The European Conference on Research Methodology for Business and Management Studies (ECRM 2009) is an opportunity for academics to share the latest thinking on research strategies, tactics and paradigms. The variety of methods in common use and the continuing debate on what constitutes ‘new knowledge’ makes this a lively field and one which affects all academics and others involved in business research. The search for new ideas, new methodologies and even new paradigms is both endless and fascinating. This conference offers an opportunity to engage with contemporary thinking in Business research and join in the sometimes lively debates, inside and outside of the formal sessions, that are a regular feature of the conference.

As in previous years, the conference committee is interested in both theoretical and practical papers concerning research models and methods. We are also interested in case studies that demonstrate how research strategies have been applied and about the lessons learned therefrom. Papers will be welcome on a wide range of research paradigms, including critical analysis, discourse analysis, adaptive structuration theory, ethnography, ontology, epistemology, conjoint analysis, cluster analysis, naturalistic enquiry, case studies, hermeneutic methods, critical systemic thinking, hermeneutic dialectics, structural equation modelling, observational studies, participatory appraisals, etc.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:
General topics: Theoretical and empirical research; The use of qualitative and quantitative research methods; Economic research; IT adoption research; Evaluation research; Design-oriented research; Developing research proposals; Dissertation development process; Getting academic papers accepted by journals; Research design and triangulation; Concept verification; Theory development; Research protocols; Research supervision; Research questions; Research ethics; Field-work; Reflexivity; Reflective practice; Problem solving; Data structuring; Usability scale implementation; Replication logic; Experimental procedures; Human subjects; Codes of conduct; Business and management education; Conjoint analysis, cluster analysis and segmentation; Mutual research designs; The role of Paradigms in business and IS research; Paradigmatic divide; Interpretative theory; Focus groups; Researcher roles; Mixed designs; Marketing research; Intercultural research; Design research; Use of self-research and autobiographies as a means of undertaking and reporting research; Agent based approaches in business research; Case study research method; Delphi method; Computer modelling and simulation; Action research; Online research methods; Visual methodologies; Research in the Middle East; Relativist approaches to qualitative research.
Teaching research methods; How research methods can be relevant in business; Embedding a research culture into teaching; Teaching research skills effectively; Managing the transition from didactic learning to learning through research; Avoiding, and detecting, plagiarism; The challenge of adopting analytical, rather than descriptive, approaches.
Researching Sensitive issues: Confidentiality and ethics; Ethnicity; race; gender; age; disability; sexuality; ill-health; mental health; stress; relationships at work; intimacy; bullying; emotions in organisations; ideology; propaganda; union membership; whistle blowing; trust and distrust; honesty; work and home life balance; superstitions; belief and disbelief; faith; religion and cultural practices.
Mixed methods: Purposes of mixing methods; Prioritisation; Sequential or concurrent methodologies; Waving; The use of narratives to add meaning; Innovative ways of integrating qualitative and quantitative data; Paradigm mixing problems and standardisation issues; Computer technologies for integrating mixed method data.
Grounded theory: Empirical applications; Theoretical papers; Classical grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss); Revised grounded theory; Combination of classical and revised approaches; Grounded theory with multi-methods; Grounded theory combined with case study; Computer based support of grounded theory (eg. Atlas.ti, Nudist); Grounded theory uses in any business & management feld of interest; The future of grounded theory; Grounded theory and post-modernism; Critiques of the processes of grounded theory.

Publication opportunity

Papers presented at the conference will be published in the conference proceedings. ECRM Proceedings have an ISBN and are listed in the Thomson ISI Index Social Sciences & Humanities Proceedings (ISSHP/ISI Proceedings) and the Thomson Index to Social Sciences & Humanities Proceedings (ISSHP). Papers will also be considered for publication in a special issue of the Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods. The latest issue of the journal is available to read online.

Submission details: Abstract details: The Abstract should be a minimum of 300 and no more than 500 words including keywords. The conference committee have received several requests for extensions to the abstract submission deadline and therefore extend the closing date abstract submissions to 5th January 2009. Please read the Abstract Guidelines before submitting. Submission: Online via the submission form. Please ensure that you complete all relevant sections of the form, including the conference track the abstract is intended for, the proposed title for the paper, the full names (first name and surname, not initials) and email addresses of all authors and a postal address and telephone number for at least one contact author. Please indicate clearly if the contact author is not the lead author. Full paper: Only required after acceptance of abstract and not to be more than 5,000 words including abstract, keywords and references. Submission date will be no later than 19 January 2009. Please read the style guidelines document. Papers should be submitted as .doc or .rtf file attachments by email to the Conference Manager, Elaine Hayne with the paper submission checklist and copyright form. Product demonstrations; Please submit a proposal of 200-300 words describing a research facilitation product you would like to demonstrate and the audience it serves. Proposals should be sent as an email attachment to Sue Nugus not later than 19 January 2009. Demonstrations themselves are expected to be approximately 15 minutes in length. Important information: The selection panel of the conference committee will consider all abstracts received by the submission deadline to ensure that the proposed paper is relevant to the Conference. The authors of abstracts, which describe a relevant paper, will receive a notification of abstract acceptance. All full papers will be blind reviewed by members of the conference committee to ensure an adequate standard, that the proposed subject of their abstract has been followed, that the paper is of a suitable length, that the standard of English is adequate and that the paper is appropriately referenced. Papers that are accepted will be published in the conference proceedings providing at least one author registers and presents the work at the Conference (see the registration section of the conference website for more information about registration). Due to the large number of papers expected for this conference, the committee only allows an author to present one paper. Therefore if multiple papers are accepted for presentation different co-authors need to present each paper.