Revitalizing management research

It was an insightful intellectual interaction when Prof. Michael O Donnell and Prof. Mark Turner from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia visited us to conduct a doctoral workshop recently.

It was indeed reinforcement for us to commit more towards management research. Having a vibrant research centre led by Prof. J.A.S.K. Jayakody with a group of young management researchers drawn from several management faculties, PIM is geared to spearhead vital management research. Today's column focuses on hindrance to management research in the Sri Lankan context.

Management research is a part of the wider array of research. While positive initiatives are being taken, the current situation with respect to research in Sri Lanka is far from satisfactory. In such a context, any move to strengthen research, particularly among the university community is commendable. There is a clear need to create a better awareness on the importance of research. This I see acutely in the field of management.

Only some of the MBA programs in Sri Lanka contain a research component, and management research is perceived to be something extremely difficult and to be left to the experts to handle. Should that be the approach of management learners? I would say "no".

Barriers

Why are management learners reluctant to embark on management research? We need to overcome barriers associated with management research. Let me discuss seven such barriers.

Skill barrier: I have seen management learners being scared to engage in management research saying that they do not have necessary skills to do so. Skills can be acquired in a variety of ways. The same is true for management research skills. Last week, we looked at a newly published text book on management research. The starting point is an inquiring mindset.

When you have a problem in focus as an unsolved puzzle, a logical step-by-step approach is needed to understand its nature, and find solutions for it. There are several ways to strengthen the skills of doing management research including books, websites and short courses. It is encouraging to see pioneering academic institutions which launched MBA programs in Sri Lanka still maintaining research rigour, making it a vital component in MBA education.

Scope barrier: Some complain that the extent involved in a management research is vast.

Scope is there for the researcher to decide. I have heard many a time from my senior colleagues that management researchers want to cover everything under sun and moon. Instead, they should clearly demarcate a boundary within which their investigation will be carried out. A beginner can start by studying his or her organization or even a division of it.

On the other hand, a veteran researcher will clearly identify the scope which is relevant to the nature of the problem under investigation. For example, in a study of employee satisfaction, instead of covering all employees all over the world, a demarcation such as 'middle level managers of private commercial banks in Sri Lanka' would be a more sensible scope.

Size barrier: The fundamentals of research say that we study a sample as we cannot cover the entire population. It is an issue of depth and breadth. You can do an islandwide survey but the depth of investigation can be rather shallow.

Other options

Instead, a reasonably sized sample that represents the characteristics of the population is a more practical approach. Continuing on the earlier example, selecting middle managers from one bank or from several banks is a decision on sample size.

Style barrier: There is no one universal approach to management research. Diverse patterns can be seen in moving beyond traditional number-crunching practices.

What I mean by style is essentially the approach to management research. It could be one of the following:

Study of an unexplored area. e.g.: Career aspirations of call-centre operators.

Challenge what is already known. e.g. Motivational factors of sewing workers in the apparel industry.

An existing problem formulated in a novel way. e.g.: Why plantation workers resist change.

New interpretation to existing findings. e.g.: Revisiting culture study by Gert Hofstede (A famous Dutch anthropologist)

It is clear that there is no universal style towards management research. The challenge is to select the style matching the nature of the investigation. Structure barrier: Some management researchers insist on a formal structure in approaching research. The world is moving towards multiple structures. I have seen how story-telling is a powerful way of narrating management research, in the recent past.

In perusing the fundamentals of management research, two key structures can be found. They are related to an exploration or an explanation. The twin terminology associated is deductive and inductive approaches. Deductive approach begins with an initial idea or conceptualization of the problem in focus.

It is applicable when substantial knowledge is already in existence. In contrast, the inductive approach begins with the observation of realities and then moving towards generalizing the results. It is more suitable when available knowledge is insufficient to develop predictions.

Each approach leads to a different structure of management research. It is difficult to say, which one is better. A more pragmatic approach will be to find the best fit with regard to the nature of the problem under investigation.

Source barrier: Some management researchers complain that they have no access to sources of information in formulating the problem. There is no one source but multiple sources are available to gain knowledge.

There are electronic databases that contain thousands of research papers. In some management programs, instead of access to a physical library, the students receive a user name and a password, inviting them to visit a virtual library full of versatile resources. On the other hand, there is a wealth of local management research, sadly not yet available in electronic form. Visiting several management institutes will serve the purpose.

Hence, source should in no way be a constraint in conducting management research.

Support barrier: There is a need for guidance with regard to management research. The usual practice is to seek the support of a supervisor. However, the supervisor is only a guide and the researcher has to take ownership of the project. The assumption that being dependent on the supervisor will ensure success is a myth.

Here, the emphasis is on self-reliance and confidence in oneself. The supervisor can give valuable suggestions, and guide you through grey areas, but he or she is not there to do the research for the researcher. Right use of the supervisor in asking the right questions is the preferred approach. Of course, in critical junctures, the supervisor's wealth of experience will help to make the correct decision.

Therefore, being over-dependent on external support will not take a researcher anywhere.

Management research has to gain renewed enthusiasm in Sri Lanka. Several annual research conferences and the availability of several management journals are a welcome sign of a better future. Much needs to be done to ensure that management research contributes to the development of Sri Lanka's economy while enriching the body of knowledge.

It is essential to be aware of these seven myths and overcome them wherever possible.