ASSIGNMENT 1: RESEARCH TOPIC

Prepared by
Nurhidayah Binti Bahar
CHA110004

Prepared for
CXHB7109 Quantitative Research Methods For
Business

Lecturer
Profesor Madya Dr. Sharifah Latifah Binti Syed A
Kadir

1. Proposed Topic

This section describes the proposed study I would focus on in my PhD research which is
critical realism as a realistic philosophy for health information systems.
1.1

Background of the study

In the past, the majority of information systems (IS) research and systems
development, mainly in the US, has been underpinned by a positivist philosophy.
The main philosophy which emphasizes the inherent meaningfulness of the social
world is interpretivism or generally known as conventionalism (Mingers, 2004;
Lee, 1999). Other philosophies that supporting IS research are ethnography
(Harvey & Myers, 1995), hermeneutics (Boland, 1991; Myers, 1994; Olson &
Carlisle, 2001), ethnomethodology (Bhattacharjee & Paul, 2001; Crabtee,
Nichols, OBrien, Rouncefield, & Twidale, 2000) and phenomenology (Boland,
1985; Coyne, 1995; Dreyfus, 1996; Introna, 1997; Mingers, 2001b). Based on
distinctive approaches, there are approaches namely critical theory (Janson,
Cecez-Kecmanovic, & Brown, 2001), post modernism (Greenhill, 2001) and
actor-network theory (Walsham, 1997).
However, there has been a diversity of responds to this variety of philosophical
approaches. Imperialists argue for the dominance of one particular paradigm
(usually positivism), either on epistemological grounds or in the belief that it is
necessary to create a strong discipline (Benbasat & Weber, 1996; Pfeffer, 1993).
Isolationists are more likely to accept opinion of Burrel and Morgan (1979) that
there are distinctively different paradigms and that these are impossible to
measure or compare due to having an irrational ratio therefore research should
develop separately within each paradigm (Deetz, 1996; Parker & McHugh, 1991).

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Pluralists agree to, and undoubtedly welcome, a diversity of paradigms and

research methods. Briefly, we can see that some of those who welcome methods
diversity (Van Maanen, 1995a, b), those who thinks different methods as being
more or less suitable for particular research questions (Robey, 1996), and those
who see that research should strive to be trans-paradigmatic, routinely combining
philosophically distinct research methods (Goles & Hirschheim, 2000).

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Figure 1.0

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Diversity of philosophical approaches

It is notorious that Information Systems (IS) is not distinctive in respect of this

diversity, for example, organization theory, sociology, economics or geography,
are equally split. For example, health information systems (HIS) particularly can
be defined as a set of components and procedures organized with the objective of
generating information which will improve health care management decisions at
all levels of the health system (Lippeveld, Sauerborn, and Bodart, 2000). It is
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important to assess the ability of the system to produce valid, reliable, timely, and
reasonably accurate information for use by planners and decision-makers. The
result of the assessment will allow the user to be pleased about the ability of a
countrys HIS to integrate data collection, processing, reporting, and use of the
information necessary for improving health service effectiveness and efficiency
through better management at all levels of health services (Lippeveld, Sauerborn,
and Bodart 2000). Therefore, the objective of the HIS is to produce significant
and quality information to support decision making (Health Metrics Network
2006).
To date the practice of health sector in managing IS has not been sufficiently
theorized. An adequate theory should be able to answer the pre-eminent critique
of how information in healthcare should be theorized and should also offer
vigorous analytical and ethical resources to identify and engage with the social,
political, economic and moral issues underlying health information system. Thus,
this paper proposes a realistic philosophical approach critical realism as a way
to theorize HIS and dissolve most of those issues with other philosophy of science
in Figure 1.0. The critical realism perspective could lay a fruitful foundation for
an interdisciplinary research field like IS, and its user studies in particular,
concerned with many levels of information creation, seeking, use and processing
(Wikgren, 2004).

2. Significance of Study

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This section will answer the motives for studying this topic as well as stating my interest
to investigate it.
The findings of the study will provide salient evidence of critical realism addresses both
natural and social science and thus encompasses the main domains of health information
system. Therefore, the findings may also contribute to other researchers to resolve
theoretical questions, develop a theoretical model or stimulate new research, and
professionals and practitioners; may change the way they do their jobs specifically in
managing health information system because critical realism is able to point out the
limitations of positivism and interpretivism individually whilst recognizing the
contribution that research methods from these paradigms can make.
It is as well to acknowledge here, an interdisciplinary research field like HIS, and its user
studies in particular, concerned with many levels of information creation, seeking, use
and processing, both institutional and system-oriented, individual and collectivistic
(Wilson, 2002), will naturally contain different ontological, epistemological, and
methodological perspectives (Budd, 2001). On the one hand, Dervin (2003) rightly points
out that we are drowning in concepts, variables, methods, theories, while, on the other
hand, Bates (2002, p. 15) (also rightly) claims that: the several metatheories driving
research in information seeking each have much of value to offer, and should not be
placed in a life or death struggle for dominance in our thinking and research.
As for the supply of health information, many methods and sources are available for
generating data. They can be divided into those that generate data relative to populations
as a whole (census, vital registration, surveys), and those that generate data about the
operation of the services (administrative records, service records, health and disease

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records). Different data are needed at different level of systems. Realizing this scenario, I
am interested to explore whether critical realism does potentially fit well with the reality
of health information system and to find out whether health information system can adopt
critical realism philosophy. Other than that, I would like to attempt to further the
effectiveness of managing health information system using critical realism philosophy.
Finally, it is hoped that this study would encourage further related research to extent the
knowledge of critical realism philosophy in health information system or any other fields.

