The Practice of Business Research: Akin to Orienteering

McCarthy, J, Pioch, E, Rowley, J, Ashworth, CJ, Harrigan, P and Harris, L (2016) The Practice of Business Research: Akin to Orienteering. In: Academy of Marketing Conference 2012: Marketing: Catching the Technology Wave. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This poster challenges PhD training and academic writing conventions. A reflective insight of the process of doing business research is presented. The poster seeks to encourage scholarly debate for a different didactic approach to qualitative business research training. The call is made for further attention to be paid to the real issues early career researchers face when developing their research and deciding on their approach to the science of knowledge. It is argued that business research is cyclical and iterative in practice, as opposed to the post-hoc linear rationalisation encouraged by research methods texts and so evident in published work. The context of the study is the role of social media in football. Social media is a field attracting growing academic attention whilst organisations seek to identify if and how it can be used to business benefit. Based on the iterative approach taken to qualitative research interview method and case study research, an adapted research framework is proposed. Two key recommendations are made for early career researchers.