Validity & Reliability

Some terms such as validity and reliability are somewhat inconsistent in qualitative research. Those terms were constructed mostly by positivists therefore it is understandable that qualitative researchers seek equivalent terms. According to Lincoln and Guba (1985), the overall equivalence to make qualitative research rigor is "trustworthness" and equivalent terms are:

• Internal validity = credibility
• External validity = transferability
• Reliability = dependability
• Objectivity (construct validity) = Confirmability

Sound quite reasonable. I think I should stick with these terms.

By the way, this blog needs to be written in English due to my supervisors' requirement. However, it sometimes better for me to write in Japanese especially when I need to record my ideas or initial thoughts. I just wonder what are the translation of those terms above. All about methodology, as I study in Australia, are much easier for me to learn in English. However, English --> Japanese translation becomes harder and harder for me. Uhm... a little critical.

Reference:
Lincoln, Y. & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Methodology Disaster Continued

Why, why, why...!

I have been thinking over ontology, epistemology and methodology... because the Research Dean will attend my PhD confirmation seminar. Why mine?! Prof LF is a well known critical theorist. Perhaps she will give me critical comments. Oh dear.

I should calm down. Let's find an article which helps to tide up my thoughts.

Cepeda, G. & Martin, D. (2005). A review of case studies publishing in Management Decision 2003-2004. Management Decision, 43(6), 851-876.

OK, sounds good. Let's look at inside.

Although several authors have suggested methods to develop case studies - one of the key contributions has been the formulation of a set of methodological principles for case studies that were consistent with the conventions of positivism (several authors mentioned including: Lee, 1989 and Yin, 1984) - few authors have suggested criteria for interpretive research. (p.853)

Really??? Yin is a positivist? So is Einsenhardit? Oh no, more confusion...

I know positivist can adopt a case study method. However, I misunderstand that both Yin and Eisenhardit have anti-positivist orientation (I thought they have either pragmatist or realist orientation).

Gee... I should stop reading the article at this stage. I have only for one week (actually, less than a week now). The most important thing and the first priority is to think how I can rescue myself from this methodology disaster and how I can survive the defence.

どうするよ、自分。　やばいぜ、マジで。

PhD Confirmation Paper

Today, I officially submitted my PhD confirmation paper. I printed 5 copies (because I have three supervisors), put them in bindings, submitted an ethical clearance application online, printed a certificate of the submission and another certificate of the Induction Program, attached them to the Official Statement Form, and then, finally, went to the Graduate Student Office to submit.

Now, my confirmation seminar (and therefore 'defence') is on Friday, 4 May... next week!

It was funny that none of us realised the statement about ontology and epistemology was completely missing out of my paper. A supervisor RF, who had been away, was only the one realised it after he got a printed version. "I thought everything was fine. I do not know why I did not think about it". Hey RF, it is not too late. I will try to handle this.

Methodology Disaster?

After I printed my confirmation paper, I got so nervous to hand it in. Hence, I did not do it today. What made me crazy was methodology part. One of my supervisors, RF, commented, "What is a 'multiple-holistic' case study design?" He wondered if it was rather a 'single-enbedded' design.

Noooooooo, I disagree! I hope I am right!!

Let's look at an example of a multiple-holistic design. According to Yin (2003, p.46):

A common example [of a multiple-holistic design] is a study of school innovations(such as the use of new curricula, reagganged school schedules, or new educational technology), in which individual schools adopt some innovation. Each school is the subject of an individual case study, but the study as a whole covers several schools and in this way uses a multiple-case design.

In my case, each organisation is the subject of an individual case study, but the study as a whole covers several organisations which adopt a particular management concept called X.

What's wrong with this? Anyway, his question indicates that I need a strong justification!!

Reference:
Yin, R. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

ZUPPS Helensvale is great!

I really want to tell this experience. I met a great sales person ever! His name is Mr Tony Patmore, an assistant manager at Zupps Helensvale on the Gold Coast.

