Social Research Methods -3/E.

The third edition of Social Research Methods provides students with a uniquely straightforward explanation of the central approaches and techniques in social research methods. Integrating theory with practice, author Alan Bryman demonstrates the contexts in which different research methods are used and also shows how they should be implemented. In clear, student-friendly language, Bryman covers both qualitative and quantitative research methods--and the differences between them--as well as mixed-methods research, a subject on which he is an authority. Avoiding complicated mathematical formulas, he takes a non-technical approach to the range of tools available for the analysis of quantitative data. This approach provides students with a clear guide for creating their own research projects, choosing a method of analysis, interpreting their findings, and writing up their research. Thoroughly revised and updated in this third edition, Social Research Methods features exciting new boxed material, including helpful "Research in Focus" boxes that put real-life research in perspective; reinforcing "Key Concepts" boxes that provide definitions of new terms; handy "Tips and Skills" boxes offering practical advice; and finally, engaging "Thinking Deeper" boxes, which introduce discussion topics and debates on the complexities of social research methods. The text also includes several brand-new chapters. Offering an insightful perspective on the nature of social research and a practical guide to doing it, Social Research Methods, Third Edition, is an ideal text for both undergraduate and graduate courses in social research methods

Kvantitatív és kvalitatív módszerek összekapcsolása

Egy kívülálló szemszögéből a kvantitatív és kvalitatív kutatásról folytatott, meglehetősen egyoldalú vita kissé abszurdnak tűnhet. Számára valószínűleg kézenfekvő megoldás volna a két megközelítés ötvözése úgy, hogy mindkettő erősségei megfelelőképpen érvényesüljenek. Ezt a lépést sokkal inkább a vita egyfajta technikai verziója engedélyezhetné, amely kevésbé kötődik ahhoz az állásponthoz, miszerint a két tradíció ismeretelméleti értelemben vall ellentétes nézeteket a társadalomtudományok területén végzett kutatások menetéről. Jelen fejezetben leginkább azzal foglalkozunk, hogy miként lehet a kvalitatív és a kvantitatív kutatási módszereket összekapcsolni, illetve összekapcsolásukra milyen korábbi példákat említhetünk. (...

Turning points: the personal and professional circumstances that lead academics to become middle managers

In the current higher education climate, there is a growing perception that the pressures associated with being an academic middle manager outweigh the perceived rewards of the position. This article investigates the personal and professional circumstances that lead academics to become middle managers by drawing on data from life history interviews undertaken with 17 male and female department heads from a range of disciplines, in a post-1992 UK university. The data suggests that experiencing conflict between personal and professional identities, manifested through different socialization experiences over time, can lead to a ‘turning point’ and a decision that affects a person’s career trajectory. Although the results of this study cannot be generalized, the findings may help other individuals and institutions move towards a firmer understanding of the academic who becomes head of department—in relation to theory, practice and research

Engendering trust in the construction supply chain

Project success is dependent upon the effective management of people and at the heart of this process is trust. It is often claimed that the construction industry has low levels of trust and numerous reports globally have challenged the industry to address its poor performance on people management and cultural issues. The industry has a long-standing reputation for being adversarial, demonstrated by poor relationships between the client, main contractor and subcontractors, which in turn leads to numerous problems including poor project performance, cost control and poor long-term relationships between the parties involved. These problems are attributed primarily to a lack of harmonisation between contracting parties. This paper investigates the perceptions of trust within the supply chains of partnering projects. It explores the contextual issues surrounding the projects, focusing on the relationship between the partnering method of procurement and the levels of trust that exist within supply chains. This qualitative case study based research provides insights into the multifaceted nature of trust, the difficulty of defining the concept and its evolution through the duration of the project. The paper concludes that trust is an essential element for effective supply chain relationships and can be engendered through teamwork, leadership and the ultimate empowerment of the supply chain. It would appear on the basis of this research that trust can be realised within construction supply chains where partnering principles are a priority

