Assignment No.

Isabelle’s research dilemma

Course Title: Advanced Research Methods

Submitted by: Aziz ur Rehman (64244)
Mehreen Sultan Ali (64393)
Yousuf Ali Badshah (62268)
Ummul Banin (64356)
Submitted to: Dr. Atif Alvi (Course Instructor)
Semester: Spring 2019
 Isabelle’s research dilemma

Question No.1

How do you think Isabella’s understanding of theory and method changed in adopting the
approach she chose?

Isabelle found that more traditional research on managing pressure focused on positivistic
approaches which emphasis on being scientific and rigorous. This approach often uses as
quantitative methods with an emphasis on measuring and the use of factor analysis. Isabelle
decided not to use POSITIVISTIC approach. She felt that number of students had already used
this approach. She also thought that this traditional research ignored the manager’s biography
which could prove to be important in understanding how the manager coped with pressure.

In terms of method she decided that the approach she would adopt would be qualitative instead
of quantitative.

Question No.2

What particular knowledge and skills did she develop in preparing this research?

In particular research she has to conduct in-depth interviews as well as use life stories and family
histories because this kind of biographical approach was more holistic. In conducting such
research, she knows that she has to deal with complex issues with the subject matter and the
method she wanted to adopt. She felt she had the emotional maturity to manage the process.
Also she lacks software knowledge so she has to build command on that.

Question No.3

What problems do you think she would have anticipated in conducting research into
pressure and coping among managers that her literature review may not have identified?