Course Name: Research Methodology in

Information Systems (ISY6478)

Year : 2022

Introduction to Research in
Information Systems

Session 01
 LEARNING OUTCOME

LO 1 : Explain concept of research in information systems

 Acknowledgement

These slides have been

adapted from

Research Methods for Business, A

Skill Building Approach, 8th Edition,
Uma Sekaran and Roger Bougie, A
John Wiley Sons, Ltd, 2019, Chapter
1
 WHAT IS RESEARCH?

Research is the process of finding solutions

after a through study and analysis of the
situational factors. 
Business research is an organized and
systematic inquiry or investigation into a
specific problem, undertaken  with the purpose
of finding answers or solutions to it. 
 TYPE OF RESEARCH

Basic (Fundamental, Pure) Research:

 Generate the process of finding solutions after a
through study and analysis of the situational factors.
 Generates a body of knowledge by trying to
comprehend how certain problems that occur in
organizations can be solved. ​ 

Applied Research:  
 An organized and systematic inquiry or investigation
into a specific problem, undertaken with the purpose of
finding answers or solutions to it. 
 Solves a current problem faced by the manager in the
work setting, demanding a timely solution. 
 Example Basic Research-01

Right from her days as a clerical employee in a bank, Sarah had observed that her
colleagues, though extremely knowledgeable about the nuances and intricacies of
banking, were expending very little effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
the bank in the area of customer relations and service. They took on the minimum
amount of work, availed themselves of long tea and lunch breaks, and seemed
unmotivated in their dealings with the customers and the management. That they were
highly knowledgeable about banking policies and practices was clearly evident from their
discussions as they processed applications from customers. Sarah herself was very
hardworking and enjoyed her work with the customers. She always used to think what a
huge waste it was for talented employees to goof off rather than to work hard and enjoy
their work. When she left the bank and did the dissertation for her PhD, her topic of
investigation was Job Involvement, or the ego investment of people in their jobs. The
conclusion of her investigation was that the single most important contributory factor to
job involvement is the fit or match between the nature of the job and the personality
predispositions of the people engaged in performing it. For example, challenging jobs
allowed employees with high capabilities to get job-involved, and people-oriented
employees got job-involved with service activities. Sarah then understood why the highly
intelligent bank employees could not get job-involved or find job satisfaction in the
routine jobs that rarely called for the use of their abilities. Subsequently, when Sarah
joined the Internal Research Team of a Fortune 500 company, she applied this knowledge
to solve problems of motivation, job satisfaction, job involvement, and the like, in the
 Example Applied Research-01

Apple’s iPod fueled the company’s success in recent years, helping to increase sales
from $5 billion in 2001 to $32 billion in the fiscal year 2008. Growth for the music
player averaged more than 200% in 2006 and 2007, before falling to 6% in 2008. Some
analysts believe that the number of iPods sold will drop 12% in 2009. “The reality is
there’s a limited group of people who want an iPod or any other portable media
player,” one analyst says. “So the question becomes, what will Apple do about it?”

Example Applied Research-02

Globally, colas account for more than fifty per cent of all sodas sold. The challenge for
the soft drink industry is giving consumers in developed markets the sugary taste they
want without giving them the mouthful of calories they don’t. Concerns about obesity
and health have led to nine years of falling U.S. soda consumption. The soda giants
can’t rely on existing diet versions of their namesake colas, as consumers are shying
away from the artificial sweeteners they contain. Critics have blamed the ingredients
for everything from weight gain to cancer. Diet Coke is losing U.S. sales at 7 percent a
year, almost double the rate of decline of American cola sales overall. So Coke and
Pepsi are turning to research to save their cola businesses, which take in about two-
thirds of the industry’s U.S. sales. “If you can crack the perfect sweetener, that would
be huge,” says Howard Telford, an analyst at researcher Euromonitor International.
  Three Important First Steps
Research Process

Identification of Preliminary Defining Problem

Broad Management Information Gathering/ Statement
Problem Literature Review

Examples of broad 1. Background Examples of well-problem

problem areas: Information on the statements:
1. Training program are organization. 1. What are the specific
perhaps not as 2. Prevailing knowledge factors to be consider
anticipated on the topic. in creating a data
2. The sales volume of 3. Literature review from: warehouse for a
product is not picking data sources, manufacturing
up. textbooks, journals, company?
3. The newly installed theses, conference 2. How has the new
information system is proceedings, packaging affected the
not being used by unpublished sales of the product?
mangers for whom it manuscript, reports,
was primary designed newspaper, internet.
 Stages in the Research Process