I was thinking to buy a new car, either Toyota Yaris or Suzuki Swift. On the first day of my car hunting, I went to Toyota Grand Motors Southport. A sales person was not friendly at all, they were too proud of themselves. I know Toyota cars are the best products in Japan but bad customer service often takes such value away. The male sales person kept talking as if he gets drunk with his knowledge. I even did not look at him at all but he did not stop talking. I think he never realised that I was bored.

Anyway, I could not get information I wanted to know: the price of trade-in. Therefore, I could not estimate how much I had to prepare. I left the place with disappointment.

On the second day, I went to Zupps Southport. This is the place I got my car, Toyota RAV4 (second-hand). When the last time I went there, people gave me the price for trade-in so that I could organise my budget. I expected to get the information. However, people were completely different. I could not get information again. People were not friendly, made themselves look busy, and just talked about how I can pay for a new car. I left there with another disappointment.

Why? Is it because I am a woman? Asian? or visited alone?

In contrast, Zupps Helensvale was totally different. All people (ALL!!) were friendlily said hello to me. A sales person (Tony) came to talk to me. "I am just thinking to buy a Suzuki Swift or Toyota Yaris". I was honest. Tony was not bossy at all. He did not put pressured on me either. "Please do a test-driving, I will bring a key". He was friendly but also showed respect. After the test-driving, I was happy with Swift. Not exactly. I was happy with Tony's attitude. "I want to know how much my car will be". This was the critical part at everywhere except this place. Tony answered, "No problem, I will give the price for you, have a coffee and please wait here". I finally got the information I wanted from Tony.

Tony also tried to understand why I looked unhappy. He was very professional and experienced, however, he did not show off such things. What he did was showed respect and empathy. Reliability appeared from him. At the end of conversation, Tony introduced a senior manager to me. This manager was also very wonderful. He talked how much I can trust Tony and how people in the place have the same service standard. That was all. The manager did not talk about himself at all but about his people.

I think I will definitely buy a Suzuki Swift from Tony and therefore from Zupps Helensvale. Services after purchase ("After-Service" in Japanese) was also clearly explained. "Let us look after", Tony said.

You can mention my name "Kay", as a Japanese woman working and studying at Griffith University, who purchased a Suzuki Swift when you buy a car from Tony. Perhaps you can have a better deal, I bet! He will definitely help you.
(This will be effective after Monday afternoon since I will go there then)

Yet things to do

My draft for confirmation seminar came back from an associate supervisor RF. Many errors and ambiguous sections were still found. Methodology section did not satisfy him... I know, I had to write about Ontology and Epistemology but I did not. I skipped methodology without specifying either qualitative or quantitative approach I will take then jumped into a method. Although RF understood it was with a tactical reason, he seemed unhappy.

I do not have enough time to include the section (I have another draft though). I replied his email that I decide not to include and let it go. I have only for 2 weeks until the confirmation seminar. I should practise my speech and refine PPT slides.

Another conference paper

Hee-Haw! My fourth conference paper has been accepted for the 1st Asia-Pacific/5th ANZAM Operations Management Symposium. I can go to Melbourne!!

Attending conferences with refereed article(s) is very important in order to develop a network:

• for my thesis (to seek potential examiners);
• for my career (to seek job opportunities as an academia); and
• for my academic career (to seek opportunities for journal articles to submit).

I know we are not allowed to nominate examiners for the thesis. The principle supervisor is the one who has to find best people who can properly and fairly assess my thesis. I just believe that giving information of who are really suportive and who are not will help when superviros are involved in the process of selecting examiners. Yep, it is a kind of tactics.

