Chapter 3. Managing the research process
Studying research develops the following competencies:
- Taking control of the research process
- Self-organization
- Key resources to get your data
- Key component of managing oneself
- The relationship you have with your supervisor
- Relationship with the university
- Ethics of doing research
3.2
Getting access to your research organisation, respondents and participants
- Main problems when attempting to gain access to your chosen organisation
- You will be doing research using unfamiliar sources
- With awareness of the problems overcome them to achieve your goal of organizational access
- Organizations have to be keen to help you
Reasons for possible lack of keenness from your interviewees
- What’s in it for them
- Research access requests are commonplace
- Managers risk that you might waste valuable organisational time
- Who is going to get hold of this information
- No time for you
Physical access: gaining access to an organization to conduct research
Cognitive access: gaining agreement from individuals to provide research data, such as by
the answering of questions
Gatekeeper: the person, often in an organization, who controls research access
3.3
What about access to information
- Clear out what data you wish to collect and the method or methods you intend to use to collect
those data.
- Access to information is not a single event; you might need to gain info from people at different
levels of the organization
- Getting access to info as an insider: issue of status (you may seem as a management pawn),
another disadvantage is that you may feel reluctant asking questions you feel you should know
being an insider.
3.4
Six strategies for making sure that you get the organisational access you want
1. Try to use your existing contacts
2. Put yourself in the shoes of the manager receiving your request
3. Make sure you give yourself sufficient time to set up the arrangement
4. Make your written request professional
, The purpose of your research
How the person being contacted might be able to help
The demand being made of those taking part in the research
A guarantee of anonymity (where appropriate)
What you will do with the information you get from each person involved, including
any intention you may have of sharing the information during or after the data
collection stage
Your contact details so that the person can reply to you
5. Work hard to ensure there are no concerns about the way in which you will use the
information
6. Underline your credibility
7. Do what’s possible
8. Be clear about the overall purpose of your research project
9. Write your research question(s) and objectives
10. Use existing contacts where possible
11. Consider using your work placement organisation as setting for your research project
12. Approach relevant appropriate local and/or national employer, or employee, professional or
trade bodies to see if they can suggest contacts
13. Make a direct approach to an organization to identify the most appropriate manager
14. Think about the possible benefits for the organisation, should access be granted to you
15. Offer a report summarising your findings
16. Allow yourself plenty of time for the entire process
17. Allow sufficient time to contact intended participants and gain their consent, once access
has been granted
18. If you make your initial request for access by telephone, follow this with an email or letter to
confirm your request
19. Make sure the construction, tone, language, spelling, grammar and presentation of an
introductory email or letter are all likely to persuade the person to help you
20. Consider how you will address concerns about the amount of organisational time you would
take up
21. Ensure you have considered any sensitivities concerning your research topic
22. Assure participants or respondents you have recognised any needs for confidentiality and/or
anonymity
23. Think about range of contact methods for potential participants to use to reply
3.5
Managing yourself
- Divide your research plan into stages
- Keeping up your motivation
1. Set yourself short term goals
2. Set fresh learning goals (gives you a sense of achievement)
- Do keep focused
1. Keep in touch with your supervisor and talk about your progress
You are further than you thought or gives you a refreshed sense of direction if you have
lost the way
2. Review regularly your research questions and objectives (avoid wandering away from your
main point)
Studying research develops the following competencies:
- Taking control of the research process
- Self-organization
- Key resources to get your data
- Key component of managing oneself
- The relationship you have with your supervisor
- Relationship with the university
- Ethics of doing research
3.2
Getting access to your research organisation, respondents and participants
- Main problems when attempting to gain access to your chosen organisation
- You will be doing research using unfamiliar sources
- With awareness of the problems overcome them to achieve your goal of organizational access
- Organizations have to be keen to help you
Reasons for possible lack of keenness from your interviewees
- What’s in it for them
- Research access requests are commonplace
- Managers risk that you might waste valuable organisational time
- Who is going to get hold of this information
- No time for you
Physical access: gaining access to an organization to conduct research
Cognitive access: gaining agreement from individuals to provide research data, such as by
the answering of questions
Gatekeeper: the person, often in an organization, who controls research access
3.3
What about access to information
- Clear out what data you wish to collect and the method or methods you intend to use to collect
those data.
- Access to information is not a single event; you might need to gain info from people at different
levels of the organization
- Getting access to info as an insider: issue of status (you may seem as a management pawn),
another disadvantage is that you may feel reluctant asking questions you feel you should know
being an insider.
3.4
Six strategies for making sure that you get the organisational access you want
1. Try to use your existing contacts
2. Put yourself in the shoes of the manager receiving your request
3. Make sure you give yourself sufficient time to set up the arrangement
4. Make your written request professional
, The purpose of your research
How the person being contacted might be able to help
The demand being made of those taking part in the research
A guarantee of anonymity (where appropriate)
What you will do with the information you get from each person involved, including
any intention you may have of sharing the information during or after the data
collection stage
Your contact details so that the person can reply to you
5. Work hard to ensure there are no concerns about the way in which you will use the
information
6. Underline your credibility
7. Do what’s possible
8. Be clear about the overall purpose of your research project
9. Write your research question(s) and objectives
10. Use existing contacts where possible
11. Consider using your work placement organisation as setting for your research project
12. Approach relevant appropriate local and/or national employer, or employee, professional or
trade bodies to see if they can suggest contacts
13. Make a direct approach to an organization to identify the most appropriate manager
14. Think about the possible benefits for the organisation, should access be granted to you
15. Offer a report summarising your findings
16. Allow yourself plenty of time for the entire process
17. Allow sufficient time to contact intended participants and gain their consent, once access
has been granted
18. If you make your initial request for access by telephone, follow this with an email or letter to
confirm your request
19. Make sure the construction, tone, language, spelling, grammar and presentation of an
introductory email or letter are all likely to persuade the person to help you
20. Consider how you will address concerns about the amount of organisational time you would
take up
21. Ensure you have considered any sensitivities concerning your research topic
22. Assure participants or respondents you have recognised any needs for confidentiality and/or
anonymity
23. Think about range of contact methods for potential participants to use to reply
3.5
Managing yourself
- Divide your research plan into stages
- Keeping up your motivation
1. Set yourself short term goals
2. Set fresh learning goals (gives you a sense of achievement)
- Do keep focused
1. Keep in touch with your supervisor and talk about your progress
You are further than you thought or gives you a refreshed sense of direction if you have
lost the way
2. Review regularly your research questions and objectives (avoid wandering away from your
main point)
