Introduction Research Methods

 
Shining Lamp
Figure from Mark Mags on Pixabay

Figure from Mark Mags on Pixabay

Extract from the Research Methods

The aim is to bring empirical research and evaluation closer to the reader so that the individual methods can be applied in the reader's own work. The practical application should enable the reader to reach his or her goal by means of concrete topics. Each goal is based on a topic or object to be worked on, which can be worked on with certain research methods.

Research methods describe: how the examination of an object is carried out.

"How" is to be understood as a process. And an object - object of research - is analyzed for characteristics.

A selection of research methods is presented to the reader, which should give a basic overview. The research methods are applied in business informatics. If you are looking for a method, you can find it here.

Research methods are divided into quantitative and qualitative methods, which are shown in Table 1. This list does not claim to be complete and is therefore continuously supplemented.

 
Qualitative Quantitative

Literature Research

Experiments
  • Laboratory experiment
  • Field experiment
  • Quasi-Experiment
  • Natural Experiment

Case Study

(Multi) Case Studies

Surveys

Action Research

  • Canonical Action Research
  • Collaborative Action Research

Reference Modelling

Content Analysis

Coding

  • Latitudinal
  • Longitudinal

Documents Analysis

Card-Sorting
Descriptive Field Research Descriptive Field Research
Delphi-Method Simulation
Design Science Correlation Study
Ethnografie  
Grounded Theory  
Prototyp-Modelling/-Creation/-Development
  • Agile
  • SCRUM
  • V-Modell XT
 
Qualitative Cross-sectional Analysis Quantitative Cross-sectional Analysis

Table 1: Overview of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods, Source: Based on 

The use of qualitative and qualitative methods is called the mix-method approach. While the use of different qualitative or different quantitative methods is called a multi-method approach.

To simplify matters, an overview of selected methods is given:

  1. Literature Research
  2. Case Study
  3. Design Science
  4. Experiments
  5. Questionnaire Creation
  6. Card-Sorting

Further Useful Methods


Core literature

Wilde, T. and Hess, T. (2007). "Forschungsmethoden der Wirtschaftsinformatik." Wirtschaftsinformatik 49(4): 280-287.