Responsible Research for Better Business by László Zsolnai & Mike J. Thompson

Author:László Zsolnai & Mike J. Thompson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030378103
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

5 Conclusions

Bansal et al. (2012) pointed out that researchers prefer producing knowledge over translating and disseminating it; researchers have an incentive to produce research rather than to engage with practitioners; and researchers and practitioners represent information in different ways and use different languages. A consequence is that sometimes the motivation for the research is more about seeking publications and less about solving important social problems through responsible research (Tsui 2013).

Researchers hold different perspectives regarding their roles. Some frame their roles as producers and disseminators of new knowledge in academic circles. Hence, they have a responsibility to share their knowledge in academic conferences and in peer-reviewed journals and be judged by the impact factor of the journal where they publish. However, other researchers believe that their research should be conducted with a purpose of supporting changes that are necessary to avoid the negative consequences of environmental degradation, poverty, and other social problems. For this latter group, their work can be judged by publications and impact factors, but even more importantly, they believe that the ultimate measure should be associated with action and social change. Good research should stress the need for science designed to change society for the better. Responsible research, producing useful and credible knowledge, tries to address problems important to business and society (CRRBM 2017).

In our opinion, mixed methods research is appropriate for addressing grand challenges because this methodological approach allows researchers from diverse groups to develop a common language to guide their inquiry, participants, and practitioners to be included in their contexts, and policy-makers and other stakeholders to be part of the process of problem and solution identification. Together with quantitative statistical data, qualitative research may help to examine the different views of different groups related to these issues. We consider that mixed methods designs (and specifically the QUAL→QUAN→QUAL sequential design used in the two projects examined in this chapter) are appropriate research models for responsible research. The transformative paradigm may provide a framework that explicitly addresses social change using mixed methods designs, as explained by Mertens (2007).

Finally, we think that it is our responsibility as researchers to use a variety of methods available for a better understanding of grand challenges for society. These problems, their identification and their analysis require methodological diversity. Therefore, mixed methods research may play a key role as this methodological approach promotes the combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches and the use of information from different stakeholders. Mixed methods research is not a panacea but it may be an appropriate methodology that can help to develop responsible research that addresses problems important to business and society.

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Research Grants ECO2015-67310-P, ECO2012-36316, and ECO2009-12231). The authors are grateful for the support received. We are also grateful to Mike J. Thompson and László Zsolnai for their invitation and for comments and feedback on an earlier version of this chapter.

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