Roslyn Cameron Copyright (c) 2011 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron Recent documents in Roslyn Cameron en-us Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:10:22 PDT 3600 Emerging research designs in doctoral studies http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/112 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/112 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:00:28 PST The recent emergence of mixed methods in business and management research has only recently begun to take the notice of researchers and academics. Those who have researched the use of mixed methods in business and management fields have found an increasing utilisation of mixed methods in applied research. This chapter will explore this small but growing section of literature and research which is attempting to gauge the use of mixed methods across a variety of business and management fields. This will be followed by the presentation of research findings into the research designs and methods utilised in DBA theses from the International Centre for Professional Doctorates at Southern Cross University in Australia. The research points to an almost 40% use of mixed methods by DBA candidates (39%). This exceeds the number of purely quantitative theses (32%) and purely qualitative theses (29%). Of all the DBA theses (n=186) examined 51.6% have been Asian based.

]]> Roslyn Cameron Skilled migration forum interim report http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/111 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/111 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:14:09 PDT The rail industry is experiencing skill shortages in key engineering and technical/trade areas. Even in the face of the recent global financial crisis the rail industry still needs to address current and imminent skills shortages. Expansion through infrastructure projects and domestic competition for highly skilled labour with other industry sectors creates a complex picture. Any strategies to address these issues must be developed through a comprehensive awareness of these levels of complexity. The bureaucratic maze and shifting sands of migration policy in relation to temporary and permanent employer sponsored skilled migration can act as a major deterrent to the rail industry in exploring the possibilities this pathway to securing highly skilled labour supply can offer. One of the main purposes of the Skilled Migration Forum was to better inform industry representatives about the practical requirements and realities of recruiting skilled migrants both onshore and offshore through the various skilled migration visa options.

Shortages in mission critical skill sets is a reality the rail industry must face and a set of strategies to combat this is needed. Skilled migration offers one such strategy. The Rail Revolution Report (2008) and the Changing Face of Rail Report (2007) identified specific skill shortages within the rail industry. The Changing Face of Rail Report (2007) analysed employment trends in the Australasian rail industry and concluded that industry expansion was not supported by a strategy to enable workforce capacity to deliver. The report also found that outsourcing tends to attract staff away from core operators in times of constrained supply of skilled labour, and age was an important factor in the workforce profile. The following key points were made:

• The problem of an ageing workforce is felt more acutely in rail since the average age of employees in the industry is relatively higher that the general workforce population (the age profile of the industry resembles an inverse bell curve).

• Core rail occupations are heavily impacted by ageing and are the subject of off shore ‘poaching’ (ARA 2007, p.2). Extensive labour market analysis was undertaken for the Rail Revolution Report (2008) which forecast trends in rail labour force needs that have never been experienced before. The greatest need for specific skills sets is across the engineer job family, in addition to the trades and trades equivalent job family. The Report estimated that rail will need to access the following numbers of key skill sets for the next five years to meet demand and cover loss through age retirement:

• 250-340 engineers every year for the next five years (41% loss of current workforce over next 5 years). • 500-700 trades people every year for the next five years (40% loss over next 5 years due to retirements and separations).

• 420-700 operations staff every year for the next five years

These skill shortages are felt more acutely in regional and remote areas. The Rail Revolution Report (2008) also lists a series of nine strategies for combating future skills development and workforce capacity building. Two of these strategies are embedded in the Skilled Migration project:

• Strategy 4: Establish more effective migration arrangements.

• Strategy 9: Conduct regular stakeholder communication of workforce risks and strategies.

