Many part time PhD students begin with the premise that they might do their research based, at least in part, around a case study in their own organization. Something may have been happening in your organizational life that sparked an interest in research in the first place, or perhaps it is just the convenience of being able to combine research with work that appeals. A good idea might be to think through what’s involved in research using case studies. There are two books worth looking at, both by Roberts, but both very, very different.
Robert Yin (2008) Case Study Research: design and methods, SAGE: London
This is probably the most commonly cited text on case study research in management, followed closely by Kathleen Eisenhardt’s paper “Building Theories from Case Study Research” in the Academy of Management Review (1989) 14:4. Both have much in common and offer a rigourous approach which works well for some tastes. Think organised, design led and highly structured. The title says it all in many ways.
Robert Stake (1995) The Art of Case Study Research, SAGE: London
Same topic, different take. Stake’s view of case study work is presented as messier, richer and more ambiguous. Again, the “art of” in the title is significant. Very different from Yin but a more comfortable fit for some epistemologies and ontologies.
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I have a BSc (Hons) and an MBA, both from Australia. I have been thinking about doing a PhD for the longest time. I have two questions/issues:
ReplyDelete1. Is there an age limit for someone wishing to do a PhD? I am 47 this year.
2. I have some ideas of the research area that I want to engage in... however, I have a problem translating it into a concrete research proposal. Any ideas?
Thanks.
Wei Leong Yong
There is definitely not an age limit ... with age comes wisdom and I have examined a few wise PhDs as well as a few wise-guys (not the same thing). Turning your ideas into a proposal is not easy but the advice on this site is intended to help
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