Constructing Research Questions

Researchers usually puzzle about how to move from the scientific literature to a fruitful research topic. Alvesson and Sandberg address these puzzles in this sensible, practical book which deserves to become required reading for researchers.

Professor David Silverman
Goldsmiths' and King's College, University of London

This book is not for the faint hearted. It will appeal to those who already have some experience of research, or those at postgraduate level formulating their ideas for study. It will stimulate new ways of thinking about the design of research, something that is well overdue. Even if the problematization methodology and the frameworks the authors propose are not adopted wholesale, the book will encourage critical reflection at a level rarely seen in this area.

Mats Alvesson is Professor of Organization Studies at the University of Bath, and also affiliated with Lund University, Stockholm School of Economics and Bayes Business School, City, University of London.

Jrgen Sandberg is Professor in the University of Queensland (UQ) Business School and Honorary Professor at Warwick Business School.

Research questions: A core ingredient in developing interesting theories The context of constructing and formulating research questions Gap-spotting: The prevalent way of constructing research questions in social science A critical evaluation of gap-spotting research: Does it lead to interesting theories? Problematization as a methodology for generating research questions Applying the problematization methodology in practice Why the strong dominance of gap-spotting when it reduces the chance to create interesting theories? Constructing interesting research questions: problematization and beyond