Marketing Essay
Instructions:
Your dissertation research must contribute to theory. Your research and the theory to which it contributes may or may not have a practical benefit or application. There is no doubt, however, that there is a theory in your dissertation topic area that does have a practical application.
Part 1
Referencing at least five peer-reviewed journal articles or scholarly books, discuss views on the relationship between theory and application or practice. How can a theory guide or inform practice? What are the issues involved in translating theory into practice? Be sure to keep in mind the various conceptions of theory you discussed in Question 1.
Part 2
Referencing at least five peer-reviewed journal articles, fully describe a theory of current interest in your topic area. A theory is currently of interest if there are articles published on it in the past five years. This theory may or may not be the same as the one you examined in Question 1, Part 3. Describe a current view of the theory, not the founder’s view or a classic view. Your answer should be no more than three pages long.
Part 3
Identify at least five scholarly articles (published in the last 5 years) that address how the theory you discussed in Part 2 has actually been applied. (Draw on your response to Part 1 in order to define what you mean by an application of a theory to an actual problem or situation.) Critically evaluate the appropriateness of the uses to which the theory has been applied. Consider, for example: Are the applications premised upon an accurate understanding of the theory and its scope? Do the applications “go beyond” what the theory claims? Is the reasoning linking application and theory sound?
The structure of your paper should be as follows:
Title page
Body (10-15 pages, no more or less; APA Style; use appropriate headings for organization of the paper)
References (APA Style)
Learning Outcomes:
2. Critique existing research and design a methodologically sound approach to research in the student’s academic specialization(s).
Solution.
Marketing
Relationship between theory and practice
In reference to Babbie, (2015), a theory denotes structured classification of knowledge functional to the process of problem-solving. Also, Baskerville & Wood-Harper, (2016) asserts that theory denotes a set of points on a particular issue towards explaining, predicting and comprehending a given topic. Hence, theories are essentially part of practice. The use of theories in the research process is towards an explanation of a particular problem in a realistic setting. Smith, (2015) emphasizes that relationship existent between practice and theory is in a reciprocal form. Practice cannot align itself without theoretical foundation that guides the research.
How can theory guide or inform practice?
Theory forms a foundation towards undertaking practice. Without available theoretical foundation, collection of data can prevail without an accurate way towards an explanation of the diverse observable phenomena. Hence, theory informs practice through presenting a reference point for the research process and establishes factual justification of research undertaken. Ritchie, et al. (2016) emphasizes that theory informs practice through providing the necessary points, concepts, and information for the research process. Bryman, (2015) also stresses that theory functions in ensuring that prediction of outcomes prevails. In the instance of larger theories, they are effective in guiding the research practice. Smaller theories are useful to the research practice in guiding and interpreting a given behavior. All in all, theory informs practice through the provision of insight into the interpretation of behavior in a given research.
What are the issues involved in translating theory?
The primary use of a theory is to
explain the processes of collection, analysis, storage, recovery and relay of
information. Since individuals are used in the collection, analysis and
dissemination of information, a biased response may prevail. Therefore as one
of the issues involved in translating theory, human error is an issue of
concern. As another issue, the theory is essential to the explanation of a
section and not complete part of a given research. Therefore, when one section
is affected, holistic interference is bound to prevail (Smith, 2015). Hence,
the need to evaluate the entire research process is bound to prevail as a
result of effect evident to a section of research.
References
Babbie, E. R. (2015). The practice of social research. Nelson Education. New York
Baskerville, R. L., & Wood-Harper, A. T. (2016). A critical perspective on action research as a method for information systems research. In Enacting Research Methods in Information Systems: Volume 2 (pp. 169-190). Springer International Publishing.
Bryman, A. (2015). Social research methods. Oxford University Press. London
Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., & Ormiston, R. (Eds.). (2013). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage. New York
Smith, J. A. (Ed.). (2015). Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage. London