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.