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The Fl

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 SOME DIFFERENCES OF
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• Qualitative Research is primarily • Quantitative Research is used to quantify
exploratory research. the problem by way of generating
• It is used to gain an understanding of numerical data or data that can be
underlying reasons, opinions, and transformed into usable statistics.
motivations. • It is used to quantify attitudes, opinions,
• It provides insights into the problem or behaviors, and other defined variables –
helps to develop ideas. and generalize results from a larger
• Qualitative data collection methods vary sample population.
using unstructured or semi-structured • Quantitative Research uses measurable
techniques. Some common methods data to formulate facts and uncover
include focus groups (group discussions), patterns in research.
individual interviews, and • Quantitative data collection methods are
participation/observations. much more structured than Qualitative
• The sample size is typically small, and data collection methods.
respondents are selected to fulfil a given • Quantitative data collection methods
quota. include various forms of surveys
 SOME COMMONLY RESEARCH AREAS (01)

1. Employee behaviors such as performance, absenteeism, and turnover.

2. Employee attitudes such as job satisfaction, loyalty, and organizational
commitment.
3. Supervisory performance, managerial leadership style, and
performance appraisal systems.
4. Employee selection, recruitment, training, and retention.
5. Validation of performance appraisal systems.
6. Human resource management choices and organizational strategy.
7. Evaluation of assessment centers.
8. The dynamics of rating and rating errors in the judgment of human
performance.
9. Strategy formulation and implementation.
10. Just-in-time systems, continuous-improvement strategies, and
production efficiencies.
11. Updating policies and procedures in keeping with latest government
regulations and organizational changes.
 SOME COMMONLY RESEARCH AREAS (02)

12. Organizational outcomes such as increased sales, market share, profits,

growth, and effectiveness.
13. Consumer decision making.
14. Customer relationship management.
15. Consumer satisfaction, complaints, customer loyalty, and word-of-
mouth communication.
16. Complaint handling.
17. Delivering and performing service.
18. Product life cycle, new product development, and product innovation.
19. Market segmentation, targeting, and positioning.
20. Product image, corporate image.
21. Cost of capital, valuation of firms, dividend policies, and investment
decisions.
22. Risk assessment, exchange rate fluctuations, and foreign investment.
23. Tax implications of reorganization of firms or acquisition of companies.
24. Market efficiency.
25. Banking strategies.
 Types of Research

So, which form of research—exploratory, descriptive, or causal—is

appropriate for the current situation?

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 Questions

1. List five ways that research can contribute to

effective business decision making.
2. Define opportunity, business problem, and
symptoms. Give an example of each as it
applies to a university.

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 Questions

3. Consider the following list, and indicate and explain whether

each best fits the definition of a problem, opportunity, or
symptom:
a. A 12.5 percent decrease in store traffic for a children’s
shoe store in a medium-sized city mall.
b. Walmart’s stock price has decreased 25 percent between
2018 and 2019.

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 Questions

c. A furniture manufacturer and retailer in North Carolina

reads a research report indicating consumer trends toward
Australian Jara and Kari wood. The export of these
products is very limited and very expensive.
d. Marlboro reads a research report written by the U.S. FDA.
It indicates that the number of cigarette smokers in sub-
Saharan Africa is expected to increase dramatically over
the next decade.

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 IS Research Framework
• Information Systems (IS) are complex, artificial, and
purposefully designed.
• IS are composed of people, structures, technologies, and work
systems.
• Two Basic IS Research Paradigms
– Behavioral Research – Goal is Truth
– Design Research – Goal is Utility

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 IS Research Cycle
IS Artifacts Provide Utility

Design Behavioral
Science Science
Research Research

IS Theories Provide Truth

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 Design Science

• Design is a Artifact (Noun)

– Constructs
– Models
– Methods
– Instantiations
• Design is a Process (Verb)
– Build
– Evaluate
• Design is a Wicked Problem
– Unstable Requirements and Constraints
– Complex Interactions among Subcomponents of Problem
and resulting Subcomponents of Solution
– Inherent Flexibility to Change Artifacts and Processes
– Dependence on Human Cognitive Abilities - Creativity
– Dependence on Human Social Abilities - Teamwork

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Environment Relevance IS Research Rigor Knowledge Base

People Foundations
• Roles Develop / Build • Theories
• Capabilities • Theories • Frameworks
• Characteristics • Artifacts • Experimental
• Experience Instruments
Organizations Business Applicable • Constructs
• Strategies Needs Knowledge • Models
• Structure • Methods
• Culture Assess Refine
• Instantiations
• Processes Methodologies
Technology • Experimentation
• Infrastructure Justify / • Data Analysis
• Applications Evaluate Techniques
• Communications • Analytical • Formalisms
Architecture • Case Study • Measures
• Development • Experimental • Validation
Capabilities • Field Study Criteria
• Simulation • Optimization

Application in the Appropriate Additions to the Knowledge

Environment Base
 Guidelines for DS Research in IS
• Purpose of Seven Guidelines is to Assist Researchers,
Reviewers, Editors, and Readers to Understand and Evaluate
Effective Design Science Research in IS.
• Researchers will use their creative skill and judgment to
determine when, where, and how to apply the guidelines to
projects.
• All Guidelines should be addressed in the Research.

