Methodology
Product-service packages comprise sophisticated combinations of technological and organisational systems that are required to be self-adjusting over extended timeframes. Research into the design and operation of such complex socio-technical systems requires a combination of methodological approaches, extending beyond the scientific method favoured by the engineering community to include interpretive methodologies favoured by social scientists. In recognition, a unique research team has been assembled with expertise spanning the full methodological spectrum. The research team's overriding commitment is to methodological pluralism, combining a range of deductive and inductive research approaches. It will also be necessary to adjust the adopted research strategies in accordance with emergent findings and the changing requirements of the industrial partners. For a project of this size and complexity, notions of multi-disciplinarity, methodological pluralism and flexibility in research approach must take precedence over rigid pre-determined methodologies. Researchers from the engineering disciplines tend to give primacy to systems-engineering approaches predicated on the representative capabilities of models (Checkland, 1981). The tradition includes product and process modelling and emphasises the importance of deductive theory verification based on underlying assumptions of cause and effect. Generalisations are sought leading to prediction, explanation and understanding. Specific strategies include verification through expert interviews and prototyping. Particular effort is given to the operationalisation of concepts so that their impact can be measured. In broad terms, these are the research approaches that have realised significant advances in engineered technical systems over the last half-century. These same approaches will remain equally important over the next half-century and are of central importance to the proposed research. The research-create-evaluate-refine-validate (RCERV) approach, and the design research methodology of Blessing (Blessing et al. 1995) will be used as new approaches and pilot systems are proposed. However, the proposed research will also mobilise a range of interpretive methodologies including: archival analysis, case studies, questionnaires, action research and cross-sectoral comparisons. All of these will be informed by the comparative method of grounded theory as originally advocated by Glaser and Straus (1967) and subsequently updated by Orton (1997).
The application of interpretive research methodologies will be co-ordinated with the sharing of case-study data across work packages wherever possible. The commitment to multiple methodologies is seen to be especially important in the context of the socio-technical systems that transcend the total product life cycle. The integration of the learning derived from different research paradigms will take place at the project level.
