Research Methods For Operations Management

Research Methods for Operations Management, second edition is a toolkit of research approaches primarily for advanced students and beginner researchers but also a reference book for any researcher in OM. Many students begin their career in research limited by the one or few approaches taken by their department. The concise, accessible overviews found here equip them with an understanding of a variety of methods and how to use them, enabling them to tailor their research project to their own strengths and goals. The more seasoned researcher will find comprehensive descriptions and analyses on a wide variety of research approaches. This updated and enhanced edition responds to the latest developments in OM, including the growing prominence of services and production of intangible products, and the increasing use of secondary data and of mixed approaches. Alternative research approaches are included and explored to help with the early planning of research. This edition also includes expanded literature review and analysis to guide students towards the next steps in their reading, and more detailed step-by-step advice to tie theory with the researcher’s own practice. Including contributions from an impressive range of the field’s leading thinkers in OM research, this is a guide that no-one embarking on an OM research project should be without.

This updated and revised edition offers a comprehensive overview of key research methods and the main choices available when undertaking research in business and management. New to this edition is a comprehensive, practical guide on how to write your dissertation - invaluable to all. It is a clear, concise and practical guide containing wealth of outstanding examples for each method covered.Central to this edition is the 'methods map' (chapter 4), which sets out a logical process for researchers to articulate their position in relation to five key aspects of their research philosophy. In addition, the editors have developed a free app to accompany the book and this enables novice researchers to quickly develop a comprehensive justification of their particular research design in an interactive way. Taking you through the entire life cycle of a dissertation, the text covers everything from the purposes of research through to chapters on gathering primary and secondary data; using literature; quantitative and qualitative research; managing your research; using data and research ethics. Individual chapters are allied to a powerful critical commentary showing how some of the world's leading scholars have used particular methods in their own research. Carefully constructed to achieve the greatest clarity for the student the text gives the reader: * In-text exercises * End of chapter' review questions with solutions* Exemplar papers identified and discussed for each of the main methods *Directed further reading for developing understanding in key areas It is an essential learning aid for upper level undergraduates and postgraduates across a wide range of business and management courses and it comes with a range of supported learning materials including tutorials, lecture slides and tutor notes.Kevin O'Gorman is Professor of Management and Business History and Head of Business Management in the School of Languages and Management in Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He trained in Glasgow, Salamanca and Rome as a philosopher, theologian and historian. His research interests have a dual focus: Origins, history and cultural practices of hospitality, and philosophical, ethical and cultural underpinnings of contemporary management practices. Using a wide range of methodological approaches he has published over 80 journal articles, books, chapters, and conference papers in business and management studies.Robert MacIntosh is Professor of Strategy and Head of the School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University. He trained as an engineer and has worked at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde. His research on the ways in which top teams develop strategy and on organizational change has been published in a wide range of outlets. He has a long-standing interest in research methods for business and management studies and has published on the relevance of management research using methods that include ethnography and action research. He has consulted extensively with public and private sector organizations and sits on the board of the charity Turning Point Scotland.

For reseach in all subjects and among different philisopical paradigms, research methodologies form one of the key issues to rely on. This volume brings a series of papers together, which present different research methodologies as applied in supply chain management. This comprises review oriented papers that look at what kind of methodologies have been applied, as well as methodological papers discussing new developments needed to successfully conduct research in supply chain management. The third group is made up of applications of the respective methodologies, which serve as examples on how the different methodological approaches can be applied. All papers have undergone a review process to ensure their quality. Therefore, we hope that this book will serve as a valid source for current and future researchers in the field. While the workshop on “Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management” took place at the Supply Chain Management Center, Carl von Ossietzky Univ- sity in Oldenburg, Germany, it is based on a collaboration with the Supply Chain Management Group of the Department of Operations Management at the Cop- hagen Business School and the Department of Production Management at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. We would like to thank all those who contributed to the workshop and this book.

Management Research Methods, first published in 2007, is a comprehensive guide to the design and conduct of research in management-related disciplines such as organisational behaviour, human resource management, industrial relations, and the general field of management. Specifically, the text begins by providing an overview of the research process and in subsequent chapters explains the major types of design used in management research (correlational field studies, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, case studies, historical analysis, and action research). There are also chapters that describe the methods of data collection (interviews, questionnaires, documentation and observation) commonly employed by management researchers. In addition, the text examines the issues of reliability and validity, the construction of multi-item scales, and the methods of quantitative and qualitative analysis. The text concludes with a practical guide explaining how to report research findings and a discussion of the ethical issues in the conduct and practice of research.

Research Methods for Operations and Supply Chain Management, third edition, is a toolkit of research approaches primarily for advanced students and beginner researchers, but also a reference book for any researcher in operations and supply chain management (OSCM). Many students begin their careers in research limited by the one or few approaches taken by their department. The concise, accessible overviews found here equip them with an understanding of a variety of methods and how to use them, enabling students to tailor their research project to their own strengths and goals. The more seasoned researcher will find comprehensive descriptions and analyses on a wide variety of research approaches. This updated and enhanced edition responds to the latest developments in OSCM, including the growing prominence of services and production of intangible products, the complete supply chain, and the increasing use of secondary data and of mixed approaches. Alternative research approaches are included and explored to help with the planning of research. This edition also includes expanded literature reviews and analysis to guide students towards the next steps in their reading, and more detailed step-by-step advice to tie theory with the research. Including contributions from an impressive range of the field’s leading thinkers in OSCM research, this is a guide that no one embarking on an OSCM research project should be without. Previous editions of this book were published under the title Research Methods for Operations Management and Researching Operations Management.

Research Methods For Business, 8th Edition explains the principles and practices of using a systematic, organized method for solving problematic issues in business organizations. Designed to help students view research from the perspective of management, this popular textbook guides students through the entire business research process. Organized into six main themes—Introduction, Defining the Management and the Research Problem, Theory, Collecting Information, Drawing Conclusions, and Writing and Presenting the Research Report—the text enables students to develop the skills and knowledge required to successfully create, conduct, and analyze a research project. Now in its eighth edition, this popular textbook has been thoroughly updated to incorporate substantial new and expanded content, and reflect current research methods and practices. The text uses a unique blended learning approach, allowing instructors the flexibility to custom-tailor their courses to fit their specific needs. This innovative approach combines the face-to-face classroom methods of the instructor with internet-based activities that enable students to study what they want, when they want, at their own pace.

"This book presents advancements in the field of operations management, focusing specifically on topics related to layout design for manufacturing environments"--Provided by publisher.