Abstract
There is an absence of fitting research methodology in construction management research. This has prompted a shortage of theories that are exceptional to the field. Thus, this paper proposes confirmatory sequential research design as a research paradigm and methodology for theory building and testing in construction management research. The method makes qualitative and quantitative techniques reciprocal through a staggered and vigorous interaction. An illustrative course of applying the technique was laid out. It was deduced in this paper that, a confirmatory sequential research design is fundamental for the future and unwavering quality of construction management research. The main contribution made by this paper to mixed method is a systemic mixed method-based research design that the paper presents.
Keywords : construction management, mixed methods, a paradigm for construction management, conceptual model, conceptual framework
Introduction
A theory has been depicted as a bunch of interrelated ideas (concepts), definitions and propositions, an assertion of the speculated connection between and among variables, a gathering of sensibly coordinated laws or connections that establishes clarification in a discipline, a bunch of connections among autonomous and subordinate factors that present a precise perspective on peculiarities by indicating relations among factors, fully intent on clarifying and foreseeing the peculiarities (Gelso, 2006). Theory permits researchers to comprehend and foresee results of interest as well as depict and clarify a process or sequence of events (Kerlinger & Lee, 2000). A theory is connected with and not quite the same as hypothesis, proposition, paradigm, model, concept, and conceptual model. A concept is a psychological picture that sums up a bunch of comparative connections (Bachman and Schutt, 2007). Paradigm on the other hand is an approach to viewing the phenomenal world or a theory. Propositions are explanations that communicate the relationship of at least two ideas. It fits an inductive exploration approach (Cozby, 2009).
Gelso (2006) portrays a hypothesis as a suggestion expressed in an experimentally testable way. It fits an insightful methodology and fills in as the extension between quantitative information and the hypothesis plan. Hypotheses are succinct proclamations about a proposed theory. As per Meredith (1993), a model is a graph for picturing the inter-relatedness of variables showing their causal bearing and nature of the relationship. A conceptual model is a psychological model of a theory (set of connections) introduced in a diagrammatic structure. A conceptual model is regularly utilized in research to delineate connections inside within a theory be that as it may, without help, do not constitute theory until the connections are adequately approved. In light of the above explanation, one might say that a theory responds to the inquiry why portrays causal connections, should be testable, reasonable, generalizable, fills in as law or model, gives edification, and gives an account.
There are three sorts of theories in view of the means of building the theories: hierarchical theory, concatenated theory, and critical theory. The hierarchical theory is a hypothetic-derivation technique for forming theories (on the other hand alluded to by scholars as nomothetic, positivism, postpositivism, empirical-analytical, or hierarchialism). This system is useful where a theory is needed to be generalizable across populaces and it is worried about testing or affirming hypotheses (Sprenger, 2011). The concatenated theory is an inductive- amalgamation technique for planning theories (then again alluded to as idiographic, grounded hypothesis, constructivism, or interpretive hypothesis). The framework is useful where the objective of the exploration is to all the more likely get what is happening in a particular setting and how different partners figure out the extraordinary components under perception (Zhu et al., 2019). Critical theory is on the other hand alluded to as extremist, neo-Marxist, or social justice theory. The focal point of critical theory is to reveal realities about power relations that are dark or deliberately jumbled to citizenry determined to change political, social, and financial disparities. In this system, issues of double-dealing, strength, and enslavement are frequently investigated to make social entertainers mindful of these imbalances and work with liberation from them (Gehman et al., 2018; Gay and Weaver, 2011).
Construction management is a somewhat new and set up research region that is encountering a shortage of theories. The shortage of construction management theories is because of the absence of fitting research philosophy. Construction management as a research area is conflicted between management and engineering field. Both management and engineering require the validation of existing theories and the formulation of new ones to channel new directions in the fields. Construction management is a result of these two fields that require the adaption of engineering laws and management theories, and all the more significantly the detailing of construction management-specific theories. This paper seeks to remedy the shortage of construction management-specific theories by proposing a research design for theory building and testing in construction management research. This paper also has a double concentration. The initial segment of the paper inspects the process of research as it connects with the development and testing of theory. It suggests that management theory, with its catholic point of view, is a significant reference discipline for construction management. It proceeds to depict a research design that holds a critical guarantee for construction management research topics.
Literature review
This segment explores the role of theory in construction management research, the transaction between grounded theory and theory building in construction management research, and the value of mixed methods in construction management research.