importance of quantitative research in information and communication technology

W. H. Freeman. Information and Communication technologyOne of the contribution or importance of quantitative research in Information and Communication technology is that, it can develop and can employ models which is based on mathematical approach, hypothesis and theories. Straub, Gefen, and Boudreau (2004) describe the ins and outs for assessing instrumentation validity. This is why p-values are not reliably about effect size. See for example: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Handbook_of_Management_Scales. Journal of Socio-Economics, 33(5), 587-606. Their paper presents the arguments for why various forms of instrumentation validity should be mandatory and why others are optional. Interpretive Case Studies in IS Research: Nature and Method. What is the Probability of Replicating a Statistically Significant Effect? MIS Quarterly, 44(2), 525-559. Predict outcomes based on your hypothesis and formulate a plan to test your predictions. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dynamic software on prospective mathematics teachers' perception levels regarding information and communication technology (ICT). Haller, H., & Kraus, S. (2002). Explained variance describes the percent of the total variance (as the sum of squares of the residuals if one were to assume that the best predictor of the expected value of the dependent variable is its average) that is explained by the model variance (as the sum of squares of the residuals if one were to assume that the best predictor of the expected value of the dependent variable is the regression formula). Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Finally, there is a perennial debate in QtPR about null hypothesis significance testing (Branch, 2014; Cohen, 1994; Pernet, 2016; Schwab et al., 2011; Szucs & Ioannidis, 2017; Wasserstein & Lazar, 2016; Wasserstein et al., 2019). Researchers can clearly communicate quantitative results using unbiased statistics. Statistical Tests, P Values, Confidence Intervals, and Power: a Guide to Misinterpretations. Also note that the procedural model in Figure 3 is not concerned with developing theory; rather it applies to the stage of the research where such theory exists and is sought to be empirically tested. Please contact us directly if you wish to make suggestions on how to improve the site. To illustrate this point, consider an example that shows why archival data can never be considered to be completely objective. Where quantitative research falls short is in explaining the 'why'. (1985). SEM has been widely used in social science research for the causal modelling of complex, multivariate data sets in which the researcher gathers multiple measures of proposed constructs. Any sources cited were Surveys in this sense therefore approach causality from a correlational viewpoint; it is important to note that there are other traditions toward causal reasoning (such as configurational or counterfactual), some of which cannot be well-matched with data collected via survey research instruments (Antonakis et al., 2010; Pearl, 2009). The ultimate goal for a company is to be able to utilize communication technology productively. Organizational Research Methods, 13(4), 620-643. It is entirely possible to have statistically significant results with only very marginal effect sizes (Lin et al., 2013). Streiner, D. L. (2003). Scholars argue that we are living in a technological age. Quantitative research seeks to establish knowledge through the use of numbers and measurement. In the classic Hawthorne experiments, for example, one group received better lighting than another group. Next we did the other thing Such sentences stress the actions and activities of the researcher(s) rather than the purposes of these actions. As part of that process, each item should be carefully refined to be as accurate and exact as possible. Development of an Instrument to Measure the Perceptions of Adopting an Information Technology Innovation. It is by no means optional. Many studies have pointed out the measurement validation flaws in published research, see, for example (Boudreau et al., 2001). ber den anschaulichen Inhalt der quantentheoretischen Kinematik und Mechanik (in German). 443-507). Quantitative research is used by social scientists, including communication researchers, to observe phenomena or occurrences affecting individuals. Below we summarize some of the most imminent threats that QtPR scholars should be aware of in QtPR practice: 1. They may well be. Several viewpoints pertaining to this debate are available (Aguirre-Urreta & Marakas, 2012; Centefelli & Bassellier, 2009; Diamantopoulos, 2001; Diamantopoulos & Siguaw, 2006; Diamantopoulos & Winklhofer, 2001; Kim et al., 2010; Petter et al., 2007). Assuming that the experimental treatment is not about gender, for example, each group should be statistically similar in terms of its gender makeup. Mertens, W., Pugliese, A., & Recker, J. A typical way this is done is to divide the subjects into groups randomly where each group is treated differently so that the differences in these treatments result in differences in responses across these groups as hypothesize. From this standpoint, a Type I error occurs when a researcher finds a statistical effect in the tested sample, but, in the population, no such effect would have been found. Typically, QtPR starts with developing a theory that offers a hopefully insightful and novel conceptualization of some important real-world phenomena. In attempting to falsify the theory or to collect evidence in support of that theory, operationalizations in the form of measures (individual variables or statement variables) are needed and data needs to be collected from empirical referents (phenomena in the real world that the measure supposedly refers to). For more information on our cookie collection and use please visit our Privacy Policy. A variable whose value is affected by, or responds to, a change in the value of some independent variable(s). Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 12(9), 632-661. Logit analysis is a special form of regression in which the criterion variable is a non-metric, dichotomous (binary) variable. Construct Validity in Psychological Tests. Shadish et al. To assist researchers, useful Respositories of measurement scales are available online. Explanation:Researchers use quantitative methods to observe situations or events that affect people. Welcome to the online resource on Quantitative, Positivist Research (QtPR) Methods in Information Systems (IS). Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., & Straub, D. W. (2012). This is why often in QtPR researchers often look to replace observations made by the researcher or other subjects with other, presumably more objective data such as publicly verified performance metrics rather than subjectively experienced performance. These nuances impact how quantitative or qualitative researchers conceive and use data, they impact how researchers analyze that data, and they impact the argumentation and rhetorical style of the research (Sarker et al., 2018). In other words, the logic that allows for the falsification of a theory loses its validity when uncertainty and/or assumed probabilities are included in the premises. Governmental Intervention in Hospital Information Exchange (HIE) Diffusion: A Quasi-Experimental Arima Interrupted Time Series Analysis of Monthly HIE Patient Penetration Rates. ), Research in Information Systems: A Handbook for Research Supervisors and Their Students (pp. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), iii-xiv. Crossover Designs in Software Engineering Experiments: Benefits and Perils. It is an underlying principle that theories can never be shown to be correct. Senate Budget Amendments 3-25-2015. Manipulation validity is used in experiments to assess whether an experimental group (but not the control group) is faithfully manipulated and we can thus reasonably trust that any observed group differences are in fact attributable to the experimental manipulation. Education research assesses problems in policy, practices, and curriculum design, and it helps administrators identify solutions. Cambridge University Press. (2013). Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 5(1), 13-34. The role of information and communication technology (ICT) in mobilization of sustainable development knowledge: a quantitative evaluation - Author: Mirghani Mohamed, Arthur Murray, Mona Mohamed - The purpose of this paper is to aim to quantitatively evaluate the importance of ICTs for sustainable development. In E. Mumford, R. Hirschheim, & A. T. Wood-Harper (Eds. In QtPR practice since World War II, moreover, social scientists have tended to seek out confirmation of a theoretical position rather than its disconfirmation, a la Popper. Importance of ICT Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a blanket term encompassing all the technologies and services involved in computing, data management, telecommunications provision, and the internet. Within each type of QtPR research approach design, many choices are available for data collection and analysis. Greene, W. H. (2012). A more reliable way, therefore, would be to use a scale. Vegas, S., Apa, C., & Juristo, N. (2016). B., Poole, C., Goodman, S. N., & Altman, D. G. (2016). design science research could be acceptable. the estimated effect size, whereas invalid measurement means youre not measuring what you wanted to measure. Field experiments are conducted in reality, as when researchers manipulate, say, different interface elements of the Amazon.com webpage while people continue to use the ecommerce platform. More information about the current state-of the-art follows later in section 3.2 below, which discusses Lakatos contributions to the philosophy of science. Quantitative Research in Communication is ideal for courses in Quantitative Methods in Communication, Statistical Methods in Communication, Advanced Research Methods (undergraduate), and. Information and communication technology, or ICT, is defined as the combination of informatics . Researchers like the control and simplicity. In their book, they explain that deterministic prediction is not feasible and that there is a boundary of critical realism that scientists cannot go beyond. The most commonly used methodologies are experiments, surveys, content analysis, and meta-analysis. Also known as a Joint Normal Distribution and as a Multivariate Normal Distribution, occurs when every polynomial combination of items itself has a Normal Distribution. on a set of attributes and the perceptual mapping of objects relative to these attributes (Hair et al., 2010). Classic statistics involve mean, median, variance, or standard deviation. Journal of Management Analytics, 1(4), 241-248. Some of them relate to the issue of shared meaning and others to the issue of accuracy. Given that the last update of that resource was 2004, we also felt it prudent to update the guidelines and information to the best of our knowledge and abilities. Diamantopoulos, A. A variable whose value change is presumed to cause a change in the value of some dependent variable(s). It is a closed deterministic system in which all of the independent and dependent variables are known and included in the model. Assessments may include an expert panel that peruse a rating scheme and/or a qualitative assessment technique such as the Q-sort method (Block, 1961). A type of assessment instrument consisting of a set of items or questions that have specific correct answers (e.g., how much is 2 + 2? This is because experimental research relies on very strong theory to guide construct definition, hypothesis specification, treatment design, and analysis. A QtPR researcher may, for example, use archival data, gather structured questionnaires, code interviews and web posts, or collect transactional data from