Survey research, case studies and consulting research three types of reports is an important form of carrier between academic research and business practice, is conducive to the formation of a virtuous cycle between the two, accelerate the transformation of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge, through the practice of the enterprise from the practice of the theory of the cycle to practice.
Seizing the general trend and new phenomena
The research of real problems is a prerequisite for doing responsible research and serving the society, and the prerequisite for doing responsible research and serving the society is choosing the research topics that are valuable to the enterprises, which can be the general problems faced by the Chinese enterprise groups, or the personalized problems of a certain enterprise, which are inseparable from the dimension of the Chinese context and the grasp of the general trend of the government, industry, research and so on.
1. Write the research report on the ground of China
The development of Chinese enterprises has gone from following and running together to partially leading, and many of their management experiences have Chinese characteristics and are rooted in China's history, culture and reform and opening up of the country as the background of the system, so it is necessary to pay attention to the Chinese context in the research.
In answering the fundamental questions of "for whom to study" and "what to study", we need to summarize Chinese management experience, improve Chinese management theory, establish a discourse system of Chinese management, and solve the practical problems of Chinese enterprise management.
2. To have a macro vision of the big time
To study enterprise management, we need to go deeper into the enterprise, but also need to jump out of the enterprise and management itself, and be good at analyzing the essence of management from the judgment of the macro trend. Enterprises are micro subjects in economic development, the direction and rhythm of their growth is affected by a number of external factors such as policy, industry and technology, and the development and change of enterprise management research is also carried out in the context of the big time.
Aspiring practitioners can follow the dimensions in the PEST model to grasp the big picture.
One is the area of policy reform, the other is macroeconomic and industrial/sectoral development, the third is socio-cultural, and the fourth is technological change.
Changes in these factors are profound and clearly oriented to management practices. For example, in the development and application of the new generation of information technology, the business model, organization, employment, enterprise system, leadership culture and so on have changed dramatically and so on. Understanding the context of the big time is the basic premise of doing management research, but also the starting point of valuable research propositions.
Of course, this is not a passive response to the macro trends and environment, but rather frankly face and focus on targeting, and even under the premise of mastering enough resources to influence and design megatrends.
3. Determine the appropriate research direction and field
Management research involves a large number of enterprises in the world, it is difficult to cover everything, writing a research report needs to be clear about the direction of research and field. It should be emphasized that the field of research outside the academic community can be wider than the research within the academic community. Therefore, to determine a general research direction, it is best to achieve a multi-broad and one specialized. Multi-Bo is to have a sense of the big time and macro-vision; a specialization is to continue to make efforts in a certain direction, to do a field of research to do fine, do thorough.
At the same time, in the macro-environment and micro-enterprise between the two dimensions of a problem constantly verify each other, continuous interaction optimization. For example, the study of enterprise growth, not only to look at the macroeconomic growth rate, the stage of industrial development, but also to look at the development of specific corporate strategies and ideas.
4. Pay attention to new phenomena and put forward new ideas
In the research process, it is especially important to pay attention to new phenomena. On the one hand, the new phenomenon is the latest "seedling" in the business operation, the data is often insufficient, but will become a hot spot in society. At the same time, the use of appropriate publication to explain the new issues, new phenomena, easy to get relatively wide attention in a timely manner, can enhance the value of the research proposition itself.
On the other hand, the foundation of China's management discourse is to first put forward the concept of China's management, then analyze and argue, and theoretically form a systematic model to give solutions. The development of Chinese enterprises is rapidly changing, which is a good opportunity to make new ideas and develop Chinese management theories in incremental terms.
How to get valuable information
The raw material of management research is all kinds of information, no matter which research paradigm, it is necessary to extract the valuable information from the complicated data and then study it in depth. In the era of information explosion, the false, fragmented and dusty information has become a dominant trait, and it is not easy to break the plague of information cocoon, and the cost of obtaining valuable information may be increased. Therefore, it is necessary to be goal-oriented, around the direction of research to effectively screen useful information.
