Running up the hill: contract research, qualitative methods and rigour

Academic researchers in all disciplines are now under pressure to work more closely with industry and the community through contract research. These alliances are expected to produce increased quantities of research output for both the individual academic and institution, as well as successful and tangible outcomes for the organisation. The design and execution of contract research, however, is somewhat different to that of funded research. It often involves tight time lines, a strict adherence to the requirements of the written and verbal contract between all parties concerned, and intensification of research work practices. While permission to publish, access to sites and informants, academic freedom and ownership of intellectual property are challenges that most qualitative researchers face at some stage, those who wish to utilise contract research data with a view to producing rigorous and high quality scholarly work face additional hurdles. Issues concerning rigour and validity may present many particular challenges to the contract qualitative researcher. This paper examines this tension between opportunities to engage in qualitative research via contractual arrangements with organisations and the desire to produce intellectually rigorous outcomes. Two case studies that illustrate the difficulties inherent in conducting contract-based qualitative research will be discussed. The first case study examines the development of qualitative research design as part of a larger project on innovation, technology and change management within a multinational corporation. The second case study analyses the relationship between length of contract, grounded theory and methodological rigour within a contract based multiple case study project on public sector service delivery.