Methodology Flashcards
What is our research philosophy?
Pragmatism
What defines pragmatism?
- Complex world, multiple realities (vi kan ikke aflægge dem alle og det er derfor “up for interpretation and for the view we have”). No single point of view will give the full picture of these multiple realities.
- Pragmatism perceive concepts, theories, and knowledge in which they enable action, and our research are thus centered around operational practices, their relevance to successful actions, and problem solving
- Want to impact future practices
- The view is aware that researchers impact the research but is a balance of both objectivism and subjectivism
What is our research approach?
Abductive approach
What is the abductive method?
- The abductive approach is characterized by the researchers moving between theory and data continuously and, thus, combining deduction and induction. Throughout we conducted comparisons and interpretations based on the generated data and the relevant theory.
- Lack of missing literature I R&ED/pharma. Leverage what is there (literature to theory/hypothesis (deductive)), but the missing link makes the need for understanding through induction (data to theory) and building on that.
- Ideally we would test the framework once we were “done”
What is the method used in this research of the thesis? And why is it good?
Semi-structured interviews, quantitative and qualitative secondary data. Most focus on qualitative data and semi-structured interviews.
Concurrent mixed method - enabling us to analyze the phenomenon from several points of view in line with our pragmatism standpoint.
- Allows for quantitative and qualitative data, again fitting well with pragmatism as several perspectives are explored. Enables triangulation.
What is the research strategy?
Single Embedded Case Study.
- Access, open-office seating (casual interactions also with other departments), informal 2:1’s, monthly and weekly department meetings (incl. pWr meeting) - helped build rapport and overcome trust and any potential cognitive restrictions.
- Meant Novo Nordisk helped shape the study.
What is the time horizon of the study?
Cross-sectional, i.e. a snapshot in time, meaning the findings/situation can change over time.
- Chosen for several reasons: 16-week internship (drug development and bureaucratic nature makes it non-viable to do a longitudinal study)
What are the techniques and procedures used in this thesis?
1) Data collection (primary data: semi-structured interviews & secondary data: unstructured observations/meetings, documents, 2:1s, open-office interactions, and pWr )
2) Data analysis (Template analysis i.e., coding) AND desifn principles
What could alternative time horizons be?
Longitudinal, i.e. across time.
What is our sampling technique in the interviews? How did you select interviewees?
Heterogeneous purposive non-probability sampling method.
- Chosen non probabilistic, with purpose based on judgment and information. Heteregenous because we select different roles that can enlighten the multiple realities and help us form a whole image for our pragamatic solution.
- 4 themes to cover the needed data.
- Participants are chosen based on seniority (and thus knowledge of the area) and availability.
- External PPM consultant + GRT: Opportunistic purposive sampling
- Small sample size in scope for the research requires an informed and judgmental sampling process to ensure the problem is adequately illuminated.
What are the main bias we should be aware of?
Interview bias:
1) Response bias: If the participants are willing to share and be honest.
Mitigation: Anonymity, rapport, and confidentiality (i.e., embedment ensures this is not an issue)), embedment also ensures competency of the interviewers to understand the context and ask for clarification when needed.
2) Interviewer bias: Do we impact the answers through behaviour, questioning or beliefs? Our opinions and biases impact the results, also inherently the embedment in R&ED P&A makes us biased towards PPM.
Mitigation: Interview guides, open-ended questions, two people to question potential bias from each other.
3) Participant bias: Their bias in relation to their role in the company.
Mitigation: Secondary data, exposing the bias made in the thesis makes us aware and easier to understand the bias and its impact + triangulation. Provided codes for readers to be aware of these when reading the analysis.
Selection/sampling bias:
4) Sampling bias/selection bias: Purposive and judgemental, i.e. we tried to choose relevant parties, but utilized opportunistic purposive sampling when this arose from interviews.
Why does our research strategy make sense?
Single embedded case study:
- Embedment ensures research quality as: Understand context, overcome confidentiality, access to data and people (triangulation), enables thorough understanding of case company.
- When no clear litterature is there, it makes sense to understand the practices from within. (Hard to understand otherwise).
What is primary data?
Data collected specifically for the research question.
What is secondary data, and its role in this study?
- Data collected for another purpose than the specific research question.
- Purpose: Support interviews and use for triangulation to inform on more perspectives.
- Observations could be argued for as primary data, however, observational situations were for another purpose than our specific research question, like department meetings etc. + We haven’t done systematic collection of observations like transcripts and systematic notes, thus secondary data seems fitting. –> Could be better documented next time and 2:1 meetings could be recorded
How did you handle/analyze data?
- Template analysis through the 6 steps described within.
- Both corrected around half of the automated transcripts and coded the interviews together.
What are design principles and what did you do with these?
- Extrapolated generalizable design principles from each part of the analysis for use in a generalizable framework.
- Improves generalizability as they are on are more high-level plan and non-case specific.
What factors affect the quality of the research?
- Validity (Credibility and Transferability) and Reliability (Dependability in qualitative research)
- Dependability: Creating transparent research, so it may be understood and evaluated by others. Documented the process to make it clear to other researchers what has happened throughout.
- Credibility (Do we understand the interviews and data): Rapport and honesty (through embedment, anonymity). Joint research with two researchers has increased the understanding. Embedment and theory have made us competent in understanding the topic of PPM, strategy, and decision-making.
- Transferability (Findings generalizability): Triangulation, Novo is similar to other originator companies (but it should be assessed if they have similar size, PPM capabilities etc. if implementing the framework and the findings).
Why is it important to consider research philosophy?
The research philosophy (beliefs and assumptions about reality and the development of knowledge) affects the view of the world and thus shapes the research conducted.
- Thus, when conducting research, every stage of the research process will be affected by the researchers’ assumptions about reality, knowledge, and the extent to which their own values influence the research process.