A major objective of the Skilled Migration Project was to bring together key stakeholders to share and exchange ideas and information about strategies for skilled migration to address industry specific skill shortages and future skill development within the rail industry. A major premise behind the idea of the Skilled Migration Forum was that industry would benefit greatly from initiating dialogue between key industry representatives, government bodies, professional organisations and education providers to discuss innovative ideas to address critical skills issues affecting rail. The Skilled Migration Forum provided a unique opportunity for key stakeholders to come together to exchange information and ideas around issues pertaining to identified skill shortages and future labour supplies within the rail industry. It was hoped the Skilled Migration Forum would generate interest in the concept of a Skilled Migration Creativity Hub that would continue to develop and work towards innovative strategies to address critical skills shortages through dialogue, information sharing, networking, strategic partnerships and collaborative projects. The Skilled Migration Creativity Hub concept is one of a multi-agency incubator for innovative concepts aimed at skilled migration priorities for the rail industry including the identification of possible international partnerships between industry and educational providers focused on future skills development for the rail industry. The Skilled Migration Forum was attended by 60 participants from a diverse range of industry representatives and stakeholders and involved individual presentations, panel presentations and group work. The Forum decided upon 5 major issues/themes which were workshopped on day 2 of the Forum:

Theme 1: Overseas Recruitment /Skilled Migration Information Kit

Theme 2: Attracting and Retaining Skilled Migrants

Theme 3: Recruitment of Onshore Skilled Migrants

Theme 4: Long term labour supply – graduates of the future: traditional source countries and untapped source countries

Theme 5: Targeting women for Skilled Migration

]]> Deborah Joyce et al. Skilled migration stage 3 interim report http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/110 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/110 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:14:06 PDT The rail industry has identified key workforce risks and workforce development strategies (ARA 2007, 2008). The Skilled Migration project has been funded to research one of these workforce development: skilled migration as a medium to long term strategy for meeting skill shortages, particularly for highly skilled labour. This report is the second of four reports that will be produced from this project. The Skilled Migration Forum Report addressed the first two stages of the project and had a strong focus on the outcomes of the Skilled Migration Forum conducted in late 2009. This report represents stage 3 of the project, the literature review. The report provides a thematic analysis of the research and literature on skill shortages and skilled migration as it pertains to the rail industry. The report has been structured so as to provide the rail industry with a flexible and customised approach to utilising and adopting the content of the literature review. This has been achieved through structuring the literature review on the six themes that emerged.

The six themes have provided the organising principle for the report. Each theme is dealt with separately (Sections 2-7) and as such, can combine to make a whole or each section can be utilised as a separate stand alone mini-review. It is hoped this structure will allow the rail industry to make greater use of the review to inform workforce development decisions and initiatives. The six themes which emerged are as follows:

• Rail industry workforce issues

• Skill shortages in general

• Historical context of skilled migration in Australia

• Contemporary policy (skilled migration and skill shortages)

• Current research in skilled migration

• Rail engineering skill shortages

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. The "global project": embedding global skill sets within management education curriculum http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/109 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/109 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:11:32 PDT Global scale perspectives and global mobility skills are fast becoming crucial to effective business strategy and operations, decision making and an essential ingredient for professional effectiveness in contemporary business and management practice. As a result these perspectives and skills sets have become a key issue in the education and training of university graduates and professionals. This paper addresses the increasing importance of global scale perspectives and global skills sets and the role these play in professional effectiveness within the borderless global economy. The paper will explore trends in international mobility and international HRM; developments in business education; and global skill sets (global competencies, cultural literacy cultural intelligence, and global mobility skills) before introducing the concept of the “Global Project”. The “Global Project” is being presented as a pedagogic approach to embedding global skill sets within management and business curriculum.

]]> Roslyn Cameron A sequential mixed model research design: design, analytical and display issues http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/108 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/108 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:17:31 PDT A new era in research methods is emerging and has been quietly lauded by several emerging authorities in the field of mixed methods research. Like the mythology of the phoenix, mixed methods research has arisen out of the ashes of the paradigm wars to become the third methodological movement (Cameron & Miller 2007). The fields of applied social science and evaluation are among those which have shown the greatest popularity and uptake of mixed methods research designs. This article provides a brief overview of the rise of mixed methods research, its usage in business and management fields and its relationship to the philosophy of pragmatism. Typologies of mixed methods research designs are discussed and a case study of a sequential mixed model research design in the human resource development (HRD) field is presented. Issues related to design, analytical processes and display arising from utilising this particular mixed method research design is discussed. As a consequence, the article contains several Tables and Figures which exemplify display options that may assist those researchers who are considering utilising a mixed method research design.

