R ESEARCH STRATEGY

A research strategy is defined as “a plan of how a researcher will go about answering his or her research question” (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012, p.

173). Bryman & Bell (2015) separate between two types of research strategies, namely qualitative and quantitative. The selection between a qualitative or quantitative approach will influence the decisions regarding research design, data collection, and analysis (Håkansson, 2013). Quantitative research is “a research strategy that emphasizes quantification in the collection and analysis of data”.

While the qualitative research strategy is defined as “a research strategy that usually emphasizes words rather than quantification” (Bryman & Bell, 2015, p. 37-38). The quantitative research strategy is characterised by experiments and testing to measure variables to verify or falsify the hypothesis and theories (Håkansson, 2013). It requires an extensive data set and the use of statistics to test the hypothesis and ensure validity (Håkansson, 2013).

The qualitative research strategy is intended to provide in-depth knowledge of a context and generate rich, detailed, and valid data for the researchers (Bryman &

Bell, 2015). According to Håkansson (2013), this strategy intends to reach tentative hypotheses and theories by understanding the meaning, opinions and behaviour of the data. Researchers applying a qualitative strategy, often use smaller datasets, which will be sufficient to achieve reliable findings (Håkansson, 2013). This

strategy is used to approach the reality, and the data are often characterised as describing people’s statements or written words, or observations of those people’s behaviour (Askheim & Grenness, 2008). A significant difference between the two research strategies is when using a quantitative strategy, the theory precedes the research, and the theory emerges out of it when applying qualitative strategy (Bryman & Bell, 2015). By using both qualitative and quantitative research strategies, also called triangulation, the researcher can provide an overview of the situation and research area. Furthermore, it might improve the validity and credibility of the results (Håkansson, 2013).

Another significant difference between quantitative and qualitative research strategies is that the latter is characterized as an inductive research approach, while the former has the characteristics of a deductive approach. A research approach is applied in order to draw conclusions and determine what is true or false (Håkansson, 2013). The inductive approach is defined as “an approach to the relationship between theory and research in which the former is generated out of the latter”

(Bryman & Bell, 2015, p. 724). This approach emphasises the aspect of generating theory, which allows the researcher to derive and develop acknowledgments, opinions, and understanding from patterns in the collected data material (Askheim

& Grenness, 2008). The deductive approach is defined as “an approach to the relationship between theory and research in which the latter is conducted with references to hypothesis and ideas inferred from the former” and is applied when the researchers are testing the theory (Bryman & Bell, 2015, p. 723).

The combination of the inductive and deductive approach is referred to as an abductive approach. Dubois and Gadde (2002b) explain that the abductive approach, which they also refer to as systematic combining, is to a greater extent related to the inductive approach than the deductive approach. The systematic combined approach is concerning the simultaneous evolvement of the theoretical framework, empirical fieldwork and case analysis. It is specifically appropriate for the development of new theories. An essential feature of systematic combining is that the researcher can match theory and reality, which allows them to go back and forth between framework, data sources, and analysis (Dubois & Gadde, 2002b).

These categories should preferably be developed from the data. Similarly, Strauss

and Corbin (1990) state that literature can be helpful when identifying previous research in a particular area, as well as uncover missing areas in the literature. The authors also assert that the already conducted research can help researchers to define important variables, identify relationships among them, and lead the interpretation of findings.

The literature states that the BVA methodology does not place emphasis on collaboration (Joudi et al., 2018; Rivera & Kashiwagi, 2016). Despite this, based on the research conducted by Gulati et al., (2012), which reveals that collaboration is obtained by coordination and cooperation, allowed us to identify a potential relationship between the two facets of collaboration and BVA. In other words, by using an abductive approach, we have examined if there is a relationship between BVA and collaboration operationalised through the two facets, cooperation and coordination. Our research includes an examination of Omsorgsbygg’s implementation of two BVA projects, namely Munkerud and Vollebekk kindergartens. Therefore, the study has matched the experienced obtained in the two projects with already conducted literature. In other words, the abductive approach has led to the interpretation of our findings.

Figure1: Systematic combining (Dubois & Gadde, 2002b, p. 555)

To answer our research question, a qualitative research strategy was considered to be most suitable, as quantitative research will not provide us with the appropriate information to draw a valid conclusion. A quantitative strategy requires a large sample size, the project must be completed before collecting the data, and the strategy emphasises quantification in the collection and analysis of the data (Bryman & Bell, 2015).

Firstly, our primary data was collected from “Omsorgsbygg,” specifically from the construction process of Munkerud and Vollebekk kindergarten. We also received information regarding BVA from two external BVA experts to get an outside perspective. Considering the number of available BVA projects within Omsorgsbygg, the sample will be quite small. They have so far only applied BVA in the two stated projects. Furthermore, Munkerud and Vollebekk kindergartens were completed in May 2019, and the data from both Vollebekk and Munkerud was collected before the finalisation of the kindergartens. Therefore, the information we received regarding these kindergartens was mostly relevant for the three first phases and almost the entire execution phase. The last reason for not using a quantitative research strategy is because coordination and cooperation cannot be measured to the same extent using numbers, as with words.

As the theory emerged out of the research, it seemed more appropriate to apply a qualitative strategy, which allowed us as researchers to derive and develop acknowledgments, opinions and understandings from patterns in the collected data.

Furthermore, a qualitative research strategy gave us a broader and more in-depth understanding of the topic considering the facets coordination and cooperation and how these influences collaboration. Hence, we believed that examine how BVA might enable collaboration can be explained better through words than quantification.

We used a systematic combined approach (see figure 1), which increased our understanding of the researched phenomena within both the empirical world and theory, as it allowed us to “constantly going ‘back and forth’ from one type of research activity to another and between empirical observations and theory"

(Dubois and Gadde, 2002b, p. 555). We have combined theory with empirical observations, as the empirical observations cannot be understood without the theory, and conversely (Dubois and Gadde, 2002b). Our research started with a literature review before we collected the data to the analysis. After the analysis, we integrated the theory with the analysis, which resulted in the discussion of the paper.

During this process, we saw the necessity to look at the theory continuously as we proceed with the research. By this, we got more information from the analysis and a deeper understanding of the industry, the facets, and the BV methodology. This

will be described in more detail in the section of the analytical process of the research methodology.