Post on 22-Sep-2020
1
The following slides will give you a short introduction to Research in Business Informatics.
Faculty of Computer Science Department of Technical and Business Information Systems
Very Large Business Applications Lab
Center for Very Large Business Applications
University of Magdeburg
Research Methods in Business Informatics
Matthias Splieth
matthias.splieth@ovgu.de
http://mrcc.ovgu.de
3
Outline
1. Goals & Motivation
2. Problems
3. Goal of Business Informatics
4. Mission and Goals in Business Informatics
5. Spectrum of Methods in Business Informatics
6. Methods Portfolio
7. Conclusion
4
Goals & Motivation
„Research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions“ (The Oxford Dictionary)
Goal of research process: produce knowledge
Knowledge and usage of research methods is essential for the publication of relevant research findings
Business Informatics as scientific discipline influenced by many adjacent disciplines (real, formal and engineering sciences)
Basically two tendencies recognizable: o Constructivistically orientation (“Design Science Research”, german
Wirtschaftsinformatik) o Behavioral orientation (anglo-american Information Systems
Research)
5
Problems: Classification
Owen, C.:
Design Research: Building the Knowledge Base. Journal of the Japanese Society for the Science of Design 5, 36–45 (1997)
6
Problems: Knowledge
Sources of knowledge
o Experiences
o Mind
How to gain knowledge?
o Inductive (closing of individual cases to general cases)
o Deductive (deriving a statement from other statements by virtue of logical
inference rules)
Basic positions:
o Ontological position: real world is objective / not objective.
o Epistemological position: objective realization is possible / not possible.
o Linguistic position: Speech, language artifacts, inter-subjective
understanding
7
Goals of Business Informatics
“The aim of scientific research in computer science is (..) the production of theories, methods, tools and inter subjectively
verifiable knowledge about / for information and communication systems. (...) The economic structure of a
computer science uses the scientific approach in description of information and communication systems, explanation of these,
prediction of system behavior and design of new systems.” Decision of WKWI, 06.10.1993
8
Mission and Goals in Business Informatics
basic position+
research goal
determines
research method
Becker, J., Holton, R., Knackstedt, R., Niehaves, B.:
Forschungsmethodische Positionierung in der Wirtschaftsinformatik. epistemologische, ontologische und linguistische Leitfragen (2003)
9
Spectrum of Methods in Business Informatics
Most used methods in german WI literature:
o Argumentative-deductive (35%)
o Case study (16%)
o Prototyping (13%)
o Qualitative-empirical (10%)
o Conceptual-deductive (10%)
Wilde, T., Hess, T.: Methodenspektrum der Wirtschaftsinformatik: Überblick und Portfoliobildung (2006)
10
Methods Portfolio
Wilde, T., Hess, T.:
Methodenspektrum der Wirtschaftsinformatik: Überblick und Portfoliobildung (2006)
11
Methods Portfolio
Wilde, T., Hess, T.:
Methodenspektrum der Wirtschaftsinformatik: Überblick und Portfoliobildung (2006)
12
Conclusion
Methods are important for research
Lot of methods in Business Informatics that can be used to produce knowledge
Research method determined by base position and research goal
Faculty of Computer Science Department of Technical and Business Information Systems
Very Large Business Applications Lab
Center for Very Large Business Applications
University of Magdeburg
Design Science Research in Business Informatics
Sascha Bosse
sascha.bosse@ovgu.de
http://mrcc.ovgu.de
14
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Behavioral Science and Design Science
3. Information System Research Framework
4. Seven Guidelines for Design Science in Information System
Research
5. Conclusion
15
Introduction
Information Systems (IS) to improve effectiveness and efficiency of an organization
To remain competitive, IS need to be evolved constantly Research
„Research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions“ (The Oxford Dictionary)
Research in Business Informatics (BI) to gather knowledge o Supporting the productive application of IT to human
organizations o Concerning management and use of IT for organizational purpose
16
Behavioral and Design Science
Presentation bases upon A. Hevner et al. „Design Science in Information Systems Reseach“, MIS Quaterly Vol. 28, No. 1, 2004, pp. 75-105
Two basic approaches of research in BI o Behavioral Science o Design Science
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/School_of_Pterocaesio_chrysozona_in_Papua_New_Guinea_1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Vitra_Design_Museum.JPG
17
Behavioral Science in context of BI
Roots in natural science research
Develop and justify theories that explain human or organizational behavior
Goal is truth
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Galileo.arp.300pix.jpg
18
Design Science Research in context of BI
Roots in engineering
Problem-solving, result is an artifact
Create innovations which increases the effectivity and efficiency of information systems
Goal is utility
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/A-line1913.jpg
19
Relation between Behavioral and Design Science
Are distinct, but complementary approaches
Form a Research Cycle
Behavioral Science develops new theories for the use of artifacts
Design Science uses theories to reach a utility
Example: Technology Acceptance Model
20
Information System Research Framework
21
Seven Guidelines for Design Science Research in BI
Design as an Artifact
Problem Relevance
Design Evaluation
Research Contributions
Research Rigor
Design as a Search Process
Communication of Research
22
Design as an Artifact
Possible Results of Design Science