4つ目の学会誌への記事掲載への承認許可が下りました。バンザーイ！これでメルボルン行きが決定です。後はお金の工面だけですが、一応は既にあるリサーチ資金から出して、学科長の応援が取り付けられるかどうか、ってところです。話ではあまり期待できそうもありませんがね（苦笑）。

次は、学術雑誌への投稿です。二発目。頑張るぞー！！

PhD Confirmation Seminar

Venue Inspection

Wow, it is getting busy... My confirmation of PhD candidature was accepted by the Graduate Research School. The date and venue was announced today. Now I only have to wait for a call "Print!" from my all three supervisors before submitting to the Graduate Office. As English is my first language, this extra process is necessary. Then, I will provide a 30-minute presentation.

After the announcement, I was curious about the venue. So, I visited. Oh dear! It is quite large, I mean, wide! (Look at the photo above) I will need to talk loudly. This room is usually divided into three as you see partitions. Although I close those partitions and only use the back room, it is still too wide. I need to be careful when I set up the room.

What is a Confirmation?

The confirmation of candidature research seminar is undertaken by research higher degree students to assist the generation of quality research. As part of the confirmation process, students are required to present a research seminar at which they speak to their research paper for approximately half an hour.

Students talk to issues raised in the paper and in turn raise matters that may be troubling them in their research. Feedback can be asked for on specific issues.

Following this, up to half an hour is allocated for questions from the assessing panel and general audience during which the student conducts a ‘defence’ of their research paper.

The assessing panel is typically made up of the principal supervisor, an independent assessor and sometimes the associate supervisor.

Visual Methods: Some thoughts

Reflexivity

After a messive work over the weekend, I realised that a chosen methodology has to be consistent with the approach I chose (based upon ontology and epistemology). The book (written by Rose) was a wrong choice due to the contradiction from my epistemology (how I know truth as the truth). Hum... it was not exactly wrong, actually.

When I take a critical approach, I must emphasise a key term: "reflexivity".

No matter what methodology and method I chose, they must be consistent with the approach I take. Once I coin the term "reflexivity", my approach soon belongs either to critical, feminist or postmodernist approach.

So, I have to think again what exactly reflexivity means. Is it what I want?

Visual Methods Continued

As a critical theorist, Warren (2004) argues the use of images takes an important role in critical management research. This is particularly notable in the sub-discipline of organisational symbolism which deals with explicitly with the corporate and organisational images (Gagliardi, 1990). Warren suggests that the researcher who adopts visual methods must first decide either to use images as:

1. data themselves;
2. a record;
3. a research aid; or
4. to elicit feelings of participants that otherwise not to be disclosed.

In particular, the last option is best suitable for studies in critical management research since the aim of the research is the discovery of the 'hidden' truth in those images. Warern has provided several visual methods that critical researchers are able to adopt in order to interpret the power/knowledge relationship. Rose (2001) argues, however, there are two distinct methodological emphases underlying Foucalt's (1972) discourse analysis (DA): one is without reflexivity; and another is concerned with questions of reflexivity. In particular, the second form of DA pays more attention to practices of institutions than it does to the visual images and verbal texts. Faucalt has coined this institutions as: an institutional apparatus (the form of power/knowledge which constitute the institutions); and an institutional technologies (the form of practical techniques used to practise that power/knowledge).

In line with CDA, Warren suggests the use a form of photo-interviewing, with categories such as native image making, autodriving and photovoice. She argues that this approach is methodologically different from 'photo-elicitation' (Harper, 1984).

References:

• Gagliardi, P. (Ed.). (1990). Symbols and artefacts: Views of the corporate landscape. Berlin: de Gryyter.
• Harper, D. (1984). Meaning and work: a study in photo elicitation. International Journal of Visual Sociology, 2(1), 20-43.
• Rose, G. (2001) Visual Methodologies, London: Sage.
• Warren, S. (2004). Photography and voice in critical qualitative management research. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 18(6), 861-882.

Visual Methods

Visual Methods are ways to interpret visual materials (Rose, 2001: 1), however, there is a lot of confusion about 'the visual' itself. As W.J.T. Mitchell (1994: 13) states in his book on Picture Theory, "we still do not know exactly what pictures are, what their relation to language is, how they operate on observers and on ther world, how their history is to be understood, and what is to be done with or about them".

