This chapter describes the decision making process in determining which research methods were appropriate to meet the research questions, the rationale for their selection and their application within this thesis. It is presented in three sections, the first of which provides details of the research paradigm; methodological approach; data collection methods and justification. The second section outlines the implementation of the research methodology and data collection methods adopted, whilst the third summarises the process for analysing the data.
4.1 Research Methods
4.1.1 Overview of Research Methods
At the outset of the study a range of research methods were reviewed and assessed and an initial, provisional view was formed that evaluation research was a suitable methodology, as this study was concerned with the impact of devolution on nursing workforce policy and planning in the UK. Evaluation research is defined as being ‘the systematic application of social research procedures for assessing the conceptualisation, design, implementation, and utility of social intervention programmes’ (Rossi and Freeman 1993, p.5). Evaluation research is particularly suited to policy research and ‘primarily concerned with determining the merit, worth or value of an established policy or planned intervention’ (Clarke and Dawson 2005, p.3). This focus of this evaluation study was principally commentary on nursing workforce policy and planning.
Crotty (2010) acknowledged that when embarking on a research study the researcher starts with a real life issue requiring investigation. This in turn leads the researcher to appraise different methodologies and assess their applicability to the research questions proposed. Cresswell, Plano Clark and Garrett stressed that ‘researchers must display ingenuity in building customised solutions to their methodological dilemmas using their research experiences’ (2008, p.81). This may result in the need to develop a blended
approach if there is no single methodology that meets the needs of the researcher.
In the context of the research questions the researcher determined that the methods used would have to meet several broad criteria:
the flexibility to review, interrogate and triangulate a range of relevant data sources including the analysis of health policies; nursing workforce data and the views of key stakeholders from across the UK on the impact of devolution on nursing workforce policy and planning initiatives as informed by their individual experiences
the ability to capitalise on the researcher’s existing areas of expertise including professional knowledge of nursing workforce planning; extensive experience of working as a nurse in the NHS and personal attributes particularly in relation to communication skills.
Crotty (2010, p.3) identified four key elements of the research process each of which require careful consideration and alignment in the research study. The four elements were:
1. ‘epistemology – the theory of knowledge embedded in the theoretical perspective and thereby in the methodology
2. theoretical perspective – the philosophical stance informing the methodology and thus providing a context for the process and grounding its logic and criteria
3. methodology – the strategy, plan of action, process or design lying behind the choice and use of methods and linking the choice and use of methods to the desired outcomes
4. methods – the techniques or procedures used to gather and analyse data related to some research question or hypothesis’.
Building on the work of Crotty (2010), Cresswell and Plano Clark (2011, pp.38, 42) adapted these four elements, which they described as levels, as outlined below:
1. Paradigm Worldview – the ‘philosophical assumptions’ encompassing aspects such as the epistemology and ontology. The definition of epistemology being ‘what is the relationship between the researcher and that being researched?’ whilst the definition of ontology is ‘what is the nature of reality?’
2. Theoretical lens or foundations – this provides the ‘stance’ or direction for the research study
3. Methodological approach – ‘a strategy, a plan of action or a research design’ for example quantitative or qualitative methods
4. Methods of data collection – the tools used to gather data for example questionnaires, interviews or focus groups.
Figure 4.1 below is the diagrammatic representation of the four levels of developing a research study, as presented by Creswell and Plano Clark (2011). The researcher used the Cresswell and Plano Clark (2011) model to shape the research approach adopted in this thesis. The rationale for this was that this model included the broader ‘paradigm worldview’ as the first level of the study which enabled the researcher to identify the most appropriate epistemology and ontology for use in this thesis. This in turn helped the researcher to work through the three other levels, identifying complementary theoretical and methodological approaches informing the selection of the data collection tools which were subsequently developed for the context of this thesis. Working through this model was a lengthy process but this was beneficial as it enabled the researcher to reflect on the different elements of the research process ensuring each was addressed and that the approach taken was structured, integrated and appropriate to this thesis.
Figure 4.1 The Four Levels of Developing a Research Study
Creswell and Plano Clark (2011, p.39)
The diagrammatic representation presented by Creswell and Plano Clark (2011) depicted a hierarchical and sequential relationship between the four levels. Although this was adapted from the Crotty (2010) model, Crotty himself acknowledged that the relationships between the elements were much less rigid with linkages from left to right and right to left, as well as from top to bottom and bottom to top.
Reflecting on this, the researcher determined that the model developed by Cresswell and Plano Clark (2011) did not demonstrate the full extent of interactions between the four levels.
Both of these models focused on the elements or levels of the research process, however on reflection the researcher identified additional factors