]]> Roslyn Cameron Australian human resource practitioner views & use of temporary skilled migration http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/107 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/107 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:07:13 PDT Skilled migration has become a key element in Australia’s strategy to address major human capital trends and issues. These include an ageing workforce and significant skill shortages in key professional occupational groups (health, medicine, nursing, engineering, specific trades and technical occupations). The impacts these human capital trends have upon Australia’s economic sustainability and survival in a global economy is paramount. Historically, Australia has been a country dependent upon different forms of migration, however the last 10 years has seen a major shift in migration policy as Australia, along with other developed industrialised nations begin to experience the effects of an ageing population, declining fertility rates and global competition for highly skilled labour. This paper draws together recent policy initiatives and research on skilled migration in the Australian context and the implications this has for Australia’s future human capital development. Data from a survey of members of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) is presented. Human resource practitioners are at the very interface of labour supply and demand and the findings shed light upon employer sponsored temporary skilled migration activity in a range of industries and organisations in Australia.

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. The use of mixed methods across across seven business and management fields http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/106 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/106 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 20:07:11 PDT Business and management disciplines draw from a wide array of theoretical frames and employ an even wider array of methodological approaches in the conduct of management inquiry. Quantitative methodologies and qualitative methodologies have now been joined by a third methodological movement, mixed methods. Mixed methods has now become a legitimate methodological movement with a growing body of theoretical and conceptual frameworks, seminal mixed method theorists, publications and academic recognition and legitimation. The use of mixed methods is particularly popular in the social and behavioural sciences, education and health, nursing and medicine. This paper maps the rise of this third methodological movement before introducing Creswell and Plano Clark’s (2007) discipline acceptance levels for mixed methods. As a means to gauge the level of acceptance of mixed methods in management a synthesis of six large scale methodological scans across seven management fields will be presented. The fields covered by these studies include: marketing; international business; strategic management; organisational behaviour; operations management; entrepreneurship and; human resource management. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for developing mixed methods research capacity within and across management disciplines and future research to this end.

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. A socially inclusive and holistic model for those targeted by welfare reform http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/105 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/105 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:56:00 PDT Purpose of the research/paper: The purpose of this research was to develop a socially inclusive and holistic model for career and learning transition for those considered disadvantaged within the labour market and/or disengaged from formal learning.

Methodology: The research utilises a sequential mixed model research design which consists of two phases. Phase one of the research involved a Learning Survey of approximately 250 labour market program (LMP) participants in which quantitative data analysis techniques were used. Phase two involved the development of the model and its testing in the field. A formative evaluation of the model in the field was undertaken and utilised a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.

Findings: The research developed a socially inclusive and holistic model for those targeted by welfare reform. The model has wider applications and could be tested in the future with those groups experiencing retrenchment, outplacement, post injury rehabilitation, re-skilling and major career and employment changes.

Implications for theory: The research design provides an example of the utilisation of a mixed methods research design and presents a model with an interdisciplinary theoretical framework.

Implications for practice: The research is significant in terms of recent Australian welfare reform where specific groups of welfare recipients are being targeted to enter/re-enter the paid workforce. The research resulted in the development of a socially inclusive and holistic model designed to assist in the developmental processes associated with building the individual efficacy and capacity needed to navigate the welfare to work transitions expected of these target groups.

Value of the paper: The research informs welfare reform policy and practice and would be valuable to organisations and practitioners involved in the delivery of Labour Market Programs. The paper may also be of value to HRM practitioners involved in the human resource management functions related to redundancy, outplacement, rehabilitation and re-skilling. The paper also provides researchers with an example of a mixed methods research study.

