chapter 3 study design and methodology - …（第三章研究设计和方法,u2026）.pdfVIP

Chapter 3 Study Design and Methodology 3.1. Introduction This study conducted exploratory and descriptive research on the creation of a specific information technology standard to gain an understanding of how such standards are developed. Specifically, the researcher used a case study of ANSI/NISO Z39.50: Information Retrieval (Z39.50) Application Service Definition and Protocol Specifications for Open Systems Interconnection (National Information Standards Organizations, 1995) that had two primary goals: Document the development of Z39.50 Develop a holistic understanding of Z39.50 development. Chapter 2 highlighted both the critical need for standards in the networked environment and the current lack of systematic, empirical research on information technology standards development. These two conditions were primary motivations for the researcher. To address the goals of this study, the researcher developed a multi–method research strategy that supported the exploratory and descriptive nature of the research. This chapter discusses the overall study design and the study’s multiple data collection and data analysis activities used to collect sufficient data to answer the study’s research questions. The chapter also highlights methodological issues and limitations encountered by the researcher. 3.2. The Research Strategy: Qualitative, Case Study, and Model Building Keeping in mind the study’s goals, the research strategy needed to support both the documentation of Z39.50 development and the understanding of its development. This strategy also needed to result in a data repository sufficient to answer three research questions posed by the study: What are the activities, entities, processes, and forces, and the contexts that influenced, enabled, or constrained Z39.50 developm