3.1.3 Axiology
Axiology is concerned with the aims of the research (Lee and
Lings, 2008). The aim of this dissertation is to develop a framework based on
the principles of Project Portfolio Management that can be used for the
selection and management of International development projects.
In order to achieve this aim, the research first focused on
project portfolio management with the objective of understanding what it is and
how programmes and projects are selected and managed when applying the
principles of project portfolio management. Secondly, the research looked at
International Development Organisations as a whole in order to understand their
nature and what differentiate them from the other types of organisations, how
projects are selected and managed within this type of organisation and what
critical success factors lead to the successful implementation of International
Development Projects. Thirdly, five international development organisations
were analysed with a focus on their strategic objectives and their programme
selection framework. This analysis helped in identifying the key features of
their respective frameworks and how they function. Finally, a simple and easy
to implement framework based on the discussions in the literature review and
the findings was developed.
3.2 Research Approach
There are two types of research approach: Deduction and
Induction.
Deduction also known as theory testing is associated with
scientific research and it involves the development of a theory that will be
tested (Saunders et al., 2007). The deductive approach aims to explain
relationships between variables by using a highly structured methodology.
Induction which is associated with building theory is concerned
with the context in which events take place (Saunders et al., 2007). This
approach analyses events and use this analysis to formulate a theory.
The research approach selected for this dissertation is induction
because the aim of this dissertation is to understand both project portfolio
management and International development organisations in order to develop a
framework that can be used when selecting and managing development programmes
and projects. The building of this theory required the analysis of qualitative
date from five selected
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International Development Organisations in order to get more
insight on their strategic objectives, the way they are funded and the
framework they currently use to select and implement their programmes and
projects. The findings of this analysis lead to the development of the
framework proposed in this dissertation.
3.3 Research Design and Strategy
3.3.1 Research Design
Research design is the general plan of how you will answer your
research question based on your research purpose, research objective (s), the
sources of data collection and the constraints of your research (Saunders et
al., 2007). There exist three types of research purpose: exploratory,
descriptive and explanatory.
An exploratory study is a study which aims to find out what is
happening and asks questions to assess phenomena in a new light (Saunders et
al., 2007).
A descriptive study is one that aims to portray an event or
situation accurately (Saunders et al., 2007). It gives a clearly understanding
of events or situations prior to the collection of data.
An explanatory study on the other hand is one that aims to
establish a causal relationship between different variables (Saunders et al.,
2007). Explanatory studies put emphasis on studying a situation or problem in
order to explain relationships between variables.
This dissertation is a combination of both the exploratory
research approach and the descriptive approach. The research is exploratory in
that it aims to give an insight on what project portfolio management is about,
how it is used and finally how it can be applied in the programme and project
selection processes of International Development Organisations through to the
development of framework based on project portfolio management's principles.
The descriptive aspect of this research focuses on International development
organisations and aims to help understand the nature of this type of
organisation, what differentiate these organisations from organisations in
other sectors, the two commonly used frameworks in the project selection
process of the these organisations and the factors that lead to the successful
implementation of these projects. Combining these two approaches help meet the
research objectives which are:
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- to understand how project portfolio selections can applied
within an organisation
- to understand the nature of International Development
Organisations as
opposed to traditional project-based organisations, and
- to propose a framework for the selection and management of
programmes
and projects in International Development Organisations
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