Rose argues that interpreting the visual should be just interpretation, not the discovery of their truth. Hall (1997) suggests that it is therefore important to justify the interpretation and analysis of images. A researcher must have an explicit methodology for doing it. Rose provides 'critical methods of visual culture', such as in line with CDA.

• Mitchell, W.J.T. (1994) Picture Theory: Essays on Verbal and Visual Representation, Chicago: Chicago University Press.
• Hall E. (1994) The Arnolfini Betrothal, Berkekey: Calfornia University Press.
• Rose, G. (2001) Visual Methodologies, London: Sage.

ついに完成

Confirmation Paper が完成した。全部で39ページ。
これなら文句ないでしょ。

References が9ページってのは多すぎるかも。
ちゃんとやったんだから、まあいいか。
かなり満足のいく出来栄えです。
これで通過できなかったら、グレてやる。

あとは、Ethical Clearence の承認をもらうのみ。
月曜日にやっつけるとするか。

あー早くデータ収集したい。

Piled Higher and Deeper

ついこの間、同じことが私にも起きた（一つ下↓の記事参照のこと）

Piled Higher and Deeper

とても他人事とは思えない。

あいたたた

一昨日、指導官から返却された下書き原稿（36ページ）。
7ページ分、続けてごっそりと「削除しろ」マーク。

ちくしょう、ずいぶん派手にやってくれるじゃねぇか。

「グッジョブ」の箇所は6行。ないよりマシだけどさ・・・

学者デビュー

落ち込んでいるヒマはありませんでした。
指導官RFからの突然の吉報。

Total Quality Management & Business Excellence

という学術雑誌への掲載許可が下りました。
やったぜぇぇぇ

相撲で言えば、「序の口」として番付表に名前が載った状態。
まだ「関取」（博士号）ではないので、髷が結えません。
ザンバラ髪でちゃんこ食って頑張ります。

これでついに学者の「端くれ」になった自分。
もう迂闊なことは言えません。
バカな発言は控えて・・・というのは無理なので
別段変わりなくやっていくつもりです。

おめでとう、自分。ご褒美に何か買いに行こう。

これが結末か

パクられた？ の事件以来、どうなったかと思いきや
今日、学部で設けられていた学会参加への資金援助申請の結果が来ました。

「却下」

メルボルン行きの野望は潰えたわけで。
すかさず、その結果メールを指導官二人に転送しました。こう添え書きをつけて。

Unfortunately, I cannot go to Melbourne.
Can anyone take the trip down there?
Or, can I have other options?

これが精一杯のイヤミ。　他の理由でダメになったのだと思いたいけどな。
さて、指導官達はどう出てくるのか。

最終コーナーは大外から

・・・巻き返して～、なんてなったらいいんですけど。
どうしても言いたいことがハッキリ見えてこない文章になってしまう。
もっと、Assertive な、Pursuasive な文章を書けるようになりたい。
自分の言うことが主観的過ぎるのではないか、ということに

こだわり過ぎているかもしれないな。

ともあれ、40ページの原稿は30ページにまで凝縮された。

頑張れ、自分！

とにかく、何の原稿を書くにしろ、大事なことはこの二つ。

• 何について書いているのか
• それがなぜ大事なのか（それがわかってどうなるのか）

前者は「Aim」で「Purpose」ですな。似たようで違う。

April Fool???

Confirmation は5月4日。
二週間前までに、リポートを提出しなくてはならない。
ってことは、期限は4月20日まで。
今日は4月1日。
4月5日から15日まで、イースターホリデー。
ってことは、5日までに仕上げなきゃならない。

マジか？　いやーこりゃ迂闊だった。痛いぜ。

英語の修正が戻ってくるのが3日。
添削の一部もまだ戻ってこない。
そこから打ち込んで間に合うだろうか。

倫理要綱の申請も出さなきゃならないし。
なんか、みんなのんびりし過ぎていませんか??