VALIDATING MEASURES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Background: A community of practice was established in 2020 by three doctoral nursing students during the Covid-19 pandemic, when in-person learning was on hold. The group members were intentional about using the community of practice as part of their personal and collective reflexive learning strategies. An expanded ‘Community of Practice’, open to doctoral students in the health professions, developed from the core group’s initiative. Aim: The aim of this article is to critically reflect on the experience of participating in a community of practice focused on the development of an intentional reflexive practice, and to explore how self-knowledge as students and novice researchers was cultivated through collective reflection and discussion. Conclusion: This article contributes to the literature on communities of practice in the context of doctoral nursing studies. Participation in a community of practice provides a person-centred approach to learning and self-knowledge for novice researchers. Implications for practice: A community of practice can create space for an intentional reflexive practice for doctoral researchers Engaging in collective reflexive inquiry has potential to expand the perspectives and outlook of individual researchers Participation in a community of practice can transform the doctoral student experience by encouraging a participatory, person-centred approach that promotes student flourishing as novice researchers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the progress of research on business research in India and identify the key disciplines, journals, articles, authors, and institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Bibliometric analysis using data for articles published from the ISI Web of Knowledge databases consisting of the ISI Web of Science (1899-present) consisting of Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-expanded), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), and Arts & Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI); BIOSIS Previews (1969-present); CABI: CAAAB Abstracts (1910-present); MEDLINE (1950-present); Zoological Record (1864-present); and Journal Citation Reports (1999-2008). Findings – There is growing number of research literature on the theme and more so post 2002. Among the journals, the most prolific, measured by number of articles published are Management Decision, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Harvard Business Review, and Journal of International Marketing and the top ten percent of the journals are responsible for 36 percent of all publications. Similarly the top seven authors are responsible for about 15 percent of all publications and the top ten institutions account for 30 percent of all publications. This highlights that few journals, authors, and institutions are dominating the research arena of business research in India. Research limitations/implications – Despite its high degree of objectivity, bibliometric analysis has a subjective dimension (Van Raan, 2003) since the researcher had to make choices on the search terms, the time period used, etc., and while the data set is comprehensive, is it not exhaustive as many new journals are not part of SSCI (Pillania and Fetscherin, 2009; Pillania, 2011). Practical implications – The study undertakes a multi-disciplinary review of literature on business research in India. It identifies the key disciplines, journals, articles, authors, and institutions on business research in India. It is a ready reference for practitioners and future researchers on the subject. Originality/value – This study has made an attempt to study and document the literature on business research in India.

This article explores how nurses can use evidence-based practice to appraise the rationale and evidence for specific nursing procedures or practices. A literature review of published evidence on honey dressings for diabetic foot ulcers was conducted by a novice researcher (lead author) under the supervision of a lecturer (second author). A methodology was followed to construct an answerable research question and to guide the search and retrieval of evidence. The strengths and limitations of a selected study were appraised, and its implications for practice considered. This article highlights an area of practice that warrants further attention and demonstrates the use of evidence-based practice to consider the quality and utility of clinical research.

Quantitative research is a crucial foundation in the scientific landscape to understand phenomena objectively and measurably. Although essential, there is often a gap between methodological idealism and research practice, especially among novice researchers, which is indicated by the use of quantitative methods that are not optimal in student theses due to lack of mastery of methodology and statistics, marked by inconsistencies in variable logic, lack of theoretical basis, data bias, sampling technique errors, to inaccuracy in testing the validity of instruments and statistical analysis. Through a systematic and comprehensive literature review, this article aims to present a complete picture of the “roadmap” of quantitative research, including the essence, principles, key stages (starting from problem formulation, sample determination, instrument development, data collection, to analysis and interpretation of results), and its various types, rooted in the positivist paradigm that emphasizes objectivity and hypothesis testing. Although quantitative research offers significant advantages such as time efficiency and generalizability, challenges such as difficulty in data collection and lack of in-depth analysis also need to be overcome, so improving methodological and statistical training is crucial to producing valid, accountable scientific work that contributes significantly to the development of science.