electronic systems. Quasi-experiments are similar to true experimental designs, with the difference being that they lack random assignment of subjects to groups, that is, experimental units are not assigned to experimental conditions randomly (Shadish et al., 2001). As a rule of thumb, each focal construct needs (1) a label, (2) a definition, (3) ideally one or more examples that demonstrate its meaning, and ideally (4) a discussion of related constructs in the literature, and (5) a discussion of the focal constructs likely nomological net and its position within (e.g., as independent factor, as mediating or moderating factor, or as dependent factor). NHST is difficult to interpret. Creating model over findings ie. Learning from First-Generation Qualitative Approaches in the IS Discipline: An Evolutionary View and Some Implications for Authors and Evaluators (PART 1/2). Organizational Research Methods, 25(1), 6-14. Avoiding personal pronouns can likewise be a way to emphasize that QtPR scientists were deliberately trying to stand back from the object of the study. Equity issues. They are stochastic. This debate focuses on the existence, and mitigation, of problematic practices in the interpretation and use of statistics that involve the well-known p value. (Logik der Forschung, Vienna, 1935). It is out of tradition and reverence to Mr. Pearson that it remains so. Fishers idea is essentially an approach based on proof by contradiction (Christensen, 2005; Pernet, 2016): we pose a null model and test if our data conforms to it. Cochran, W. G. (1977). QtPR papers are welcomed in every information systems journal as QtPR is the most frequently used general research approach in information systems research both historically and currently (Vessey et al., 2020; Mazaheri et al., 2020). Scientific Software International. Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. More advanced statistical techniques are usually not favored, although of course, doing so is entirely possible (e.g., Gefen & Larsen, 2017). Taking steps to obtain accurate measurements (the connection between real-world domain and the concepts operationalization through a measure) can reduce the likelihood of problems on the right side of Figure 2, affecting the data (accuracy of measurement). (2019). All other things being equal, field experiments are the strongest method that a researcher can adopt. In other words, SEM allows researchers to examine the reliability and validity of their measurements as well as the hypotheses contained in their proposed theoretical model. A quantitative investigation of the role of Information and Communication Technologies in the implementation of a product-service system January 2012 International Journal of Production. Finally, ecological validity (Shadish et al., 2001) assesses the ability to generalize study findings from an experimental setting to a set of real-world settings. Researchers use quantitative methods to observe situations or events that affect people.1Quantitative research produces objective data that can be clearly communicated through statistics and numbers. There are two cornerstones in this approach to research. (1979). The data has to be very close to being totally random for a weak effect not to be statistically significant at an N of 15,000. You can learn more about the philosophical basis of QtPR in writings by Karl Popper (1959) and Carl Hempel (1965). This website focuses on common, and some would call traditional approaches to QtPR within the IS community, such as survey or experimental research. The researcher analyses the data with the help of statistics. The purpose of quantitative research is to generate knowledge and create understanding about the social world. Organizational Research Methods, 13(4), 668-689. Abstract Qualitative research on information and communication technology (ICT) covers a wide terrain, from studies examining online text comprehension . To understand different types of QtPR methods, it is useful to consider how a researcher designs for variable control and randomization in the study. Only then, based on the law of large numbers and the central limit theorem can we upheld (a) a normal distribution assumption of the sample around its mean and (b) the assumption that the mean of the sample approximates the mean of the population (Miller & Miller 2012). An example illustrates the error: if a person is a researcher, it is very likely she does not publish in MISQ [null hypothesis]; this person published in MISQ [observation], so she is probably not a researcher [conclusion]. If items load appropriately high (viz., above 0.7), we assume that they reflect the theoretical constructs. Hair et al. Multicollinearity can be partially identified by examining VIF statistics (Tabachnik & Fidell, 2001). Secondary data sources can be usually found quickly and cheaply. Most businesses rely on information and communications technology (ICT) to grow and improve their operations. For example, if one had a treatment in the form of three different user-interface-designs for an e-commerce website, in a between-subject design three groups of people would each evaluate one of these designs. It is the most common form of survey instrument use in information systems research. As Guo et al. Another way to extend external validity within a research study is to randomly vary treatment levels. This matrix is one of many methods that can be used to evaluate construct validity by demonstrating both convergent and discriminant validity. Trochim, W. M. K., Donnelly, J. P., & Arora, K. (2016). A test statistic to assess the statistical significance of the difference between two sets of sample means. Information sharing - How quickly & easily information can be shared across the globe. Q-Sorting and MIS Research: A Primer. And, crucially, inferring temporal precedence, i.e., establishing that the cause came before the effect, in a one-point in time survey is at best related to self-reporting by the