1. Continuous attention to authoritative information
Management information is usually obtained through the following ways: official releases, official media interpretations, related research and corporate interviews, etc. We focus on analyzing the first two ways here.
The first way is the official release, which is an authoritative and effective source of first-hand information, not only the first choice, but also the basis of a researcher's independent judgment and output of valuable ideas. Focusing on official releases should be about continuity, and only in this way can we grasp the general trend of the industry. This process is not easy, not only to read the release, but also to understand the meaning behind the release. There are several types of official releases. First, the Party Central Committee and State Council regularly released important documents, these can fully reflect the development of China's economy and society in a period of time characterized by the development and development mode. The second is important policies and data released by relevant state ministries and commissions, which can reflect the overall macroeconomic situation. Thirdly, various data and reports released by authoritative organizations, which have strong guidance and are very important for grasping the general trend of government, industry and academia.
The second way is the official media interpretation. Based on the literal meaning of official documents, it is difficult to y understand the profound meaning behind the documents, and it is often necessary to have the help of official media interpretation to accurately and clearly understand the policy orientation and intention. These usually appear in CCTV, Xinhua News Agency and other official media commentary articles.
2. Selecting Enterprises for Long-Term Tracking from Two Dimensions
Starting from the enterprise is a basic tenet of applied management research. Whether it is to identify valuable research propositions or to obtain quality research information, long-term tracking of enterprises is a necessary choice, which can be done from two dimensions.
One is the time dimension. That is, according to the direction of research, choose those companies that can be tracked for a long time. For example, Chen Chunhua chose Baosteel, Huawei, Lenovo, TCL and Haier in his study of leading Chinese companies, and formulated a 30-year tracking research program.
The second is comparative dimension. Starting from external influences such as technology, policy, social culture, etc., we choose those fields where new enterprises, new business forms and new models can grow, or classic enterprises in the industry, and select at least two enterprises for comparative tracking research. For example, comparing Lenovo and Huawei, Tencent and Ali, FAW and SAIC.
The selection of specific enterprises should be typical, such as large enough scale, living long enough, and innovative enough. In this regard, we can refer to the eight-nature model of enterprise growth proposed by Yang Du - scale, growth, profitability, structure, continuity, competitiveness, innovation, and sociality as the dimensional selection.
The appearance of success or failure in the process of enterprise growth is not important; what is important is to study the logic behind it. In the process of tracking a company, it is of course good if you can conduct in-depth research and interviews to get first-hand data. If you don't have the means to do so, you can be a bystander and closely observe the business practices.
△ Let the complexity become simple, through the phenomenon to see the essence, in the economic and business development practice to find the vitality of the research
Various types of research forms and writing
1. Survey research
The importance of the survey research is self-evident, "no survey, no right to speak". . It is not easy for most researchers to have a direct dialog with practice, especially with business leaders, which requires parallel discourse systems, deep insights and strong output of ideas, so survey research becomes a relatively easy path. In terms of practicality, research is increasingly becoming a basic skill and routine work, and the ability to conduct research should be given sufficient attention.
(1) Survey is the foundation, research is sublimation
Overall, to do a good job of survey research needs to do three combinations, namely, the combination of theory and practice, the combination of survey and research, the combination of problem analysis and solutions. Investigation is the basis of research, research is the extension and sublimation of the investigation.
The quality of the survey work is crucial.
○一是要有问题意识，坚持问题导向，才能够提出解决问题的思路和办法。
Two is to dissect the enterprise, and strive to accurately, comprehensively and thoroughly clarify the ins and outs. Interviews or symposiums are a common way of dissecting enterprises, the key is to have discussions and interactions, rather than just listening, to take the initiative in research activities.
Three, the selection of enterprises should be typical, and the idea of categorization should be emphasized. Geography, industry, scale, ownership, and the degree of qualitative differences in development can all be taken into consideration for categorization.