Mixed methods research (the combined use of quantitative and qualitative methods within a single study) has developed rapidly in the last few years. This methodological approach is becoming increasingly articulated, attached to research practice and recognized, along with qualitative research and quantitative research, as the third major research approach (Johnson, Onwuegbuzie, & Turner, 2007).The scientific fields with more tradition in using and developing mixed methods research are Education, Sociology, Psychology and Health Sciences. This methodological approach is championed by methodologists from these fields such as John Creswell, Abbas Tashakkori, Burke Johnson, Anthony Onwuegbuzie, Jennifer Greene, Charles Teddlie and David Morgan (Denscombe, 2008). Books specifically focused on mixed methods research are being published in these fields (Andrew & Halcomb, 2009; Bergman, 2008; Brewer & Hunter, 2006; Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007, 2011; Greene, 2007; Morse & Niehaus, 2009; Niglas, 2004; Ridenour & Newman, 2008; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003, 2010; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009).In January 2007 the first issue of a journal solely devoted to mixed methods research (Journal of Mixed Methods Research, Sage Publications) was published. The two founding co-editors, John Creswell and Abbas Tashakkori, are researchers in the field of Education. Other methodological journals that publish mixed methods studies include this journal (International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, also launched in 2007), along with Quality and Quantity, Field Methods and the International Journal of Social Research Methodology. Empirical articles that employ a mixed methods approach using this distinct name in the title are also published in Education, Sociology, Psychology and Health Sciences, and literature reviews that analyze the prevalence and application of mixed methods are carried out. An annual conference devoted to mixed methods is organized by schools and researchers from these fields (in 2011 the 7th International Mixed Methods Conference was hosted by the School of Healthcare in the University of Leeds, UK). Moreover, a Special Interest Group on Mixed Methods Research was formed in the American Educational Research Association in 2005. In summary, as noted by Creswell and Plano Clark (2007), mixed methods research has only been carefully used and examined in a handful of disciplines.In the case of Business and Management, our fields of inquiry have not embraced this methodological approach as enthusiastically as the fields described. Although there are calls for using mixed methods research in Business and Management fields (Cameron, 2011, Currall & Towler, 2003; Jick, 1979; Molina-Azorin, 2007), the acceptance and attention devoted to mixed methods research is very low in relation to other fields. There is not any specific book on mixed methods research in Business and Management. To date and to the best knowledge of the two special issue editors, a special issue on mixed methods has not yet been published in any Business and Management journal. Moreover, Creswell and Tashakkori (2007) make the pertinent point that the literature base about mixed methods research may not be well known to individuals in specific fields. Cameron and Molina-Azorin (2011) and Molina-Azorin (2011) confirm this issue in the case of Business and Management studies.In addition, in contrast to studies in the fields of Education, Sociology, Psychology and Health Sciences, the term 'mixed methods' is not usually used in the title of mixed methods studies in Business and Management. Furthermore, in the journal Organizational Research Methods, the main methodological journal in our field, the term 'mixed methods' is not a listed keyword. This issue also occurs in other business and management discipline journals.On the basis of such broad scanning evidence it seems likely that the advantages, possibilities, purposes, designs and potential of mixed methods research may be yet still unknown to many researchers in Business and Management. …

The current national economy needs to foster a culture of entrepreneurship, encourage entrepreneurial initiatives, and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem. In the field of business studies, many scholars have applied various entropy theories to enrich and advance business knowledge. However, the current literature on entrepreneurship and entropy is sparse and disjointed. The previous research does not offer a coherent framework for integrating these two concepts. This research aims to propose a new concept of entrepreneurial entropy. The study uses the literature review, structural equation modelling, and case analysis to construct a preliminary model of entrepreneurial entropy. The study investigated the entrepreneurial performance of four different teams using entropy analysis. The researchers applied six key indicators of entrepreneurship that were developed by four groups of entrepreneurs. They used the structured equation of entropy to calculate the total entropy value for each group. By comparing the entropy values, they were able to draw quantitative conclusions about the effectiveness of the entrepreneurship process. The study will introduce entropy theory to the domain of entrepreneurship and establish a new direction and area of entrepreneurship research. Overall, the proposed concept of entrepreneurial entropy represents a significant step forward in the quest to enrich and advance our knowledge of business and entrepreneurship.

PurposeTo discover Nigel Nicholson's views of the implications of evolutionary psychology for business.Design/methodology/approachNigel Nicholson speaks to editor Sarah Powell about the implications of evolutionary psychology for business. Nigel Nicholson has been a professor at the London Business School since 1990, holding the positions of Chairman of the Organisational Behaviour department (twice), Research Dean, member of the governing body and Deputy Dean. He is widely known for pioneering the introduction of the new science of evolutionary psychology to business. Current major research interests include the psychology of family business, personality and leadership, and people skills in management. Before becoming a business psychologist, he pursued a career as a journalist.FindingsReveals Nigel Nicholson's views on the implications of evolutionary psychology for business.Originality/valueProvides the views of a pioneer in the field of business studies.

P-Rank 2021 - The top 1000 contributors, the top 1000 collaborators, and the top 250 individuals in business research

Corporate social responsibility1 (CSR) has been widely discussed, and this term has been growing in importance in various fields of business studies, for example accounting (Gray et al., 1995a). In particular, CSR is often associated with the gradual increase in corporate reporting of social and environmental policies and practices. According to KPMG's (2011) survey, 95% of the largest global 250 companies in the world report on their CSR, and this activity is often known as corporate social disclosure (CSD). Prior CSD studies have paid relatively little attention to controversial industries (see Campbell et al., 2003; Moerman & Van Der Laan, 2005; Tilling & Tilt, 2010).