]]> Roslyn Cameron Skilled migration as a workforce development strategy for the Australian rail industry http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/104 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/104 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:55:58 PDT Skill shortages in mission-critical skill sets are greatly affecting the Australian rail industry's ability to perform in the current economic recovery period marked by significant infrastructure expansion. Certain engineering, technical and trade skill shortages remain critical for rail and the Australian economy in general. The rail industry faces a complex environment where not only is there a dwindling supply of skilled labour in these key areas, but the rail industry is also in competition domestically with other industries (mining, electricity, water, gas and construction) for these groups of highly sought after skill sets. The increasing global competition for highly skilled labour adds another dimension of complexity to this situation. This paper reports the findings from a research project that has been funded by the Australian CRC for Rail Innovation to explore the use of skilled migration as a workforce development strategy for the rail industry. The project has brought together multiple stakeholders for a Skilled Migration Forum and proposed Skilled Migration Creativity Hub.

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. Emerging designs in business and management research http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/103 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/103 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:16:31 PDT Roslyn Cameron Methodological matters for Singaporean research http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/102 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/102 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:16:29 PDT Mixed method research is a growing area of methodological choice for many academics and researchers from across a variety of discipline areas. The Journal of Mixed Methods (2006), in its call for papers defines mixed methods as ‘research in which the investigator collects, analyses, mixes, and draws inferences from both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or a program of inquiry’. The fields of applied social science and evaluation are among those which have shown the greatest popularity and uptake of mixed methods research designs. Relatively speaking there is less dialogue and literature on the use of mixed methods in applied business as there exists in other discipline areas where mixed methods has witnessed higher levels of acceptance such as the social sciences, health and education. Business disciplines have traditionally been undertaken within the quantitative paradigm, with some exceptions. It has only been very recently that mixed methods has been introduced and explicitly utilised within applied business research (Cameron 2008; Hurmerinta-Peltomaki & Nummela 2006; Molina-Azorin 2007). This chapter provides a brief overview of the rise of mixed methods research, its usage in business and management fields, a discussion on the emergence of mixed methods research designs and presents empirical evidence of mixed methods usage in DBA theses at Southern Cross University (SCU). This will be followed by a discussion of the twelve completed DBA theses from Singapore.

]]> Roslyn Cameron Methodological matters for Singaporean research http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/100 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/100 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:16:24 PDT Mixed method research is a growing area of methodological choice for many academics and researchers from across a variety of discipline areas. The Journal of Mixed Methods (2006), in its call for papers defines mixed methods as ‘research in which the investigator collects, analyses, mixes, and draws inferences from both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or a program of inquiry’. The fields of applied social science and evaluation are among those which have shown the greatest popularity and uptake of mixed methods research designs. Relatively speaking there is less dialogue and literature on the use of mixed methods in applied business as there exists in other discipline areas where mixed methods has witnessed higher levels of acceptance such as the social sciences, health and education. Business disciplines have traditionally been undertaken within the quantitative paradigm, with some exceptions. It has only been very recently that mixed methods has been introduced and explicitly utilised within applied business research (Cameron 2008; Hurmerinta-Peltomaki & Nummela 2006; Molina-Azorin 2007). This chapter provides a brief overview of the rise of mixed methods research, its usage in business and management fields, a discussion on the emergence of mixed methods research designs and presents empirical evidence of mixed methods usage in DBA theses at Southern Cross University (SCU). This will be followed by a discussion of the twelve completed DBA theses from Singapore.

