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RESEARCH METHODS IN TOURISMNicos Rodosthenous PhD
21/02/20133
21/2/2013 1Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
• This chapter examines: Stages in the planning of research projects The formation and presentation of research
proposals Planning a research project A research plan or proposal must summarise how
a research project is to be conducted from beginning to the end.
It is divided into nine elements
21/2/2013 2Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 3Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
1. Select a topic : may arise from a range of sources: a. Personal interest (sport, occupation ,history, future)b. Literature (leisure activity, social, georgaphical)c. Policy/management (very specific, i.e. leisure needs
of people, and not confidential)d. Social concern(the environmental impact of tourism)e. Popular/media (popular beliefs or conceptions, i.e.
sporting crowd violence)f. Published research agendas (in the field of tourism)g. Brainstorming (means of exploring the potential of a-f
above.
21/2/2013 4Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
2. Review the literature: process of identifying previously published research relevant to the topic of interest (source of ideas, information on research already done)
3. Devise a conceptual framework: involves concepts and hypothesised relationships between them in four elements: explore/explain relationships between concepts, identify, define and operationalise concepts.
21/2/2013 5Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 6Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
• Example of conceptual framework in tourism• Relates to leisure participation decision-
making, including the decision to take a holiday.
• Often research is part of a specific management task, i.e. marketing study, or customer service quality study.
21/2/2013 7Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 8Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 9Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 10Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
4. Decide research questions : Research project can be expressed:
A question requires an answer A problem requires a solution A hypothesis as a statement must be proved true
or false. Case study 1: Why have visitor levels declined in
the last two years at Cyrpus?
21/2/2013 11Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
5. List information needs: research questions and conceptual frame work provide a list of information needs or requirements.
i.e. a market profile could involve age and socio-economic group.
21/2/2013 12Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 13Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
6.Decide research strategy: Development of a research strategy involves making decisions on a number of aspects to:
Identify project elements/stages Decide info gathering techniques to be used Decide data analysis techniques to be used Decide budget Draw up timetable21/2/2013 14Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
7. Obtain ethics clearance : when the research involves human subjects, in both biological and social sciences.
-code of ethics- protecting the rights of human and animals involved in a research in the principles:
a. That no harm should befall the research subjectsb. That subjects should take part freelyc. That subjects should take part on the basis of
informed consent.
21/2/2013 15Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
On the researcher there is an obligation to ensure confidentiality of any data collected.
8. Conduct research: every item of information collected should have a purpose to answer specific questions.
9.Report findings: the writing of a research report can begin as soon as the project begins, .i.e. the review of the literature and the development of the conceptual framework.
21/2/2013 16Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
• Research proposals:1)The first is the self-generated research proposal
(academic proposal) prepared by students seeking approval for research project, a PhD thesis or a funded project.
2)Responsive proposals prepared by consultants for potential clients. They must submit written costed proposal or tender. The golden principle should address the brief with four objectives:
21/2/2013 17Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
What is to be done? How is it to be done? When will it be done? What will it cost? Who will do it? Case study 1: The holiday as leisure (class
discussion)
21/2/2013 18Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 19Dr Nicos Rodosthenous
Starting out: Develop research plans and proposals.
21/2/2013 20Dr Nicos Rodosthenous