Through in-depth practical investigation and research, a large number of fragmented materials to remove the rough and extract the essence, remove the false and keep the true, after the analysis from the other, from the surface to the inside, to be systematized, structured sorting, to grasp the essence of things, to find out the inner law, from perceptual understanding to rational understanding, on the basis of which to make the correct decision.
(2) Writing a research report can be followed
Writing a research report is the display of research. Research report is generally composed of three parts, namely, preface, main body, end. Preamble immediately following the title of the research report, before the main text, is mainly a brief explanation of the purpose of the investigation, meaning, object, mode and process. Conclusion can be research revelation or research results of the use of recommendations.
The main body of the report is the focus and core, usually contains three parts.
○The first part is the basic situation of the issue under investigation, consisting of descriptive statements, supported by qualitative description of the research and quantitative data.
○The second part is the investigation and analysis, for the investigation of the subject or the main problems faced by the subject of the investigation, the main contradictions, the main opportunities and challenges. This is to organize and analyze a large amount of research information to find out the basic elements that constitute the problem, which is the main contradiction, which is the main aspect of the contradiction, and then sort out and analyze the main reasons for the formation of the problem.
○The third part of the survey recommendations, is the existence of the problem and its causes of the problem of analysis, targeting the solution to the problem of ideas, solutions and recommendations. This part is the key to the whole research report and highlights, but also the entire report quality, value of the important embodiment of the size.
A high-quality research report with situation, problems, analysis and recommendations is the result of full research and in-depth thinking. Thinking based on the framework system, the framework system is also used to guide the whole process of report writing. The framework system can have a few basic follow.
○一是要有大局觀，站在国家大局、产业大局高度来分析问题。
○2 is to have logical strength, induction and deduction, layering and structure, individual and general, etc. to be logically distinct, the theory should be and specific practice to form an interaction, to guide the report writing, but also from the practice of drawing on the nutrients to enrich the theory.
<3>There should be a time span to analyze the practice dynamically and objectively with the time view of the past, present and future, and to gain insights into the general trend and the mainstream.
(3) report title to have a sense of formal design
Basic situation, problems and suggestions for ideas of the three parts of the big title is relatively procedural, but to each part of the proposed sub-heading is kung fu. Subheadings strive to complete and accurate description of the title, the number of general 3 to 5. Both to pay attention to the internal logic between the points, but also word for word, the design of the form of sense.
One is "four or six sentences", focusing on the form of coherence, do not need to pay attention to the sound of the law, but pay attention to the pair or the number of words are proportional. For example, insisting on reform and opening up, deepening cultural construction, enhancing strategic synergy and strengthening partnership. This kind of title is clear logic, beautiful form, more commonly used. If there is a conflict between the form of "four or six sentences" and the accuracy of the title, accuracy should prevail.
The second is the "digital combination", the subordinate title or subordinate content for digital summarization. For example, the construction of the "four systems", the implementation of the "six projects". This method is equivalent to the creation of proprietary pronouns, easy to implement and memorize.
Third is the "word in the end", the same level of title with the same verb or adjective series. For example, adhere to the party's leadership, adhere to the customer first, adhere to technological innovation, adhere to sustained growth, adhere to self-transformation.
Fourth, "the same dimension analogy", the logic of analogy to realize the echo between the titles. For example, to find the root cause of the loss, in the "stop bleeding" on the effort; increase policy support, in the "blood" on the effort; adhere to the customer-oriented, in the "blood" on the effort. This kind of title is clear, clear purpose, can be easily understood to convey the main idea.
2. Case study
Case study is a breakthrough to break the confinement of the academic community, is a form of close cross-interaction between research inside and outside the academic community. Case studies from live practice have gained more and more attention in the academic world, and are expected to become a "non-exquisite but spiritual" way to explore the current management phenomena in China, to fulfill the mission of management research, and to form Chinese management theories. In the following three aspects, we discuss how case studies can generate multiple types of research results and promote the establishment of internal and external research cycles in the academic community.
