An exploration of mixed methods, researching business model phenomena - Investigating the business model phenomena through literature, in-depth case study, statistical testing and user experiments

Abstract

Paper 1 encompass a literature investigation and could aid in understanding the business model phenomena on an overarching process level and how these processes could be improved. Paper 2 encompass an in-depth case study and could aid in understanding the business model phenomena on an organizational and network level. Paper 3 encompass statistical testing of company data and could aid in understanding the business model phenomena on a company level and in-between companies. Paper 4 encompass a user experiment and could aid in understanding the business model phenomena at a product level. Conducting multiple methods poses great requirement on a researcher. It may be next to impossible for one single researcher to conduct the methods properly. Academic rigor should not be compromised. Therefore, the handover between the methodological approaches and the specific methods must be appropriate. Complex, uninvestigated phenomena and context require a genuine mixed method approach, which research designs with a solitary purpose fall short on. A deliberate selection of methods combined with applying the flexibility principle to research design results in a research design that is not preset, but that adapts to the research process as it progresses. A flexible research design can further enhance the mixed method research approach s ability to investigate broad and complex phenomena such as the context in this thesis.