Research methods for construction

320 Pages·2008·1.518 MB·English

by  Richard Fellows, Anita Liu

Research Methods for Construction

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Research Methods
for Construction
Third Edition
Richard Fellows
Department of Real Estate and Construction
The University of Hong Kong
and
Anita Liu
Department of Civil and Building Engineering
Loughborough University

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Thiseditionfirstpublished2008
©2008byBlackwellPublishingLtd
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Fellows,Richard,1948-
Researchmethodsforconstruction/RichardFellowsandAnitaLiu.–3rded.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN-13:978-1-4051-7790-0(pbk.:alk.paper)
ISBN-10:1-4051-7790-X(pbk.:alk.paper)1.Building–Research–Methodology.I.Liu,
Anita.II.Title.

TH213.5.F452008
624.072–dc22
2008002534
AcataloguerecordforthistitleisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
Setin10/13ptPalatinobyNewgenImagingSystems(P)Ltd,Chennai,India
PrintedinSingaporebyUtopiaPressPteLtd
1 2008
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Contents
PrefacetoThirdEdition viii
PrefacetoSecondEdition x
Part1 ProducingaProposal 1
1 Introduction 3
Theconceptofresearch 3
Classificationsofresearch 7
Theoriesandparadigms 12
Researchstyles 20
Quantitativeandqualitativeapproaches 26
Wheretobegin 30
Summary 32
References 32
2 TopicforStudy 35
Selectionofatopic 35
Writingtheproposal 42
Summary 50
References 50
Part2 ExecutingtheResearch 51
3 InitialResearch 53
Theresearchprocess 53

Initialsearch 60
Assemblingthetheoreticalframework 66
Philosophyandmethodology 67
Theoreticalmodelsandconstructs 73
Properreferencing 77
Summary 77
References 78
v
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vi Contents
4 ApproachestoEmpiricalWork 81
Roleofexperience 81
Researchdesign 83
Qualitativeapproaches 91
Quantitativeapproaches 97
Experimentaldesign(includingexperimentsand
quasi-experiments) 102
Casestudyresearch 110
Modelling 114
Simulation 118
Summary 121
References 121
5 Hypotheses 125
Essentialsofavalidhypothesis 125
Rolesofhypotheses 129
Objectivetestingofhypotheses 130
Roleofsampling 131
Commonstatisticalmeasures 133
Nullhypotheses 141
Validities 143
Summary 145
References 146
6 DataCollection 147
Datarequirements 147
Collectingdatafromrespondents 150
Sampling 159
Samplesize 163
Scalesofmeasurement 167
Obtainingdata 175
Summary 183
References 183
7 DataAnal ysis 186
Analysingdata 186
Plottingdata 191
Statisticalmethods 194
Non-parametrictests 194
Parametrictests 202
Otheranalyticaltechniques 225
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Contents vii
Summary 242
References 242
8 EthicsinResearch 246
Theconceptsofmoralsandethics 246
Researchethics 249
Dataanalysis,intellectualpropertyanddataprotection 256
Summary 259
References 259
Part3 ReportingtheResults 261
9 Results,InferencesandConclusions 263
Requirementsforvalidresults 263
Potentialsourcesoferror 264
Reliability 265
Results 266
Inferences 270
Conclusions 276
Summary 279
References 279
10 ReportsandPresentations 281
Reportproduction 281
Communication 282
Contentsofthereport 284
Oralpresentation 293
Summary 294
Index 295

