Volume 1 No.

6, October 2011 ISSN-2223-4985

International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research

2010-11 IJICT Journal. All rights reserved

http://www.esjournals.org

Information Technology Research in Developing Nations: Major

Research Methods and Publication Outlets
Franklin Wabwoba, Anselimo Peters Ikoha
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Computer Science Department

ABSTRACT
The multi-disciplinary nature of Information Technology has brought many methods of research with it. This has left many
Information Technology specialists whose background is from the rigid scientific disciplines in a dilemma. The paper
distinguishes Information Technology research from computer science research. It highlights where emphasis of research
in Information Technology needs to be placed. There has been a general shift in Information Technology from focus being
strictly technological to social, managerial and organizational in nature that have put demand on Information Technology
researcher to acquire knew skills. The paper differentiates the emphasis between Information Technology research and
computer science researcher. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches have become handy in this field of study. The
most common research methods action research, case study, Ethnography, experimentation, Grounded theory, secondary
method, and survey are discussed in this paper clearly giving the applicability. Important consideration and weakness of
each method from the information technology perspective are discussed in this paper. The findings outlets for the field are
also mentioned.
Keywords: Computer science research, Information Technology research, IT research methods, Publication outlets

1. INTRODUCTION important considerations of the methods and where each is

most applicable and not the other. The paper hopes to use
A research method can be considered as a set of terms familiar to Information Technology specialists and
organizing principles around which data is collected and offer definitions and distinction that capture the spirit of
analyzed [1]. It is a strategy of inquiry to research design the methods. The paper also gives suggestions of places
and collection of data [2]. It is the means by which data where the Information Technology researchers can
about given Information Technology (IT) problem may be disseminate the findings.
solved. A variety of methods can be used to solve
problems in Information Technology. However the 2. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT
method to use for a particular study in Information RESEARCH AND COMPUTER
Technology is depended on the nature of the problem
being studied. The different IT problems call for different SCIENCE RESEARCH
skills to be applied. The different research methods
demand for different skills, assumptions and practice from IT is one of the newly emerging fields of study
the researcher. The multi-disciplinary nature of IT is [3] in developing nations that is growing very fast.
calling on IT specialist of whom most have their Unfortunately not many understand what IT is. An
background in computer science to acquire new skills out examination of Information Technology undergraduate
of the strictly science research approach of experimental and postgraduate programs being offered by many
method to having to learn the social science nature of universities in the developing nations would easily reveal
research as well. Many Information Technology specialist that they are indeed computer science programs. Computer
often find it hard to select the best method to use because science has been there for some time. Many of the people
of either not having had a good background exposure to moving into IT are carrying with them the rigid
the many research methods available to them or not even approaches that define research in the former fields
knowing what is available to them or not understanding (computer science, electrical engineering) into IT without
the methods strength and weakness. The matter is realizing the unique nature of IT. Many a time you will
complicated further by the nature of Information find one asking What is the IT in the research?, when in
Technology fields being multi-disciplinary in nature thus really sense he or she is looking for the Engineering or
drawing its methods from a number of fields. This does computer science in the research. In order to get an
lead to lack of consistence in terminology to describe them understanding on the difference, there is need to
and even lack of consensus on how to distinguish them understand the difference between especially computer
methods [1]. science where most IT specialists are converting from and
The purpose of this paper is to provide an Information Technology. Basically, IT is the study,
overview of the difference between Information design, development, implementation, support or
Technology research and computer science research. It management of computer-based information systems,
will also discuss the most commonly applied methods in particularly software applications and computer hardware.
Information Technology research highlighting the IT deals with the use of electronic computers and