Purpose – This paper aims to present an interview of a senior scholar to get his perspectives on the field, its history and the future. Design/methodology/approach – A semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted. Findings – It is one person’s personal views, albeit a person with considerable success in the field of business studies. Originality/value – The interview reflects the changes in business schools over the interviewee’s decades of experience.

P-Rank 2020 – A Publication Ranking (Table of Rankings)

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse and articulate the practices of peer review through a peer review mentoring program initiated by a science education research journal. Academic enculturation is critical in quality education research; however, the importance of formally preparing future researchers for activities such as publishing and peer review is often overlooked by journals. Design/methodology/approach Running concurrently with the mentoring program was a collaborative self-study to examine the peer review mentoring relationship between a science doctoral candidate and an experienced researcher and journal associate editor. To understand the learning experienced by the novice researcher, the study drew on boundary crossing theory that states that the boundary represents a discontinuity and offers learning potential, which can be crossed with the support of a boundary spanner or boundary objects. Data included reflections, peer review drafts and systematically collected recordings of mentoring sessions. Findings Four themes relating to the learning from four review cycles shed light on the discontinuities experienced by this novice peer reviewer, including disagreement and/or agreement among reviews, discerning quality, stance and pedagogy of the reviewer and growth in expertise and confidence of the reviewer. Research limitations/implications The research employed self-study centred on a singular context, with one mentor and one mentee. While the scope of the study was this single case study, the detailed process described here may be useful for other contexts, such as universities and journals considering individualised support for research and doctoral students and early career researchers in understanding the reviewing process. Practical implications Based on our experiences reported here, we argue that programs based on collaboration and mindful of psychosocial aspects of learning to peer review can play an important role in developing autonomous and confident reviewers who can discern research quality, develop their own style but recognise how their personal stance/experience and what they think is important can potentially bias a review, and sustain a pedagogical stance that edifies the research community. Originality/value Distillation of the themes identifies the learning that a novice peer reviewer needs to understand. We argue that peer review mentoring programs support the identification and negotiation of discontinuities experienced by novice researchers as they are enculturated into the science education peer review community.

Purpose: This study aimed to shed light on students and novice researchers on understanding various sampling techniques in qualitative research and the method for determining sample size in qualitative studies. Methods: A narrative design was used to simplify the understanding of the sampling techniques and the method for determining sample size in qualitative research. Together with the use of secondary sources, the researcher's own experience is used to argue and discuss. Findings: The study identified in detail purposive sampling, convenience sampling, snowball sampling, and quota sampling as common sampling techniques for qualitative research. Furthermore, the study pointed out the concept of data saturation as a key determinant of sample adequacy in qualitative research, and it can be affected by factors such as subjectivism, scope of the research, research design, researchers' experience, and data collection methods. Originality: This study expands the methodological literature coverage on qualitative research, which also serves as a guide to both students and emerging researchers in social science research. Practical Implications: This study enhances the common understanding of emerging researchers on the appropriateness of using various qualitative sampling techniques and sample size determination to achieve qualitative study goals.

In this chapter, the authors outline key steps and considerations to take into account when entering into the realm of quantitative research. The primary question guiding this chapter is the following: “How does one conduct quality quantitative research as a novice researcher?” Several equally important questions are subsumed within this general question, such as “What are the first steps to conducting quantitative research?” and “What are the best statistical methods to use?” The authors address each of these questions based on their experience with quantitative research in academia. The authors include senior and junior professors as well as senior doctoral students, each of whom began their research career with as many questions and concerns as any novice beginning their research journey is likely to have. That said, the authors aim to help novice researchers explore how quantitative research in mathematics education requires several sequential and coordinated steps and to outline tips and precautions to take as well.

Academic research writing (ARW) is a complex, epistemic, and disciplinary practice fundamental to postgraduate scholarship. Despite its centrality in higher education, novice researchers (NRs) often face persistent challenges, including limited epistemological awareness, difficulties with disciplinary conventions, and inadequate pedagogical support. This study addresses these gaps by proposing a conceptual framework that integrates Swales’ Create a Research Space (CARS) model with context-specific guidance to enhance ARW instruction. A narrative review methodology was employed to synthesize research on four core domains: content, context, language and structure, and cognitive ability. These constituent characteristics were mapped against common difficulties experienced by NRs and aligned with pedagogical strategies for scaffolding academic writing. The findings underscore the need for inclusive and responsive writing instruction that supports epistemic development and academic identity formation. The framework offers practical implications for writing curriculum design, mentoring, and instructional interventions. It also lays the groundwork for future empirical research to test its efficacy across varied educational contexts.