Research Frameworks - Essay Example

Research Frameworks Introduction: A theoretical framework includes several concepts interrelated to each other that may be used for the purpose of a research. A research is actually guided through such frameworks assisting the researcher with the selection of the things that are required to be measured and the structure of the study that are needed to be conducted for the particular research (Grinnell & Unrau, 2010, p.127). The present study focuses on the choice of theoretical frameworks and their effects on how a research gets conducted.

Theoretical Frameworks Suitable for Research: Considering a research study on business related topics, the management theory and change theory may prove to be fundamental to the needs of the study. The management theories bring into light various aspects of business and management that would enable a research study to focus on newer additions to the existing theories. Frederick Taylor through his scientific management theory reflected on a new system of modern management where he focused on observations at particular times and selection of the best practice from the observations.

Based on Hawthorne experiments, it has been obtained that in order to achieve higher productivity, group dynamics and collective structure of an organization is necessary (An Overview of Management Theory, n.d.). Max Weber’s Bureaucracy theory focused on the change that was prevalent in the civilization seeking for technically optimal results at the cost of expressive or humanistic substance. He presented a warning on the excess of bureaucracy that might remove the feelings of emotions and humans start being treated as machines.

According to Henry Fayol who gave the Administration theory, there were fourteen principles that he developed suitable to the roles of individuals within organizations. These included authority, discipline, unity of command, unity of discretion, centralization, and order, among others. These management theories influence the modern day organizational policies and systems to significant extents thereby proving to add to business research studies (An Overview of Management Theory, n.d.). Kurt Lewin’s Change theory enables an understanding on the change processes in human systems.

A model constituting three stages had been developed by Lewin that focuses on the concept of behavior being a vibrant equilibrium of forces that perform in opposing directions. Unfreezing or the first stage of the model reflects on finding newer methods such that individuals may be able to let go of old prototypes that helps in individuals removing their restraints. The second stage of the model focuses on shifting to a newer level that includes alterations in the thought processes, feelings, behavior, that may lead to something exceptionally productive.

Refreezing or the third stage reflects on the adaptation of the newer and changed process that can then be used as a new standard (Lewin, 2011). Effect of Chosen Theoretical Frameworks on the Research Work: Depending on the topic of the study, a theoretical framework would enable determination of the steps of the research and the variables and measurements that are required (Escalada, 2009). In a business related topic of research, the management theories as well as the change theory would prove to be beneficial in delivering a suitable framework.

This is primarily because the management theories provide with the fundamental concepts of adding to the existing theories and developing newer concepts and ideas in a particular field of understanding and study. The understanding of the system of modern management and the need for dynamic and collective nature of organization enable the researcher to reflect on the study to be similarly approached in order to achieve successful results. Warnings on bureaucracy reflect on the need for the researcher to decide on the steps accordingly such that too much of bureaucracy do not get involved since it is with the involvement of the human feelings as well as emotions that true studies are obtained.

The change theory enables an understanding on the need for removing the human restraints on accepting newer developments and ideas and such an idea would assist the researcher to develop the results of the study by adding to the existing theories. Thus the researcher would choose such variables and statistical methods that will be able to establish newer ideas and concepts. The research may then be focused on altering the thought processes of human minds leading them to accept newer standards and beliefs.

Conclusion: It can thus be concluded from the study that the need for theoretical frameworks proves to be significant in order to achieve a successful research work. The management and change theories provide certain basic concepts regarding business processes as well as human emotions that need to be understood clearly such that the research topic can be appropriately chosen for the sake of developing a new concept that can successfully add on to the existing theories. References 1) An Overview of Management Theory (n.d.), kernsanalysis, available at: http://www.

kernsanalysis.com/sjsu/ise250/history.htm (accessed on July 13, 2012) 2) Escalada, M. (2009), Writing the thesis outline: Theoretical Framework, devcompage, available at: http://devcompage.com/?p=1419 (accessed on July 14, 2012) 3) Grinnell, R.M. & Y.A. Unrau (2010), Social Work Research and Evaluation: Foundations of Evidence-Based Practice, Oxford: Oxford University Press 4) Lewin, K. (2011), currentnursing, available at: http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/change_theory.html (accessed on July 13, 2012)