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Preface to Third Edition
Wewelcometheopportunitytobothupdateandimprovethisbookinorder
toextendandenhanceitsusefulnessforresearchers.Theamendmentsreflect
comments and suggestions from colleagues on the first two editions of the
bookaswellasourownresearchprogressionintonewareasofinterestand
studyandthemethodswehaveadoptedandconsidered,togetherwithfeed-
back from students on undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees
whom we have supervised and to whom we have provided modules in
research methods. We extend our thanks to all who have taken the trouble
toadviseusofpotentialimprovements.
Throughouttheproductionofthisedition,aspreviously,wehaveendeav-
ouredtoberigorousinscopeanddepthofcontentandtoincorporatepractical
examples of applications of the methods to construction-oriented research.
OurinvolvementwithCIB(ConseilInternationalduBâtiment(International
CouncilforResearchandInnovationinBuildingandConstruction))groups,
conferencesandpublicationshasprovedinvaluableinbringingusintocontact
withworld-leadingresearchersinmanyconstructionfieldswhichhasgreatly
enrichedourappreciationoftheever-growingwealthofresearchrelatingto
constructionbothdirectlyandindirectly.
However, we are also ever more aware of the pressures under which
researchersmustwork,especiallyintermsoffundingrestrictionsandquan-
tity, as well as quality, of outputs – particularly, papers in refereed journals.
Atoneend,informationsearchingisvastlyfacilitatedbytheinternet,whilst,
attheother,journalsproliferate.Bothdevelopmentsraiseimportantissuesof
validityandreliability–thewebremains(largely)unrefereedandunpoliced

andso,theindividualinformation-seekermustbetheinitialjudgeofreliabil-
ityofwhatisretrievedwhilsttheproliferationofjournalsrequiresmanymore
referees, andeditors, tobe‘gatekeepers’formaintenanceandenhancement,
ofquality.
Despite the pressures and gripes, research is, for us, at least, the most
stimulatingandrewardingofpursuits,bothincarryingoutscholarshipand
empirical investigations ourselves and in assisting others as colleagues or
viii
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PrefacetoThirdEdition ix
supervisors.Thesheerjoyofvaliddiscoveryremainsboundless;wehopethis
newvolumehelpsallitsreaderstoenjoyresearchtoo.
AnitaLiu
RichardFellows
HongKong,December2007

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Preface to Second Edition
‘Thescientistisnotthepersonwhoknowsalotbutratherthepersonwhoisnot
preparedtogiveupthesearchfortruth.’ Popper(1989, p. 334); reportingMarx
andEngels.
Adisciplineorprofessionisestablishedbydevelopingabodyofknowledge
which is unique – that body of knowledge is produced through research.
Constructiondrawsonawidevarietyofestablishedsubjects,includingnat-
ural sciences, social sciences, engineering and management, and applies
them to its particular context and requirements. Only by use of appropriate
methodologiesandmethodsofresearch,appliedwithrigour,canthebodyof
knowledgeforconstructionbeestablishedandadvancedwithconfidence.
Althoughanumberoftextsareavailablediscussingresearchmethodologies
andmethodsgenerally,thereisanotablelackofsuchbooksinconstruction.
Statistics, philosophy, natural and social sciences have produced relevant
texts; this book is aimed at the broad discipline of construction. In partic-
ular, the contents of this book will be useful to students of building, civil
engineering,architecture,constructionmanagementandallformsofsurvey-
ing, whether researching for dissertations for Bachelors or Masters degrees
orundertakingresearchforMastersdegreesorDoctorates.Further,thebook
willbehelpfultopractitionersandstudentsinthesedisciplinesinproviding
guidanceonhowtoinstilrigourinproblem-solvingandonproducingreports
andpublications.
The approach adopted in the book is to outline the process of research:
the initial recognition that research is necessary; the development of a pro-
posal; the execution of the research; the drawing of conclusions; and the
production and presentation of the final report. The book comprises three
mainparts–producingaproposal,executingtheresearchandreportingthe

results.Thebookdiscussesthemainissuesinresearchandexaminesthepri-
maryapproaches–bothqualitativeandquantitative. Themethodsadopted
for scientific and engineering experiments and simulations are evaluated as
well as those employed for research into managerial issues, and social and
economicinvestigations.
In considering the requirements for data and data analyses, the book
presents discussion of important statistical considerations and techniques.
x
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