An Approach to the Research Methodology for a Doctoral Study

Abstract

This paper discusses the research methodology employed in a doctoral study
entitled, “Impacts of legislative controls on private hospitals in Malaysia”.
The research methodology encompasses the general design to the research
process, from the theoretical framework to the collection and the analysis
of data. The paper commences with the discussion on the methodological
approaches as to whether a positivist or naturalistic framework or a
combination of mixed method approach is most appropriate to be utilised in
this study. This methodological decision making process led to the choice of a
qualitative study. It then describes the methods for data collection, the analysis
and the coding process from the key informants’ interviews, observations
and discourses which formed the core of the research methodology. Several
emergent themes which are interlinked have been identified and crystallized
as the empirical findings that provide answers to the research questions and
objectives of the study.