Appropriate research design for investigating innovation in small knowledge-intensive professional service firms

TL;DRAbstract

Performance improvement in the construction industry is significantly influenced by the innovation performance of small knowledge-intensive professional service firms. The importance of knowledge-based innovation as a critical source of sustainable competitive advantage in such firms has hitherto not been adequately appreciated or investigated. There is thus an urgent need to develop appropriate research design which enable us to better understand the nature and process of innovation in small knowledge-intensive professional service firms. This paper details a ‘nested approach’ which integrates an interpretative philosophy, case studyand actionresearch approaches and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. The operationalisation of the ‘nested approach’ is then discussed by drawing upon ongoing collaborative research with a single case study company. The paper concludes with the identification of lessons learned from the research design aspects of the collaborative researc

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