The Research Methods and Research Practice (RM&RP) strategic interest group (SIG) exists to promote debates – and stimulate innovation – around all aspects of academic research, from its conception through to its execution, the subsequent development of theory and the dissemination of findings and knowledge. The RM&RP SIG seeks to draw understanding about research methods and research practice from all business and management disciplines including Accounting, Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Resource Management, Learning and Development, Marketing, Operations Management, Organizational Behaviour, Strategy, and Systems Management. By sharing novel approaches and advancing knowledge about the usefulness of different methods and the facilitators of – and constraints on – the use of those methods in the research and broader environment, it seeks to enable researchers to improve the design and execution of their research and its dissemination. Good research approaches are indispensable to the asking of important research questions, the development of useful theories and meaningful engagement with broader societies. The RM&RP SIG aims to stimulate debate in a supportive environment in which all levels of academic from doctoral students through to senior professors feel at home. The RM&RP SIG aims to promote understanding across national borders and to draw strength from the diversity of research approaches that exist across Europe and beyond. It seeks to generate continuous debate between conferences through its use of a range of different media including electronic newsletters and a presence on the world wide web.
SIG OFFICERS (2024-2025):
SIG Chairs:
Huiping Xian (University of Leicester, UK) – hx58@leicester.ac.uk
Michael Schlaile (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research – ZALF, Germany) – Michael.Schlaile@zalf.de
General Track Chairs:
Marc Stierand (Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Switzerland) – marc.stierand@ehl.ch
David Yates (Sheffield University Management School, UK) – d.g.yates@sheffield.ac.uk
Plenary Organizers:
Marek Szarucki (Krakow University of Economics, Krakow, Poland) – szaruckm@uek.krakow.pl
Oskar Kosch (Krakow University of Economics, Krakow, Poland) – koscho@uek.krakow.pl
Petra Poljsak-Rosinski (BAU International Berlin – University of Applied Sciences, Germany) – poljsak-rosinski@bauinternational-uni.de – Treasurer
Heidi Collins – hcollins@swinburne.edu.my – SIG Communication Officer
RESEARCH METHODS AND RESEARCH PRACTICE SIG STANDING TRACKS
GT12_00 – Research Methods and Research Practice General Track
Management scholars’ contribution to knowledge production depends on their ability to develop and apply suitable methods to achieve and interpret findings and to consider suitable conceptual frameworks to guide action for the application of that knowledge. The RM&RP track invites papers on all kinds of research methods, analytical techniques, epistemological and ontological approaches and management theories. It also welcomes papers on the future challenges facing researchers and research on a variety of methods that would help identify, describe, categorise, analyse, forecast, and/or evaluate those social systems that show adaptability to a level that indicates complexity.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Goal 1: No poverty; Goal 2: Zero hunger; Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people; Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 5: Gender equality; Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation; Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Goal 10: Reducing inequalities; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities; Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production; Goal 13: Climate action; Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions; Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Primary Contact
Huiping Xian – hx58@leicester.ac.uk
ST12_01 – Coevolutionary and Ecosystem Perspectives
It is often claimed that organizations in socio-economic contexts such as innovation ecosystems and industrial networks “coevolve”. Yet, the question remains: how? This track builds on the growing body of (co-) evolutionary-oriented and ecosystem-based research within disciplines like management, strategy, marketing, entrepreneurship, innovation, and organizational studies. In the production of knowledge regarding the coevolution of ecosystems and other socio-economic systems, we encourage the exploration of a broad array of methods and discussions on how these can advance management research. Thus, perspectives based on multi-level coevolution, systems thinking, ecosystems, metaphors, or agent-based modeling, constitute only examples of the welcomed submissions.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Goal 1: No poverty; Goal 2: Zero hunger; Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people; Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 5: Gender equality; Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation; Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Goal 10: Reducing inequalities; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities; Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production; Goal 13: Climate action; Goal 14: Life below water; Goal 15: Life on land; Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions; Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Primary Contact
Johan Kask – johan.kask@inn.no
ST12_02 – Research Methods for Complex Adaptive Systems