]]> Roslyn Cameron RPL in Australia http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/99 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/99 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:47:53 PDT Australia introduced recognition of prior learning (RPL) as part of a larger national training reform agenda that included the introduction of a competency-based vocational education and training system. RPL is a standard and requirement of any offering of accredited training that is embedded in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), initially introduced under the national framework for the recognition of training (NFROT) in 1992. Since then RPL has slowly become a central activity within post compulsory education and training. Several definitions of RPL exist across educational sectors and different funding frameworks, policies, governance, accreditation and missions has lead to conceptual confusion relating to RPL policy and practice. As time has progressed and RPL policy and practice has evolved it has become more central to the VET sector than any of the other post compulsory educational sectors. This can be partially explained by the fact that RPL is mandatory in the VET sector, unlike the HE sector which is self-accrediting and has a certain amount of autonomy in deciding whether or not to have a RPL policy. RPL is also a significant activity outside the education sector and impacts on broader human capital and workforce development policy and initiatives. The Australian government’s current policies related to reforms in higher education and social inclusion (specifically social inclusion in education), may see even greater RPL activity across the other educational sectors. In terms of RPL research and literature in Australia there is a relatively small body of literature focussed upon reporting case studies, barriers and drivers of RPL practice, with an even smaller sub-set of literature related to specific disadvantaged groups and very little literature which engages critically with the theoretical underpinnings of RPL. This chapter attempts to chart the course of RPL in Australia since its inception with specific reference to the different contexts in which it is operationalised: post compulsory educational sectors; within industry; in relation to human capital policy and labour market interventions; the professionalization of specific industries (eg aged care services); professional and occupational recognition and innovative uses of electronic and digital technologies in RPL. A review of Australian RPL research and literature and contemporary policy and practice follows. The chapter concludes with a summary of the gaps within the literature, future areas of research and the policy and practice implications these future directions may have.

]]> Roslyn Cameron RPL and mature aged jobseekers http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/98 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/98 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:36:32 PDT Adult Learning Australia (ALA) has funded this research under an Innovative Research grant program. The research focus reflects ALA’s commitment to investigating ways to re-engage mature age job seekers in learning and the promotion of lifelong learning in general. The research compliments existing ALA research into the development of an Individual Learning Audit Process to assist mature age job seekers make productive learning choices (Cross & Brennan, 2003). The research involved the collection of data on recognition of prior learning (RPL) practice from providers of labour market programs (LMP) for mature age job seekers within the state of Queensland. The research was conducted using a combination of quantitative (telephone survey) and qualitative (case studies) research methods. The study investigated issues relating to current RPL practice and the potential for innovative RPL models and practice for mature age job seekers. Since its inception, RPL has carried with it the promise and potential for recognising the life and work experience of those who have been marginalised from formal learning. In particular it can be said to offer greater possibilities for mature age jobseekers, who have accumulated a wealth of life and work experience. Unfortunately, the reality of RPL practice and up take in Australia paints a very different picture. Those most likely to utilise RPL are students who work full time, are established in the workforce and already have significant educational capital to draw from. This research has provided some insights as to why mature age job seekers are not utilising RPL, as it currently practiced through Labour Market Programes in the state of Queensland.

]]> Roslyn Cameron Attraction and image for the Australian rail industry http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/97 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/97 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:36:42 PDT Despite the global financial downturn, the Australian rail industry is in a period of expansion. Reports indicate that the industry is not attracting sufficient entry level and mid-career engineers and skilled technicians from within the Australian labour market and is facing widespread retirements from an ageing workforce. This paper reports on a completed qualitative study that explores perceptions of rail and rail careers held by engineering students, their lecturers, careers advisors and recruitment consultants. Findings are presented about career knowledge, job characteristic preferences, branding and image. Conclusions include suggestions for more effective attraction and image strategies for the industry and for further research.

]]> Michelle Wallace et al. Comparing current and future global leaders based upon known leadership dimensions and cultural indicators http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/95 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/95 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:36:38 PDT This paper presents the preliminary findings from a cross sectional, trend design study over three years (2007-2009). The sample (n=187) includes cohorts of international Master of Business Administration (MBA) students enrolled each year in a ‘leadership’ subject. The study aims to measure human dimensions known to be significant to leadership effectiveness including behaviour, personality, cultural and emotional dimensions. The research raises questions in reference to the future challenges for leadership development by comparing data from this cohort of students studying leadership with current global leaders. This paper reports the initial data for several self diagnostic instruments including: the MBTI; measures for emotional intelligence and; personality style. The results of these assessments are to be compared with similar assessments on known effective global leaders. The ultimate aim of the research is to discover similarities and discrepancies between the two groups in order to gain a deeper comprehension of the behavioural and cultural backgrounds and experiences that future leaders will need to lead successfully. The study will provide useful information to those responsible for developing future leaders.