(1) Focusing on the needs of enterprises to contribute to theory
The formation of theoretical ideas from corporate practices has become an important tool for corporate branding and competitiveness enhancement. The origin of case studies is often based on the researcher's interest and the enterprise's willingness, and sometimes even the result of intentional promotion by the enterprise's branding department and marketing department.
Often, leading companies are committed to setting standards for technology, products, and behaviors in their industries as a way to enhance their voice and influence. Over the past few years, Haier has been one of the companies that have received the most attention from our researchers. From the OEC management method of "finishing everything on a daily basis, clearing up everything on a daily basis" to the eco-model of "human-single-unification", Haier's management innovations have won high appraisal from the world's management circles. And startups may get recognition from academics for their business models, and be recognized by researchers with well-reasoned case studies, which can help them in valuation, financing, and recruiting.
(2) Focus on Case Studies and Case Presentation Platforms
Case studies and case presentation platforms are important bridges between theory and practice, academia and non-academia. For example, China Enterprise Management Case and Qualitative Research Forum, China Management Case Study ****Help Center, and various other case study centers and case study conferences.
(3) Focus on the team establishment of case study
Because case study has a large amount of workload and is carried out painstakingly, it needs a good team to accomplish it collaboratively, and the team members have to give play to their respective strengths, play different roles as well as motivate each other. The results of the case study have a wide range of exports, academic journals alone, a case can generate multiple selection of directions. Case studies are also suitable for publication in a variety of media such as in-house, non-journal, and books. The heterogeneity of the various publication methods is more likely to spark if members of the research team have experience in publishing multiple outcomes.
3. Consulting Research
Consulting research is often invited by companies, starting from business needs and problem solving, and the research process is often hidden in the whole consulting process. Consulting research is a comprehensive manifestation of the researcher's ability to think theoretically, excavate and refine, communicate and express, and it is a form of research with the strongest interaction with practice and the highest degree of practice test, which improves the research ability in a comprehensive way.
(1) Three stages of consulting services
From the perspective of the process of consulting services, it can be divided into three stages, and the formation of the corresponding document results.
○第一阶段挖掘客户真实需求，形成项目建议书等招投标文件。
○第二阶段提出项目整体计划和进度安排，以及问卷、访谈、对标研究等工作计划。 The interview session is an important part of the interaction with customers to help them solve problems, which tests the researcher's communication skills and insight, especially the ability to grasp key information. The text formed at this stage includes research questionnaires, interview outlines, and excellent practice benchmarking reports.
○The third stage is the formation of the consulting results and show the report link. The form of the outcome document generally includes the problem to be solved by the project, how to solve and specific methods and paths.
(2) Consulting methodology and capabilities
Consulting requires specific methodology and capabilities. First, there should be a set of systematic framework used to guide the whole process of consulting and problem-solving methodology. The methodology can be derived from management theories and models, such as the widely used Boston Matrix. It can also be derived from the experience of consultants who have been through many battles, and these methodologies derived from practice are more popular, such as McKinsey's seven-step approach to analyzing business opportunities and the pyramid model of thinking, as well as KnowledgeBase consulting in the field of state-owned enterprises in the reform of the "P + 7" system model have been widely used.
Secondly, it is important to have the ability to summarize, refine and innovate quickly. Consulting often encounters completely new topics, and it is not possible to rely on only a few classic methods. The information obtained from communication and interaction with enterprises is often trivial and disorganized, and the consulting researcher should not only be good at guiding the relevance of information acquisition and project, but also dig the value behind the information.
Finally, it is important to have the ability to continuously optimize and iterate. Consulting research contact with business practices compared to any other way are more real, specific and comprehensive, the accumulated case base behind the ideas, methods and tools contained in academic research and practice guidance are very valuable, the researcher should be adept at the use of these thinking frameworks and methodological tools, the consulting process is often the process of growth with the client's business***