Judging the impact of leadership-development activities on school practice

The nature and effectiveness of professional-development activities should be judged in a way that takes account of both the achievement of intended outcomes and the unintended consequences that may result. Our research project set out to create a robust approach that school staff members could use to assess the impact of professional-development programs on leadership and management practice without being constrained in this judgment by the stated aims of the program. In the process, we identified a number of factors and requirements relevant to a wider audience than that concerned with the development of leadership and management in England. Such an assessment has to rest upon a clear understanding of educational leadership,a clearly articulated model of practice, and a clear model of potential forms of impact. Such foundations, suitably adapted to the subject being addressed, are appropriate for assessing all teacher professional development

Circular Supply Chains in Emerging Economies – a comparative study of packaging recovery ecosystems in China and Brazil

This paper provides a circular supply chain perspective of packaging recovery ecosystems being implemented by Tetra Pak, a prime global player in the food packaging industry, in two major emerging economies: China and Brazil. The circular supply chain archetype considered in the research allowed a consistent comparative analysis of Tetra Pak’s circular supply chains in both countries. Through a case study approach, the research provides theoretical propositions and learning points that are valuable for academics and practitioners interested in the Chinese and Brazilian markets as well as in the supply chains supporting recovery ecosystems in the packaging industry. In particular, the distinct environments in the Chinese and Brazilian markets render Tetra Pak opportunities to design circular supply chains in different ways showing adaptation and learning to local market characteristics. The industrial perspectives from these emerging economies add to the contributions offered in the paper. Overall, the conceptual considerations and practical recommendations presented in the paper provide useful insights for the development of further studies and implementation of industrial practices advocated by the circular economy

Inclusive Masculinities in a Working-Class Sixth Form in Northeast England

This research examines the construction of masculinity among a group of working-class boys aged sixteen to nineteen in the northeast of England. Drawing on data collected from a six-week ethnography with boys in a religious (Christian) sixth form college, this study documents how only a small minority of these boys embodied the orthodox archetype of masculinity that has traditionally been associated with working-class youth. Instead, the great majority of participants adopted attitudes and behaviors that can be categorized as a set of inclusive masculinities: They espoused positive attitudes toward homosexuality, engaged in physical tactility and emotional intimacy, and used homosexually themed language without the intent to wound or marginalize other boys. These findings pose a considerable challenge to dominant narratives on working-class masculinities; narratives that must now be reconfigured to account for the proliferation of inclusive masculinities among working-class youth

The ‘T-Shaped Buyer’: a transactional perspective on supply chain relationships

This paper challenges the normative view of interdependent buyer-seller relationships and provides a more holistic perspective of the contextual reality that shapes buyer behaviour. By proposing an innovative qualitative methodology, which focusses on boundary-spanning, pre-sales interactions, the research penetrates complex and commercially sensitive buyer-seller relationships. The longitudinal research design uses web-based diaries and follow-up interviews to explore conditions of power based interdependence between buyers and sellers. The ensuing data is mapped using qualitative content analysis and the results are aggregated graphically for assessment. Using this approach the study develops a nuanced view of the dominant patterns of buyer behaviour, and challenges the opinion that a search for competitive advantage will strengthen cooperative relationships in conditions of power based interdependence. The paper introduces the metaphor of the 'T-Shaped Buyer' to explain the empirical findings and, while acknowledging the contextual limits of the study, suggests that this metaphor may cause both academics and practitioners to reflect on normative thinking

The football fan and the pub: An enduring relationship

This paper draws on qualitative interviews with a sample of English football fans to explore their relationship with one enduring site for fandom practice, the pub. In doing so, the work discusses the significance of structuration processes as a means of explaining the transcendent nature of this relationship across time and space. The findings complement existing ethnographic observations to illustrate that a progressive and multifaceted relationship exists between the institution (the pub) and its customers (football fans), based on historical reference to fan culture, emotive connection to the pub as a football space, associated sociability and the perception of cultural stability