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. An empirical study of the use of mixed methods in Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) curriculum within an Australian university http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/94 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/94 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:36:36 PDT Business disciplines have traditionally been undertaken within the quantitative paradigm however, mixed methods approaches have recently been introduced and utilised within applied business research. The purpose of this paper is to map the experience of introducing the teaching of mixed research methods in an international Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) curriculum within an Australian University. This paper begins with a professional reflective piece on the experience of introducing the teaching of mixed methods. This is followed by a brief overview of the literature on mixed methods as a third methodological movement. The paper will then present empirical data into the use of mixed methods in DBA theses. Future considerations and directions for the teaching of mixed methods for capacity building are then posited for applied business research.

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. A study of the use of mixed methods in management and organisational research journals: justification and design http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/93 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/93 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:36:33 PDT The aim of the study being reported in this paper is to determine the visibility of mixed methods as a methodological movement within management and organisational research publications. The paper reports on a set of searches conducted on three management and organisational research methods journals to ascertain whether mixed methods as a methodology is being discussed and mixed methods empirical studies are being reported within these publications. The research has found that mixed methods is beginning to be published and discussed in the chosen journals and this appearance, particularly since 2000 aligns with what Creswell and Plano Clark (2007) refer to as the Advocacy period of the mixed methods movement (a period preceded by the Paradigm debate and Procedural development periods).

]]> Roslyn Cameron A review of the use of mixed methods in organisational research http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/92 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/92 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:36:31 PDT Mixed methods research (the combined use of quantitative and qualitative methods in the same study) is becoming an increasingly popular approach in the discipline fields of sociology, psychology, education and health sciences. Calls for the integration of quantitative and qualitative research methods have been advanced in these fields. A key feature of mixed methods research is its methodological pluralism, which frequently results in superior research compared to monomethod designs. The overall purpose and central premise of mixed methods is that the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches in combination provides a better understanding of research problems and complex phenomena than either approach alone. Despite calls for the combined use of quantitative and qualitative research in business and management studies, the use of mixed methods in business and management has seldom been studied. The purpose of this paper is to review the application of mixed methods research within organisational and strategic management research. The study reported in this paper identifies the use of mixed methods in three management journals for the period 2003 to 2009: Organizational Research Methods, Journal of Organizational Behavior and the Strategic Management Journal. The landmark Tashakkori and Teddlie (2003) Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research, played a pivotal role in providing both the visibility and credibility of mixed methods as a third methodological movement. Business and management researchers need to be made aware of the growing use and acceptance of mixed methods research within business and management journals. This paper examines the main characteristics of mixed methods studies (purposes and designs) and posits suggestions on the application of mixed methodologies.

]]> Roslyn Cameron et al. Mixed methods in VET research: usage and quality http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/91 http://works.bepress.com/roslyn_cameron/91 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:34:04 PDT Mixed methods had been heralded as the third methodological movement with several authorities from across an array of discipline fields contributing to a growing body of literature and theoretical developments. The discipline fields which are showing high levels of acceptance for mixed methods are those related to education, health and nursing, social and behavioural sciences and business/management disciplines. This third methodological movement is now beginning to address issues of quality in the reporting of mixed methods studies. The movement is beginning to question whether researchers utilising mixed methods have gone beyond the one dimensional and relatively rudimentary concept of triangulation to embrace the more complex designs and methodological theory being developed. The aim of the study is to explore the use and quality of mixed methods in vocational education research through a systematic review of a specific sample of vocational education and training (VET) based research. The paper concludes with a call for mixed methods in higher degree research training curricula and a need for established VET researchers to engage with the mixed methods foundational literature and the new and more complex theoretical developments that are emerging.

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