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Research Philosophy Design and Methodologies: a Systematic Review of Research Paradigms in Information Technology Kirongo A

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Research Philosophy Design and Methodologies: a Systematic Review of Research Paradigms in Information Technology Kirongo A GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2020 ISSN 2320-9186 33 GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2020, Online: ISSN 2320-9186 www.globalscientificjournal.com Research Philosophy Design and Methodologies: A Systematic Review of Research Paradigms in Information Technology Kirongo A. Chege. & Odoyo C. Otieno* Department of Information Technology Masinde Muliro University of Science & Technology Email: [email protected], [email protected]* ABSTRACT understanding” [1]. Research process can be described as a systematic and organized effort to Researchers and post-graduate students most of the investigate a specific problem that needs a solution or time have a challenge differentiating between an answer [2]. Research methods refers to the ways in research philosophies, research design and research which research studies are designed and the methodologies. This paper therefore focuses procedures by which data are analyzed. Research conducting a systematic review to bring forth clarity skills are the abilities of an investigator through on the differences between; research philosophy, “acquiring knowledge and a way of thinking” to research design, research methodologies and research carefully define a problem of interest, identifying key paradigms in Information Technology research. The variables, seeking out relevant information, and paper also highlight on the hallmarks of scientific subjecting proposed solution to rigorous testing [3]. research, fundamental of scientific research, elements The aim of research is to explore, explain, evaluate, of research design as well as data analysis techniques. predict, understand, solve and develop or test theories The paper observes research philosophy, design and [4]. methodology and implications in Information Technology literature. This paper contributes to the There exist two main types of research namely exploration and identification of qualitative and applied research [5] aimed at a specific research quantitative methodologies, sampling style, sample question, and fundamental research [6] aimed at the size for different Information Technology researches. generation of knowledge relevant to industries, The authors used content analysis to review works organizations and researchers. Other types of research done by other scholars to draw conclusions. The are; Descriptive, focusing on describing relationships paper would greatly improve the quality of research [7], Explanatory, used as a first step [8], Theory work by the junior researchers, or post-graduate testing/building, test validity of a theory [9], students who are still developing their research skills. Comparative - search for similarities/differences, Longitudinal - over a long period of time, Action Keywords: Research Philosophy, Research Design, research - fact finding and improvement and Research Methodology, Research Paradigm, Participatory - researcher is a participant [5]. Information Technology Research can be classified as either quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative research [10]; deals with 1. INTRODUCTION numbers, hard facts, statistics, with a positivist world view that is hypothetico-deductive [12]. Qualitative 1.1. Background of this study research [11] deals with soft facts, interviews, exploratory and descriptive with a relativism view of Research can be defined as “an original investigation the word. The hypothetico-deductive approach [12] undertaken in order to gain new knowledge and GSJ© 2020 www.globalscientificjournal.com GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2020 ISSN 2320-9186 34 involves observation, preliminary information research begins, analysis takes place after research gathering, theory formulation, hypothesizing, has taken place and employs inductive scientific data collection data analysis and deduction. generalizations. Qualitative approach is inductive, begins from reality, data generation, analysis and theory are concurrent and employs exemplar or 1.2. Hallmarks of Scientific Research analytic generalizations. The research process entails translation of the Scientific research should possess; scientific method into practice. The process of Purposiveness[13], [14] -Research begun with a research proposes that the function of a science is to definite aim or purpose; Rigor - Good theoretical “establish general laws covering the behavior of basis, Sound methodology including Appropriate empirical events [19] with which the science in sample, data collection method; and Testability - question is concerned. The scientific method is made Hypothesis can be tested when data is collected and up of four iterative processes as the researcher Do data support the conjectures; Replicability - Can pursues the solution to a scientific problem which others replicate the results?; Precision and include; observing a phenomenon, forming tentative Confidence - How close are findings based upon explanations or statements of cause and effect, sample to reality?, - How confident (probability observing or experimenting to rule out alternative measure) can we be that our estimations are correct; explanations and refining and retesting the Objectivity - Conclusions based upon facts rather explanations. than just “gut feeling”; Generalizability - Scope of The rest of the paper shall discuss fundamentals of the findings, and Parsimony - Economy in research scientific research by focusing on research paradigms models, Simplicity of explanation. The decision to and scientific process, epistemology and research or not to research depends on the cost of the philosophical issues, positivism, humanism, critical research, the choice of the method, the potential value realism, postmodernism, scientific truth and bias, of the research, human factors like personal and research design and methodologies. ethical issues, internal or external politics and time. 2.1. Fundamentals of Scientific Research 1.3. Purpose of the study Scientific research goals are characterized either by The purpose of this paper was to bring out clearly the positivist or phenomenological approach. both the difference and relationship that exist among; Different assumptions about nature inform either of research philosophy, research design, and research the above paradigms. Phenomenology addresses the methodologies, thereby enlightening the junior purpose, process, data collection, data analysis, researchers and post-graduate students with an aim of communication of the distinguished characteristic bringing forth mature and quality research work. and statement of the purpose. Phenomenology is a qualitative research method that attempts to 2. RESEARCH METHODS understand participants’’ perspectives and views of social realities. Ethnography is a type of qualitative The research approach [15] can ether emphasize on inquiry that involves an in-depth study of an intact nomothetic methods or ideographic methods. cultural group in an natural setting. Action research is Nomothetic methods are deductive, explains casual a type of applied research that focuses on finding a relationships by covering-laws (etic), generates and solution to a local problem in a local setting. uses quantitative data, uses various controls that are The positivist view asserts that as for the domain of either physical or statistical to allow the testing of natural science, the reality of this (social science) hypotheses, [16] and is highly structured research domain exists, and can be known, independently of methodology to ensure Replicability through surveys any personal view or interpretation thereof. Such and laboratory experiments. personal interpretations are inherently subjective and Ideographic methods [17] are inductive, explains are deemed to be arrived at through inference rather subjective meaning systems and explanations by than deductive logic. There is a clear philosophical understanding(emic), generates and uses qualitative distinction between positivism and phenomenalism. data, is committed to research in every day setting, to In practice, any specific research approach sits in a allow access to, and minimize reactivity among the continuum in which research methodologies which subjects of research, it is minimally structured and are inherently positivist are described as nomothetic. employs action research and ethnography. In establishing what is true or false to draw a Quantitative approach is deductive [18], begins from conclusion, application of induction and deduction is theory, the hypothesis is firmly defined before the GSJ© 2020 www.globalscientificjournal.com GSJ: Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2020 ISSN 2320-9186 35 essential. Induction is based on empirical evidence Research can either be applied or basic. Applied whereas deduction is based on logic. research [15] is aimed at a specific research question whereas basic research is aimed at the generation of 3. RESEARCH DESIGN STRATEGY knowledge relevant to industries, organization and researchers. The use of multiple, but independent, Research design can include survey research, case measures in a single study is known as triangulation, study research, action research, experimental a term borrowed from navigation and surveying research, surveys are essentially snapshots of where a minimum of the reference points are taken to practices, situations or views at a particular point in check an object’s location [26]. There are four time. Surveys are undertaken using questionnaires or categories of triangulation: Theoretical models, data, structured interviews from which inferences may be Investigator, and Methodological. Triangulation of made. Quantitative
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