Course Name: Mixed-Methods and Longitudinal Research
Time and place:
13.-14.5.2025, University of Turku
Learning goal and objectives:
After the course the students will have deeper understanding about mixed methods and longitudinal and process research, covering from the philosophical underpinnings of the approaches to their practical application in studies. They have also familiarized themselves with some of the most classical and timely publications of key scholars from the respective research approaches. After the course the students will also have gained knowledge in what kind of studies mixed methods and longitudinal and process research approaches are applicable and whether the approaches would be beneficial and purposeful in their own doctoral thesis research.
Instruction and examination:
During the 1st course day the students familiarize with mixed-methods research approaches, and during the 2nd course day the focus is on longitudinal and process research methods. The course days are interactive, combining in-class lectures, exercises, pair and group work, class discussions and reflections based on the pre-assignment. The length of each course day is 6 hours plus lunch and coffee breaks.
The lecturers have compiled a list of articles for the pre-assignment that also works as basic knowledge for the two course days. The article list will be available Moodle, together with other course materials, supplementary references and course slides.
Passing the course requires the timely returning of an acceptable pre-assignment and active participation during both days of the course.
Credits: 4 ECTS
Grading: The grading scale of pass / fail will be applied.
Prerequisites: The course is targeted to doctoral students interested in research methods, and particularly in mixed-methods and longitudinal and process research. The doctoral students are expected to have a preliminary idea about their doctoral thesis topic and a research plan draft as a basis for the methodological reflection the course offers. Earlier participation to methodological courses is considered as a benefit, but not as a prerequisite.
Admittance: The students will indicate their interest to partake the course by sending email to the lecturers by the 30th of March. In return the students will receive a link and a course key to the course Moodle area and thereof access the course instructions and reading materials. The students will return a pre-assignment that is based on the provided pre-reading package to the lecturers before the course. The deadline for returning the pre-assignment is the 13th of April, 2025. The students apply to the course with the returned pre-assignment.
Pre-assignments should be returned by e-mail to Niina Nummela (niina.nummela@utu.fi) AND Eriikka Paavilainen-Mäntymäki (eriikka.paavilainen-mantymaki@utu.fi)
Doctoral students will be informed about acceptance to the course by the 27th of April, 2025. A maximum intake of students is 20.
Instructors:
Niina Nummela, Professor of International Business, University of Turku. Niina has authored several internationally recognized publications on mixed-methods in business and management, she operates regularly as an instructor in master classes, conference workshops and clinics on mixed-methods, she has been an invited lecturer and guest speaker on mixed-methods in various universities internationally, she has a notable track record in teaching research methods.
Eriikka Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, Professor of International Business, University of Turku. Eriikka has taught research methods on doctoral level, with a specific focus on qualitative and process methods and temporal research approaches, in several universities in Finland and abroad, she has written publications on research methods, co-edited a book on longitudinal and process approaches in business research and co-edited a special issue on the role of time in international business research.
Course coordinator and contact information: Eriikka Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, email: ejpama@utu.fi