Research Methods versus Methodology

It seems appropriate at this juncture to explain the difference between research methods and research methodology. This aids in understanding various approaches in research investigation before selecting the suitable approaches for any particular study.

Research methods may be understood as all those methods/techniques that are used for conduction of research (Blaikie, 2010). Research methods or techniques, thus, refer to the methods the researchers use in performing research operations (Oates, 2014). In other words, all those methods, which are used by the researcher during the course of studying the research problem, are termed as research methods.

On the other hand, research methodology is a way to systematically apply those individual techniques to solve the research problem (Collis & Hussey, 2014). Oates (2006) also supported this by explaining that, it may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically: in it we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying the research problem along with the logic behind them. As confirmed by Bazeley and Jackson (2013), research methodology is the process followed by a researcher to achieve the aims and objectives of a particular research. To undertake this research investigation, it is necessary for the researcher to know not only the research methods/techniques but also the methodology.

Saunders et al., 2012, argue that researchers need to understand the assumptions underlying various techniques and to know the criteria by which they can decide that certain techniques and procedures will be applicable to certain problems and others will not. This means that it is necessary for the researcher to design his/her methodology for the problem as the same may differ from problem to problem. For example, an architect,

who designs a building, has to consciously evaluate the basis of his decisions, i.e., the researcher has to evaluate why and on what basis a particular size is selected, number and location of doors, windows and ventilators, uses particular materials and not others and the like. Similarly, in research the scientist has to expose the research decisions to evaluation before they are implemented. The researcher has to specify very clearly and precisely what decisions he/she selects and why he/she selects them so that others can evaluate them also.

From what has been stated above, we can say that research methodology has many dimensions and research methods do constitute a part of the research methodology. The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research methods. Thus, when we talk of research methodology we not only talk of the research methods but also consider the logic behind the methods we use in the context of our research study and explain why we are using a particular method or technique and why we are not using others so that research results are capable of being evaluated either by the researcher himself or by others (Saunders et al., 2012). Research methodology provides the basis to make informed decisions, step by step, about how research should be conducted.

The next section will provide the actual research methodology adopted for this study and its significance to the researcher. In a more elaborated form, the next section is for the researcher to select what research methods will enable the collection of data that is needed to answer the research questions

5.2.1 Choosing appropriate research methodology for this study

Having conducted a comprehensive literature review on research methods and designs, it emerged that there are differences in the perceptions, interpretations and terminologies used in the explanations and description of research methodologies. Authors such as Saunders et al (2012), Kagioglou et al (1998) and Crotty (1998) all have different terminologies used in their description of research methodology.

Saunders et al (2012) also developed the ‘research onion’ (as illustrated in figure 5.1 below) to show what elements constitute research methodology. This onion has six main elements, which constitutes research methodology. Per the ‘onion’, the outer layer is the

research philosophy. Beyond research philosophy, lies, the research approach which leads the researcher into the third layer- research strategy. This is followed by the research choices available to the researcher. The researcher will be able to move to the data collection stage by determining the ‘time horizons’ for the research.

It is worth mentioning that the researcher adopted the interpretivist philosophical paradigm for the study. A careful evaluation was conducted among some underlying philosophical paradigms before arriving at the chosen paradigm, which informed the study. The following section has examined and presented the comparisons made among available research paradigms before choosing the interpretivist paradigm.

Figure 5.1: Research Onion

Source: Saunders et al., (2014)

However, Crotty (1998) criticized the research onion for having to exclude the research question in their respective research methodological designs. He argues that the inclusion of the research question provides the researcher the guidance and focus within the research. For the purpose of this study, a theoretical path has be created (Figure 5.2), which is based on Saunders et al (2012) ‘research onion’ and Crotty’s (1998)

‘hierarchical levels’ which includes the research question in the research methodological design. The following methodological path was designed because it provides the researcher the systematic approach to conduct the research under study.

Having reviewed the literature on research methods, the researcher compared and contrasted various research methods techniques. Figure 5.2 was constructed by combining the views of Saunders et al (2014) ‘research onion’ and Crotty’s (1998) idea of ‘research question’. This was the methodological pathway the researcher adopted in conducting the research investigation.

Figure 5.2: Methodological theoretical pathway

Source: Saunders et al (2014) and Crotty (1998)

STAGE 10

Validity, Reliability and Ethical Issues STAGE 9

Data Collection techniques and Analysis STAGE 8 Time Horizones STAGE 7 Research Choices STAGE 6 Research Strategies STAGE 5 Research Questions STAGE 4 Research Approach STAGE 3 Classification of research STAGE 2

Research paradigms- Importance and relevance STAGE 1