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 Design Science Guidelines

Guideline Description
Guideline 1: Design as an Artifact Design-science research must produce a viable artifact
in the form of a construct, a model, a method, or
an instantiation.
Guideline 2: Problem Relevance The objective of design-science research is to develop
technology-based solutions to important and
relevant business problems.
Guideline 3: Design Evaluation The utility, quality, and efficacy of a design artifact must
be rigorously demonstrated via well-executed
evaluation methods.
Guideline 4: Research Contributions Effective design-science research must provide clear
and verifiable contributions in the areas of the
design artifact, design foundations, and/or design
methodologies.

Guideline 5: Research Rigor Design-science research relies upon the application of

rigorous methods in both the construction and
evaluation of the design artifact.
Guideline 6: Design as a Search Process The search for an effective artifact requires utilizing
available means to reach desired ends while
satisfying laws in the problem environment.
Guideline 7: Communication of Research Design-science research must be presented effectively
both to technology-oriented as well as
management-oriented audiences.
 Design Science Case Studies
• Three Exemplars in MISQ Paper
– Gavish and Gerdes DSS 1998
– Aalst and Kumar ISR 2003
– Markus, Majchrzak, and Gasser MISQ 2002
• Recent Doctoral Research Project
– Monica Tremblay - Uncertainty in the Information Supply
Chain: Integrating Multiple Health Care Data Sources
– Artifacts:
• ISC Metrics – Completeness, Volatility
• User Presentations of Metrics
– Evaluation – Focus Groups

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 Scandinavian Journal of IS

• Upcoming Issue on Design Research

– Iivari, “A Paradigmatic Analysis of Information Systems as a
Design Science”
– Hevner, “A Three Cycle View of Design Science Research”
– Other Responses to the Iivari paper

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 Three Cycles of DS Research

Environment Design Science Knowledge Base

Application Domain Foundations

Build Design • Scientific Theories
• People Artifacts & & Methods
• Organizational Processes
Systems • Experience
• Technical Relevance Cycle Rigor Cycle & Expertise
Systems Design • Grounding
• Requirements Cycle
• Field Testing • Additions to KB
• Problems
& Opportunities Evaluate • Meta-Artifacts
(Design Products &
Design Processes)

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 The Relevance Cycle

• The Application Domain initiates Design Research with:

– Research requirements (e.g., opportunity, problem,
potentiality)
– Acceptance criteria for evaluation of design artifact in
application domain
• Field Testing of Research Results
– Does the design artifact improve the environment?
– How is the improvement measured?
– Field testing methods might include Action Research or
Controlled Experiments in actual environments.
• Iterate Relevance Cycle as needed
– Artifact has deficiencies in behaviors or qualities
– Restatement of research requirements
– Feedback into research from field testing evaluation

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 The Rigor Cycle

• Design Research Knowledge Base

– Design Theories
– Engineering Methods
– Experiences and Expertise
– Existing Design Artifacts and Processes
• Research Rigor is predicated on the researcher’s
skilled selection and application of appropriate
theories and methods for constructing and
evaluating the artifact.
• Additions to the Knowledge Base:
– Extensions to theories and methods
– New experiences and expertise
– New artifacts and processes

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 Design Theories

• Is a kernel ‘Design Theory’ essential for rigorous design research?

• I would contend that the answer is No.
• Design research can be grounded on:
– Design Theory
– Opportunities, Problems, Potentialities
– Analogies, Metaphors
– Creative Inspiration and Insight

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 Design Cycle

• Rapid iteration of Build and Evaluate activities

– The hard work of design research
• Build – Create and Refine artifact design as
both product (noun) and process (verb)
• Evaluation – Rigorous, scientific study of
artifact in laboratory or controlled environmen
• Continue Design Cycle until:
– Artifact ready for field test in Application
Environment
– New knowledge ready for inclusion in Knowledge
Base
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 Design Science Challenges
• Inadequate Theory Base for Scientific and
Engineering discipline
• Insufficient Sets of Constructs, Models, Methods, and
Tools in Knowledge Base to Represent real-world
Problems and Solutions
• Design is still a Craft relying on Intuition, Experience,
and Trial-and-Error
• Design Science Research is perishable as technology
advances rapidly
• Rigorous Evaluation Methods are difficult to apply in
Design Science Research
• Communication of Design Science Results to
Managers is Essential but a Major Challenge

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THANK YOU