that you hope to play.
- Describe the goal(s) you hope your project will achieve.
- Describe the general methodology you chose for your study, in terms of the various categories of research described in the module readings:
Examples of Research Methodologies
The DSP format and variation is based on the type of research design chosen. The most common types are the Case Study, Action Research, and Process Improvement.
- Case Study. A case study takes a real case and contemporary phenomenon to investigate in depth and within its real-world context. For example, if a researcher writes a DSP on a marketing-related problem, they need to visit a business or organization on their physical location. They will need sufficient access to data for the research such as interviewing people, reviewing documents or records, or making field observations. (Studied in DOC640).
- Action Research. This type of research considers real-world problems for solutions or recommendation in a participatory or collaborative way in an organization or community. Interactions and engagement are cyclical ways toproduce both knowledge and change action. This method requires sufficient data access, involving multiple cycles for change or implementation. (Studied in DOC640).
- Process Improvement. Before improving any process, the researcher must investigate what is wrong, what is the root cause of the inefficiency, and how it can be fixed. The DBA Program suggests that this type of study is holistic to understanding how each business process interacts with the rest of the organization. The goal is to increase process effectiveness, efficiency, and profitability. Process Improvement should examine internal and/or external factors related to the area of improvement. It could also recommend business process change. The researcher needs sufficient access to data to implement, process, and monitor change. (Studied in DOC640).
- Mixed Methods Research Design. Designing a mixed methods research is a challenging process due to the time required for creation and validation of quantitative instruments. The DBA Program recommends that quantitative components should be used as triangulation of data through secondary data sources such as government database records.
- Ethnographic Research. It is a systematic investigation through in-depth observations and variables studying interactional patterns of people, cultures, habits, and mutual differences. Ethnographic research applies to business, educational, psychology, and medical patterns leading to multi-dimensional research.
- Phenomenology. Through this method, the researcher focuses on commonalities and patterns of a particular group to construct universal meaning of an event, situation, or experience. The goal is to seek an understanding of people’s lived experience within a particular group. Through this process, the researcher may build a more insightful understanding of the phenomenon. Examples of phenomenology are research seeking understanding of affirmative action, political scandals, medical treatments, etc.
Examples of Data collection Techniques
- Focus groups
- Interviews (structured, semi-structured)
- Participant Observation
- Document Analysis
- Explain why this method is the best for your purposes.
- Identify your research partner(s) and the role they will play in the project.
- List any specific deliverables that you will provide to your research partner(s) at the end of the project.
Assignment Expectations
Length: The written component of this assignment should be 5–7 pages long (double-spaced), not counting the cover page and reference page.
Organization: Subheadings should be used to organize your paper according to the questions.
Grammar and Spelling: While no points are deducted for minor errors, assignments are expected to adhere to standard guidelines of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence syntax. Points may be deducted if grammar and spelling impact clarity. We encourage you to use tools such as grammarly.com and proofread your paper before submission.
When you write your paper make sure you do the following:
- Answer the assignment questions directly.
- Stay focused on the precise assignment questions. Do not go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials.
- Use evidence from your readings to justify your conclusions.
- Be sure to cite at least five credible resources.
- Make sure to reference your sources of information with both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Trident guide to APA Style, 7th edition. Another resource is the “Writing Style Guide,” which is found under “My Resources” in the TLC Portal.
Your assignment will be graded using the following criteria:
Assignment-Driven Criteria: Student demonstrates mastery covering all key elements of the assignment.
Critical Thinking/Application to Professional Practice: Student demonstrates mastery conceptualizing the problem, and analyzing information. Conclusions are logically presented and applied to professional practice in an exceptional manner.
Business Writing and Quality of References: Student demonstrates mastery and proficiency in written communication and use of appropriate and relevant literature at the doctoral level.
Citing Sources: Student demonstrates mastery applying APA formatting standards to both in-text citations and the reference list.
Professionalism and Timeliness: Assignments are submitted on time.