This topic is open to research on a variety of methods that would help identify, describe, categorise, analyse, forecast, and/or evaluate those systems that show adaptability to a level that indicates complexity. Organisations show these characteristics and are complex adaptive social systems (CASS). While complexity is not new in management studies, recent technological developments and related methodologies have made it tractable. This ST is directed to any methods—qualitative, quantitative, simulation, hybrid, mixed—that show how CASS are, could, or should be studied.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people; Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 5: Gender equality; Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation; Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Goal 10: Reducing inequalities; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities; Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production; Goal 13: Climate action
Primary Contact
Davide Secchi – secchi@sdu.dk
RESEARCH METHODS AND RESEARCH PRACTICE SIG TRACKS
T06_10 / T12_03 – Action Research in Innovation Management and Management Science: Conceptual and Empirical Research Studies (co-sponsored INNO / RMRP SIGs)
This track investigates practical issues concerning the design/ implementation of research protocols based on Action Research (AR) in innovation management and/or management studies. It welcomes empirical and conceptual contributions from both pragmatic and emancipatory AR schools. The former is directed towards transforming organizational practices, while the latter aims at transformations whose core value is the liberation of individuals and discriminated groups. Submissions of empirical papers may thoroughly examine empirical research studies based on the AR protocol to discuss organizational, social, and individual implications. Submissions of conceptual papers may discuss new frameworks to model and measure the effectiveness of research designs.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 5: Gender equality; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Primary Contact:
Sylwia Sysko-Romanczuk, Warsaw University of Technology – sylwia.sysko.romanczuk@pw.edu.pl
T12_04 – Management History, Theory, and Philosophy
The track “Management History, Theory, and Philosophy” addresses the historical development of management and related areas (e.g., entrepreneurship, international business, marketing, retailing, strategy, accounting, auditing, management tools, etc.), including the evolution of concepts, theories, and practices. It also focuses on the application and development of historical research methods and the philosophical foundations of management theories and practices. We aim to encourage theoretically oriented social science history and its methods, with a clear relationship to present-day debates and practices in the management discipline.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities; Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions; Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Primary Contact:
Matteo Cristofaro, University of Rome Tor Vergata – matteo.cristofaro@uniroma2.it
T12_05 – Performance Management: research methods and research practice
The track “Performance Management: research methods and research practice” aims to attract relevant papers able to contribute to increase existing knowledge on the research methods in Performance Management field and related areas. We aim to encourage theoretically and practically oriented of performance management studies and its methods, with a clear relationship to present-day debates and practices in the management and accounting disciplines. Understanding these foundations is crucial for interpreting trends and advances discussion and debate by management scholars on how performance management systems can be theoretically designed and practically implemented.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people; Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Primary Contact:
Ivo Hristov, University of L’Aquila – hristov@economia.uniroma2.it
T12_05 - Performance Management: research methods and research practice
T12_06 – Tourism research and practice: trends and transitions
Tourism is a critical driver for socio-economic progress and is increasingly viewed as one of the most innovative industries. However, fostering a successful and fair tourism innovation requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders as well as embracing digital transformation and ethical considerations. To explore these various relationships and better understand how technologies may be properly implemented in tourism, multiple research methods can be adopted, and several practical examples investigated, in developed and developing countries. In other words, it is necessary to better understand how Tourism is changing and how it can take advantage of emerging technologies to create better futures.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people; Goal 5: Gender equality; Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities; Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production; Goal 13: Climate action; Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions; Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Primary Contact:
Luna Leoni, Tor Vergata University of Rome – luna.leoni@uniroma2.it
T12_07 – Natural language processing, machine learning and bibliometric methods in management research
New methods originating in computer and information science are profoundly changing how management scholars do research. The pace of methodological advancements (e.g., large language models) has been staggering in recent years. Yet, researchers face numerous challenges when incorporating these methods in traditional research workflows. The issues of measurement, explainability, reliability and validity are crucial, but guidelines on how to implement new methods are often lacking. This topic seeks to advance the use of novel Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning (ML) and Bibliometric methods in management research. We seek contributions to methodological innovations and creative applications of existing methods.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
Goal 4: Quality education; Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Primary Contact:
Ivan Zupic, Goldsmiths, University of London – ivan.zupic@gmail.com