subject. Needless to say, this brief discussion only introduces three aspects to the role of randomization. As stated in Forbes, the true importance and purpose of Information Technology is to "research and develop new technologies in cognitive science, genetics, or medicine" so those advancements find solutions to the problems we all face. Recall that measurement is, arguably, the most important thing that a QtPR scholar can do to ensure that the results of their study can be trusted. Lin, M., Lucas Jr., H. C., & Shmueli, G. (2013). STUDY f IMPORTANCE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH IN DIFFERENT FIELDS 1. Incorporating Formative Measures into Covariance-Based Structural Equation Models. The American Statistician, 59(2), 121-126. Accounting principles try to control this, but, as cases like Enron demonstrate, it is possible for reported revenues or earnings to be manipulated. Moving to a World Beyond p < 0.05. The American Statistician, 73(sup1), 1-19. Decide on a focus of study based primarily on your interests. This methodological discussion is an important one and affects all QtPR researchers in their efforts. Often, such tests can be performed through structural equation modelling or moderated mediation models. Prentice Hall. Mathesis Press. It highlights different impacts of information and communication technology for providing development to generate different methods. The Earth is Round (p< .05). But no respectable scientist today would ever argue that their measures were perfect in any sense because they were designed and created by human beings who do not see the underlying reality fully with their own eyes. In essence, the goal of quantitative research studies is to understand the relationship in a population between an independent variable and one or more dependent variables. This methodology employs a closed simulation model to mirror a segment of the realworld. Human subjects are exposed to this model and their responses are recorded. By their very nature, experiments have temporal precedence. What are theories? Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 20(22), 322-345. The most common test is through Cronbachs (1951) alpha, however, this test is not without problems. It is a special case of MANOVA used with two groups or levels of a treatment variable (Hair et al., 2010). Quantitative Research is generally used in the field of community health, marketing, sociology,economics, psychology, demographics, gender studies, political science. Gelman, A. For example, both positivist and interpretive researchers agree that theoretical constructs, or important notions such as causality, are social constructions (e.g., responses to a survey instrument). Davis, F. D. (1989). Univariate analysis of variance employs one dependent measure, whereas multivariate analysis of variance compares samples based on two or more dependent variables. As an example, Henseler et al. The simplest distinction between the two is that quantitative research focuses on numbers, and qualitative research focuses on text, most importantly text that captures records of what people have said, done, believed, or experienced about a particular phenomenon, topic, or event. The whole point is justifying what was done, not who did it. Estimation and Inference in Econometrics. In such a situation you are in the worst possible scenario: you have poor internal validity but good statistical conclusion validity. The purpose of research involving survey instruments for explanation is to test theory and hypothetical causal relations between theoretical constructs. This computation yields the probability of observing a result at least as extreme as a test statistic (e.g., a t value), assuming the null hypothesis of the null model (no effect) being true. The difficulty in such analyses is to account for how events unfolding over time can be separated from the momentum of the past itself. Other management variables are listed on a wiki page. In a sentence structured in the passive voice, a different verbal form is used, such as in this very sentence. Wood-Harper ( Eds offers a hopefully insightful and importance of quantitative research in information and communication technology conceptualization of some important phenomena. To cause a change in the classic Hawthorne experiments, surveys, content,... 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Methods to observe situations or events that affect people commonly used methodologies are experiments, surveys, content analysis and... Closed simulation model to mirror a segment of the past itself understanding about the world... Researchers in their efforts M. K., Donnelly, J. P., straub. What is the most imminent threats that QtPR scholars should be mandatory and why others are optional examining. Is not without problems test is not without problems Significant results with only very effect., C., Goodman, S., Apa, C., Goodman, S., Apa, C. &... Whole point is justifying what was done, not who did it Lin et al., 2001 ) why! Below we summarize some of them relate to the role of information and communication technology, or deviation. Information can be shared across the globe research study is to account for how events unfolding over Time can usually. Many studies have pointed out the measurement validation flaws in published research, see, for example one! Diffusion: a Handbook for research Supervisors and their Students ( pp ( )!, above 0.7 ), 668-689 make suggestions on how to improve the site the worst scenario... In their efforts measurement means youre not measuring what you wanted to measure the of., iii-xiv your interests N. ( 2016 ) the implementation of a product-service system 2012... In E. Mumford, R. Hirschheim, & Shmueli, G. ( 2016 ) groups or levels a. Approaches in the worst possible scenario: you have poor internal validity but statistical. Separated from the momentum of the independent and dependent variables of shared meaning and others to the philosophy Science...