5.2.1 Research paradigm
The most quoted definition of paradigm is Kuhn's (1962) concept in The Nature of Science Revolution, and this said concept is the underlying assumptions and intellectual structure upon which research and development in a field of inquiry is based on. Rossman & Rollis (2012) identified four different paradigms and the two primary paradigms are positivist and interpretivist.
Positivist – associated with quantitative research. Positivist is sometimes referred to as scientific method or science research, is based on the rationalistic and empiricist philosophy (Mackenzie & Knipe, 2006). Positivist may be applied to the social world on the assumption that the social world can be studied in the same way as the natural world, that there is a method for studying the social world that is value free, and that explanations of a causal nature can be provided (Mertens, 2005). Positivists aim to test a theory or describe an experience through observation and measurement in order to predict and control forces that surround us (O'Leary, 2004). Positivists and postpositivist
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research is most commonly aligned with quantitative methods of data collection and analysis.
Interpretivist – associated with qualitative research. The interpretivist approaches to researches that have the intention of understanding the world of human experience (Cohen & Manion, 1994), suggesting that reality is socially constructed (Creswell, 2003). The interpretivists tend to rely upon the "participants' views of the situation being studied"
(Creswell, 2003, p.8) and recognize the impact on the research of their own background and experiences.
Table 5.1 Summary of positivist and interpretivist
Characteristic Positivist Interpretivist
Research goal Demonstrate causality
Increase general understanding of situation
Research process Progress made through hypotheses and deduction
Probing rich data to increase understanding
Concepts and variables Must be operationalized for measurement and quantitative analysis
Should incorporate stakeholder‘s perspectives
Generalization patterns Statistical probability Theoretical abstraction
Research Methods Quantitative Qualitative
Sampling requirements
Probability sampling with adequate sampling size
May be non-probability sampling method with a small number of cases for specific reasons
Source: Shrestha (2009)
More recently, research approaches have become more complex in design and more flexible in their application of methods with mixed-methods being more acceptable and common. A mixed-methods approach to research is one that involves gathering both numeric information (for example, on instruments) as
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well as text information (for example, on interviews) so that the final database represents both quantitative and qualitative information (Creswell, 2003, p.20).
According to Gorard (2004) combined or mixed-methods research has been identified as a "key element in the improvement of social science, including education research" (p.7) with research strengthened by the use of a variety of methods. Many researchers including Creswell (2003), Thomas (2003) and Krathwohl (1993) now view qualitative and quantitative methods as complementary method/s for the investigation. While some paradigms may appear to lead a researcher to favour qualitative or quantitative approach, in effect no one paradigm actually prescribes or prohibits the use of either methodological approach. However, this may not sit comfortably with researchers who are strongly aligned with a particular research approach.
Almost inevitably in each paradigm, if the research is to be fully effective, both approaches need to be applied. It is unduly impoverished research, which eschews the use of both qualitative and quantitative research approaches.
Paradigms, which overtly recommend mixed methods approaches which allow collecting both quantitative and qualitative data and integrating the data at different stages of inquiry (Creswell, 2003).
This study explores the factors which influence the selection of structural frame materials and investigates the performance of RC-framed buildings and SS-framed buildings. Due to the complex nature of this study, there is no single paradigm that could satisfactorily deal with all of the required methodological aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to combine the quantitative/positivist paradigm with the qualitative/interpretivist paradigm.
The blending of both paradigms provided the researcher with the ability to statistically analyze the scientific data whilst also recognizing the complex sustainability and constructability factors that influence selection of structural frame materials.
5.2.2 Research design
A literature review was conducted to discover existing knowledge on the subject, determine how this study differs from existing works, and to establish
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how to further add to the knowledge in the area. The review is also helpful for enabling the researcher to conceptually frame the work (Alston & Bowles, 2012).
The contents of the literature review encompassed four aspects: foundational theories, contextual information, relative practical frameworks, and practical experiences. Based on the literature review, the hypotheses were developed (see Section 4.5) and the conceptual framework was established (see Section 4.6).
There are six common types of research design:
Case study. A Case study is appropriate for in-depth understanding of particular instances. It will not be an advantageous method to answer a research question in a form of ―how many‖ or ―how much‖ line of inquiry (Yin, 2009).
Survey. A survey is suitable for obtaining broad population characteristics (Rea & Parker, 2005). It is favoured to identify a research question in a form of ―how many‖, ―how much‖ or some types of ―what‖ (Yin, 2009).
Experiment. Experiments are used to test cause and effect relations between different variables through various forms of control (Ibrahim, 2003).
Correlation or regression analysis. This analysis is used when experimental control is difficult or impossible (Tan, 2004).
Comparative research. Comparative research seeks to explain the differences that have occurred between two or more groups (Hollway
& Jefferson, 2000).
Historical research. Historical research seeks to explain the past in order to understand or draw lessons for the present and future (Kumar, 2011).
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The current research aims to investigate decision makers‘ perceptions of the impacts of pre-addressed factors and attributes on the selection of structural frame materials. Among the six types of research design methods, a survey is the most appropriate tool for achieving the research aim of this study because a survey reflects the attitudes and beliefs of respondents (Royse, 2008) and is effective in collecting information from the population (Tan, 2004).