A note on choosing research philosoph(ies) to use in a mixed methods research dissertation project (also covering the topic of mono method, multi method and mixed method): for MBA students

A note on choosing research philosoph(ies) to use in a mixed methods research dissertation project (also covering the topic of mono method, multi method and mixed method): for MBA students (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "In the context of a part-time 4-month MBA dissertation projects, many students like to employ the research approach of mixed methods research. The usual practice is to consider using either pragmatism or critical realism as the research philosophy choice. Is it feasible to use more than two research philosophies, e.g. positivism and interpretivism, in one dissertation project in this case?"

The reply: "Yes, it is feasible to incorporate elements from more than two research philosophies, such as positivism and interpretivism, in a single mixed methods MBA dissertation, but practicality in a 4-month part-time project favors a single overarching philosophy like pragmatism or critical realism that accommodates multiple perspectives. This approach avoids excessive complexity while aligning with your prior use of pragmatism for mixed methods in Housing Studies dissertations. Explicitly claiming multiple full philosophies demands robust justification, which may strain time and word limits.

Feasibility Challenges

Mixed methods research often straddles paradigms by integrating quantitative (positivist-leaning) and qualitative (interpretivist-leaning) elements, but declaring more than two philosophies risks incoherence without a unifying framework. In short timelines, simpler integration under pragmatism—prioritizing practical outcomes—or critical realism—focusing on underlying mechanisms—is standard and easier to defend. Your past discussions highlight this, noting multistrand designs with multiple paradigms as advanced but unsuitable for novices with 4-month constraints.

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Recommended Approach

Adopt pragmatism or critical realism as the primary philosophy, then pragmatically borrow positivist tools (e.g., surveys) and interpretivist ones (e.g., interviews) with clear rationale. This maintains coherence, as seen in dialectical pluralism that dialectically engages multiple views empirically. For your MBA context, outline the dominant philosophy early and justify borrowings briefly to meet assessment expectations without overcomplicating the proposal.

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Alternatives Comparison

Philosophy Strategy	Suitability for 4-Month MBA	Justification Needs	Example Alignment
Single (e.g., Pragmatism)	High	Low	Fits mixed methods flexibly
Two (e.g., Critical Realism + Pragmatism)	Medium	Medium	Coordinates methods but risks muddle
Multiple (>2, e.g., Positivism + Interpretivism)	Low	High	Possible via scientific realism, but demanding

 

My question 2: "Please describe the following terms: mono method, multi method and mixed method, and also recommend 2 YouTube videos on this topic; then also highlight the main ideas of these two YouTube videos."

The reply: "Mono-method, multi-method, and mixed-method describe distinct research design approaches used in dissertations like your part-time MBA projects. Mono-method relies on a single technique, multi-method uses several within one paradigm, and mixed-method integrates quantitative and qualitative for comprehensive insights.

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Definitions

Mono-method employs one data collection or analysis technique, either qualitative (e.g., interviews) or quantitative (e.g., surveys), maintaining simplicity and paradigm purity like positivism or interpretivism.

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Multi-method applies multiple techniques within the same paradigm, such as various qualitative tools (interviews plus observations) or quantitative ones (surveys plus experiments), enhancing depth without crossing paradigms.

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Mixed-method combines quantitative and qualitative methods, often under pragmatism, to triangulate findings and address complex issues like housing policy impacts.

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Recommended Videos

These YouTube videos clarify the distinctions effectively for MBA students:

• "Mixed Methods Research: Mono-method vs Multi-methods vs MMR" (
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRn3ZCwv23g
  ) – Short explanation contrasting the three.
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• "Mono, Multi & Mixed Method Research Design" (
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxtClJBxJdM
  ) – Practical overview with dissertation relevance.
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Video Highlights

The first video differentiates mono-method as single-paradigm/single-tool, multi-method as same-paradigm/multiple-tools, and mixed-methods as cross-paradigm integration (qual + quant) under pragmatism for conjoint interpretations.

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The second video outlines challenges in mixed-methods designs, like integration complexity, while noting multi-method's coherence for time-constrained projects and mono-method's feasibility for novices."

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