A brief teaching note on secondary research method: for MBA and Housing Studies students

A brief teaching note on secondary research method: for MBA and Housing Studies students (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "Briefly highlight the main ideas of secondary research method in social science with reference to the following topics: (1) favored research philosophy, (2) favored research method design techniques, (3) favored research method design quality criteria, (4) favored data analysis techniques, and (5) favored researcher's impression management approach in conducting the secondary research method."

The reply: "To address the user's query on the main ideas of the secondary research method in social science with respect to the specified topics, I found the following key insights from the gathered sources:

1. Favored Research Philosophy:

   • Secondary research in social science often aligns with positivism and pragmatism. Positivism focuses on objective knowledge and observable phenomena, often underpinning the use of existing data to test hypotheses or confirm patterns. Pragmatism is favored for its flexibility, allowing researchers to combine qualitative and quantitative insights from secondary sources based on the research problem's needs. Interpretivism is also acknowledged in contexts where the social reality is subjective and understanding context matters, though less dominant in traditional secondary research.

2. Favored Research Method Design Techniques:

   • Secondary research design techniques emphasize systematic data collection from existing sources like textbooks, journals, reports, and reliable online databases. The design typically involves defining clear research questions, identifying relevant secondary data sources, and organizing data thematically for analysis. Mixed methods design may be adopted by integrating quantitative data from secondary numerical datasets with qualitative content analysis for richer insights.

3. Favored Research Method Design Quality Criteria:

   • Key criteria include credibility, relevance, timeliness, and source reliability of the secondary data. The CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) is a common tool for evaluating data quality. Researchers must be cautious of data biases, outdated information, and methodological flaws in original studies. Transparency in documenting data provenance and any modifications applied is essential for quality assurance.

4. Favored Data Analysis Techniques:

   • Secondary research data analysis often employs qualitative thematic analysis, content analysis, and quantitative statistical re-analysis if numerical data are available. In mixed designs, triangulation combines different methods to enhance validity. Grounded theory approaches may also be used to generate new hypotheses from secondary data.

5. Favored Researcher's Impression Management Approach:

   • Researchers conducting secondary research often engage in reflexivity and transparent reporting to manage impressions, acknowledging the limitations and the context of secondary data sources. Their role includes critically assessing existing data, avoiding over-interpretation, and clearly communicating the scope and boundaries of their conclusions. A collaborative stance in narrative retelling or data synthesis may also be adopted to balance researcher influence.

These highlights capture the philosophical foundations, method design, quality standards, analysis approaches, and researcher stance typical in secondary research approaches in social science."

My question 2: "Clarify your information for this discussion a bit more with reference to the following research project topics:

1. MBA related: "to learn more about gen z employees' preference on the leadership style of their supervisors in Hong Kong four-star hotels in 2025"

2. Housing studies related: "to learn more about the lived experience of elderly residents in public housing estate in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong with regard to the quality of residential life in 2025"."

The reply: "To clarify the earlier information about secondary research method in social sciences with reference to your two specific research project topics, here is a more focused explanation:

1. MBA Project on Gen Z Employees' Leadership Preferences in Hong Kong Four-Star Hotels in 2025:

   • Research Philosophy: A pragmatic and partially interpretivist philosophy would be suitable, accommodating the complex, subjective preferences of Gen Z employees about leadership styles. Pragmatism allows combining qualitative insights (e.g., perceptions, attitudes) with quantitative data from secondary sources.

   • Method Design: Secondary data would involve collecting recent reports, surveys, hospitality industry analyses, and social media insights related to Gen Z workforce expectations and leadership trends in Hong Kong hotels. Mixed methods design—integrating statistics on workforce demographics and thematic content analysis of qualitative data—would be favored.

   • Quality Criteria: Emphasis should be on the currency, relevance, and reliability of secondary data, focusing on sources from 2024-2025 hospitality management and HR market research.

   • Data Analysis: Use content analysis to identify themes in Gen Z's values (e.g., flexibility, collaboration, communication style) and quantitative re-analysis of workforce trends data.

   • Researcher Impression Management: The researcher should maintain reflexivity about potential biases in secondary sources and contextualize findings within the dynamic hotel labor market post-pandemic, transparently reporting limitations.

   • Supporting points from recent studies highlight Gen Z employees prioritize flexible schedules, collaborative leadership, meaningful work, openness to social media integration, and avoidance of rigid hierarchies in hospitality settings in Hong Kong 2025.

2. Housing Studies Project on Elderly Residents' Lived Experience in Tsuen Wan Public Housing in 2025:

   • Research Philosophy: An interpretivist paradigm is most appropriate here to deeply understand the subjective, lived experiences and perceptions of elderly residents regarding quality of residential life.

   • Method Design: Secondary research would be oriented toward qualitative data sources such as government reports on public housing, social work case studies, prior ethnographic or interview-based research about elderly housing in Tsuen Wan or Hong Kong.

   • Quality Criteria: Prioritize studies with trustworthy qualitative rigor—authenticity, credibility, and transferability of lived experience accounts from the recent past (circa 2020-2025) to ensure relevance to 2025 living conditions.

   • Data Analysis: Thematic content analysis of narrative case studies or policy evaluations to extract recurrent themes about residents’ feelings of safety, social connectedness, and environmental satisfaction.

   • Researcher Impression Management: Reflexive acknowledgment of the researcher’s interpretive role and careful contextualization of data within larger social policy and demographic trends affecting elderly public housing.

   • This approach ensures a nuanced understanding of elderly residents' complex social realities and well-being indicators within the Hong Kong public housing context.

These clarifications show how secondary research's philosophy, design, quality, analysis, and researcher stance differ and adapt according to the projected topic's nature—quantitative/qualitative, young workforce versus elderly residents, hospitality industry versus housing studies. The above reflection aligns with the latest social science secondary research principles and methodologies."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.