3. Research Methods
The study will adopt the qualitative research methodologies which it serves the following
purposes (Peshkin, 1993):

Description. They can reveal the nature of certain situations, settings, processes,
relationships, systems or people.

Interpretation. They enable the researcher to (a) gain new insights about a
particular phenomenon, (b) develop new concepts or theoretical perspectives
about the phenomenon and/or (c) discover the problems that exist within the
phenomenon.

Verification. They allow a researcher to test the validity of certain assumptions,

claims, theories, or generalizations within real-world contexts.

Evaluation. They provide a means though which a researcher can judge the
effectiveness of particular policies, practices, or innovations.

There are a few approaches might be suitable for meeting the research objectives and I
briefly describe the specific nature of the method and data analysis.
In a case study, the subject matters which are health information system and critical
realism will be studied in depth for a defined period of time. For example, what

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philosophy has underpinned information system (IS) research for the past years and how
health information system (HIS), specifically being managed currently and what
philosophy is use to theorized HIS. This case study may be especially suitable for
learning more about a little known or poorly understood situation. In either circumstance,
it is useful for generating and providing preliminary support for hypotheses.

An

extensive data will be collected that uses a literature-based analysis of the critical realism
concepts of a stratified social reality, the importance of contextualization, and the relation
between structure and agency. These features are discussed in relation to various models
of information-seeking behavior, but also to the interpretative approach to information
as meaning which can only be achieved through discourses in a human community.
Then, data analysis will be performed based on the case study that typically involves the
following steps (Cresswell, 1998; Stake, 1995):

Organization of details about the case. The specific facts about the case are
arranged in a logical order.

Categorization of data. Categories are identified that can help cluster the data into
meaningful groups.

Interpretations of single instances. Specific documents, occurrences, and other

bits of data are examined for the specific meanings they might have in relation to
the case.

Identification of patterns. The data and their interpretations are scrutinized for
underlying themes and other patterns that characterize the case more broadly than
a single piece of information can reveal.

Synthesis and generalizations. An overall portrait of the case is constructed.

Conclusions are drawn that may have implications beyond the specific case that
has been studied.

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As the content analysis is a detailed and systematic examination of the contents of

particular body of material for the purpose of identifying patterns, themes, or biases; I
think that this approach is also appropriate to answer the research questions. The
following are the typical steps to perform content analysis (Leedy & Ormrod):
Identify the specific body material to be studied. If this body is relatively small, it is
studied in its entirely. If it is quite large, a sample (perhaps a random sample) is selected.
Define the characteristics or qualities to be examined in precise, concrete terms. Also
identify specific examples of each characteristic as a way of defining it more clearly.
If the material to be analyzed involves complex or lengthy items, break down each item
into small, manageable segments that are analyzed separately.
Scrutinize the material for instances of each characteristic or quality defined in step 2.
When judgments are entirely objective, only one judge, or rather, is necessary. When
judgments are more subjective, two or three rates are typically involved, and a composite
of their judgments is used.

4. Nature of knowledge and Business Organisations

In a knowledge-based society, knowledge that leads to innovation and commercial
activity is now recognised as critical to economic development especially to business

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organisations. Again, there is a tendency to argue that this kind of knowledge

commercial knowledge is different from academic knowledge. I would argue that
sometimes it is and sometimes it isnt. Both commercial and academic knowledge have
the similarity that eventually led to innovation. My proposed research itself is more on
academic knowledge rather than a commercial knowledge that can benefit business
organization in term of monetary reward.
My other opinion is that academic knowledge is utterly seen in these arguments as not
relevant to the knowledge society; it is only applied knowledge now that matters.
However, and this is the critical point. It has been the explosion in academic knowledge
that has formed the basis of the knowledge society. It was academic development in
sciences, medicine and engineering that led to the development of the Internet,
biotechnology, digital financial services, computer software and telecommunication, etc.
Indeed, it is no co-incidence that those countries most advanced in knowledge-based for
business organizations were those that have the highest participation rates in university
education.

REFERENCES
Bates, M. (2002), Toward an integrated model of information seeking and searching, The New
Review of Information Behaviour Research, Vol. 3, pp. 115.
Budd, J.M. (2001), Knowledge and Knowing in Library and Information Science: A
Philosophical Framework, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, MD.
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Dervin, B. (2003), Human studies and user studies: a call for methodological
interdisciplinarity, Information Research, Vol. 9 No. 1, paper 166, available at:
http://InformationR.net/ir/9-1/paper166.html (accessed 13 March 2011).
Health Metrics Network. 2006a. A Framework for Standards for Country Health Information
System Development (Version 1.65). Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO).
Lee, A. (1999). Rigour and relevance in MIS research: beyond the approach of positivism alone.
MIS Quarterly, 23, 29-33.
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, R. K. (2002). Practical Research (8th Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson
Prentice Hall.
Lippeveld, Theo, R. Sauerborn, and C. Bodart. 2000. Design and Implementation of Health
Information Systems. Geneva: WHO.
Mingers, J. (2004). Real-izing information systems: critical realism as an underpinning
philosophy for information systems, 14, 87-103
Peshkin, A. (1993). The goodness of qualitative research. Educational Researcher, 22(2), 23-29.
Stake, R. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Wikgren, W. (2004). Critical realism as a philosophy and social theory in information science?,
Vol. 61, 11-22
Wilson, T.D. (2002), Philosophical foundations and research relevance: issues for
information research, paper presented at CoLIS4 4th International Conference on
Conceptions of Library and Information Science: Emerging Framework and
Method, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 21-25 July, available at:
http://informationr.net/tdw/publ/papers/COLIS4.html (accessed 16 March 2011).

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