o Constructs – language for problems and solutions
o Models – representation of real world
o Methods – processes to solve problems
o Instantiation – implementation to real systems
Does not include people or (parts of) organizations
23
Problem Relevance
Research should provide solutions to unsolved and important business problems
Problem: Difference between current and desired state of a system
Goals and constraints
Addressed to a constituent community
24
Design Evaluation
Demonstration of the utility and qualtity of the artifact via well-executed evaluation methods
Defining measurable success criteria, maybe also gathering and analysis of data
Provides feedback to designed products and design process
Examples: Case Study, Analysis, Experiments, Tests
25
Research Contributions
Research has a significant value to the community
o Enables a solution
o Extends the knowledge base
o Uses existing knowledge in a new way
Contribution depends on the novelty, generality and significance of the artifact
Forms
o Artifact
o Foundations
o Methodologies
26
Research Rigor
Using rigorous methods in construction and evaluation
Derived from the effective use of the knowledge base
With respect to applicability and generalizability of the artifact
Overemphasis can lead to less relevant results
27
Design as a Search Process
Iterative process - Generate/Test-Cycle
Set of possible solutions
o Available means
o Desired ends
o Laws to be considered
Too complex to find the optimal solution
Search the solution space with heuristics
Problem simplification and decomposition
28
Communication of Research
Presentation to technology- and management-orientated audiences
Technical: Present detail to enable the implementation of the artifact and for further development
Managerial: Present information if the artifact can be utilized in a specific organization context
29
Conclusion
Design Science and Behavioral Science are both important
o Truth and utility complement each other
Information System Research Framework helps to understand, exectute and evaluate IS Research
Difference between design and Design Research
Guidelines as a base to understand requirements for effective
Design Science Research
o Must be adapted to specific context
Faculty of Computer Science Department of Technical and Business Information Systems
Very Large Business Applications Lab
Center for Very Large Business Applications
University of Magdeburg
Conducting a Literature Review
Bastian Kurbjuhn
bastian.kurbjuhn@ovgu.de
http://mrcc.ovgu.de
31
Outline
1. Definition
2. Purpose
3. Content Analysis
4. Types of Content Analysis
5. Qualitative and Quantitative Content Analysis
6. Structured Content Analysis
7. Literature Review Structure (Process Steps)
8. Software Tools
32
Definition
“A literature review is a systematic, explicit, and reproducible
design for identifying, evaluating, and interpreting the existing body of recorded documents.”
Fink (1998)
33
Purpose
o Idea generation for research (starting point for a new topic) And o Identification of patterns, topics and problems in existing
literature (idea organisation, topic structuring)
34
Lit. Review as a Content Analysis
o Structuring field of research/interest o Identification of conceptual content o Theory development through a content analysis
35
Types of Content Analysis
content analysis
qualitative
quantitative
structured
result evaluation
Ref. to Brewerton and Millward (2001), p. 151
36
Qualitative and quantitative CA
Not contradictory, but interdependent
Example: text analysis • Generation of categories (qualitative) • Assignment of articles (quantitative) • Interpretation of the assignments (qualitat.)
“From quality to quantity and back to quality.” Mayring (2003), p. 19
37
Structured Content Analysis
Also considers the development of relationship between elements
Based on a previous qualitative and quantitative investigation
Reflects formal and content-related aspects
Driven by preliminary considerations
Explicit process for conclusions
38
Process: Structured Content Analysis
1st
material
collection
2nd
descriptive
analysis
3rd
category
selection
4th
material
evaluation
Content-related part
formal part
Ref. Mayring (2003), p. 54
39
First step: Material Evaluation
Driven by preliminary considerations: definitions, key words
Material types/sources: books, journal articles, databases
Time period
Exclusion criteria, resp. rules
40
Second: Descriptive Analysis
Key figures • Publications/year • Types of scientific compositions
Creates the background for the following material analysis
41
Second: Descriptive Analysis (2)
42
Process Structured Content Analysis
1st
material
collection
2nd
descriptive
analysis
3rd
category
selection
4th
material
evaluation
Content-related part
formal part
Ref. Mayring (2003), p. 54
43
Detail view: content-related part
Selection of dimensions and categories
Determinition of definitions for each category
Material analysis: denotation of relevant place of finding
Preparation of results
Material analysis: extraction
Revision
Ref. Mayring (2002), p. 120
44
Third: Category Selection
Creation of dimensions
Characteristics of dimensions have to be captured in categories
Definition of categories
structures the research field and forms main topics for the analysis
45
Fourth: Material Evaluation
Sort papers into categories
Identify relevant and common place of findings
Identify relevant problems
Interpret the results
46
4th: Material Evaluation
Tables: Goal Relations between Economic and Sustainability Objectives
47
Revision
Classification deductive or inductive • Deductive: before material evaluation • Inductive: during the analysis in terms of
generalisation/abstraction
Recommendation: multiple researchers • Minimisation of risk • Critical examination with created categories
48
Software Tools
Bibliography applications
Mind mapping