253
 Volume 1 No. 6, October 2011 ISSN-2223-4985
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research

2010-11 IJICT Journal. All rights reserved

http://www.esjournals.org

computer software to convert, store, protect, process, languages. Computer science also requires significantly
transmit, and securely retrieve information. According to more mathematics and science than information
Association of Computing Machines (ACM) IT, as an technology, mainly because extending the underlying
academic discipline, is concerned with issues related to technology requires a more thorough mathematical
advocating for users and meeting their needs within an foundation than applying that technology. Due to this
organizational and societal context through the selection, computer science research is more inclined towards
creation, application, integration and administration of mathematics and science research methods with minimal
computing technologies [3]. Accordingly, IT research borrowing from other fields as a result of computer
majorly has to revolve around issues related to advocating sciences curriculum being heavily structured with courses
for users and meeting their needs within an organizational developing into each other at higher levels hence hardly
and societal context through the selection, creation, allowing people from outside science, engineering and
application, integration and administration of computing mathematics being able to join in.
technologies. Information technologists certainly build
Computer Science is the science of computers software applications, and programming is certainly a
whilst Information Technology may or may not make use critical skill in IT, but the style of programming in IT
computers or any form of computer science. This implies differs from that in Computer Science. The typical IT
that IT research may or may not involve the use of research or project therefore involves gluing together
computers. Of course there is a big overlap between IT available components in high-level environments and
and computer science but in general computer science providing an accessible interface to the functionality those
deals with the technical working of computers whilst IT is components provide. Since IT graduate needs to be broad
concerned more with information manipulation and the enough to recognize any computing need and know
business requirements. From this perspective therefore, something about possible solutions [3] the IT curriculum
research dealing with technical working of computers is structure has a flatter pre-requisite structure which in turn
the work of computer scientists while that dealing with allows many other fields specialist to join into it hence
manipulation of information and the business requirements the diversity of research methods availed to it for studying
falls squarely under the IT research. Computer science is a IT.
field more closely associated with mathematics, logic, Part of the role of IT is to apply research from the
electrical engineering. IT on the other hand is more other computing disciplines [3]. According to Lunt et al
inclined towards the usage of applications or applying the (2008) [3], part of the research contribution of IT will be
technology. IT research is thus majorly concerned with to feed new questions and results back into the research
technology applications or and technology usage and streams on which IT is built. IT research is expected to
hence does not so much restrict it self to mathematical and address questions related to the content of practice, and the
engineering approaches. process of practice and hence calling for methods that can
At the professional level, the computer scientist effectively achieve this. The uniqueness of IT research
tends to be motivated by the computer itself, and thus overlapping research in other computing disciplines
works under the hood, tends to build and extend the compels it to use methods from the other disciplines as
underlying technology [3], The computer science research well.
therefore focuses towards building and extending the
underlying technology while the information technologist 3. RESEARCH METHODS
is motivated by using the computer as a tool to solve
problems for people. IT research concerns itself with how The research methods available to an IT
to apply available technology to solve real-world problems researcher fall into two broad categories being quantitative
for people [3]. IT research is more concerned with or qualitative. The qualitative methods involve designs,
identifying need for technology unlike computer science techniques and measurements that do not produce discrete
research that is concerned with creating the technology for type of data. The most commonly utilized methods in this
the IT researcher to use. In other words the information category are observation, interview and participation.
technologist identifies a need for technology, which the These methods permit the research to go beyond statistical
computer scientist then creates, and the information results [4]. Methods that fall in this category are inclusive
technologist finally helps people to use effectively. of ethnography, case study, and action research [1]. They
At the curricular level, IT differs from computer are the methods that rely on fieldwork.
science in many respects. First, there is a stronger Quantitative methods on the other hand involve
emphasis on programming in computer science than in designs, techniques and measurements that do produce
information technology. The typical computer science discrete values or quantifiable data [5]. The methods in
application involves writing large programs from scratch this category require a good amount of time in planning.
using traditional programming languages and focusing on Methods that fall in this category are inclusive of
software architecture, data structures and algorithm experiments and surveys [1]. While qualitative methods
development issues. This makes computer science are based on the naturalistic / interpretivism paradigm, the
research and projects to be more focused on writing large quantitative methods are based on the positivist paradigm
programs from scratch using traditional programming [4]. However in most cases the approaches taken by an IT
254
 Volume 1 No. 6, October 2011 ISSN-2223-4985
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research

2010-11 IJICT Journal. All rights reserved

http://www.esjournals.org

researcher will normally include a combination of Information Technology in evaluating the tools. It is
methods from the two categories. useful in avoiding scale-up problems associated with
innovations of Information Technology.
3.1 Action research
3.3 Ethnography
For a long time, this has been a darling for
computer specialists. It is conducted with the primary This approach puts emphasis on sociology of
intention of solving a specific, immediate and concrete meaning through the use of observation, interviews and
problem in the local setting [4]. It is hardly concerned with examining of documents [1]. Its goal is to study a
whether the results are generalized to any other setting community of people to understand how the members
since its major goal is to seek a solution to a given make sense of the social interactions. Within Information
problem. At times this becomes the interest of an Technology, its used to understand how technical
information technology researcher also. This research communities build culture of practices and communication
approach aims to intervene in the studied circumstances by strategies that enable them to collaboratively use
improving the situation [1]. The interest here is in technologies innovations [1]. It allows for Information
developing an innovation to solve a problem in society Technology researchers to have insight into human, social
with little interest in generalization. One such good and organizational aspects of Information Technology
example in Kenya is the M-Pesa innovation. Action innovations and applications [2], [6]. It is a powerful
research does develop solutions that are of practical value assessment of technology users needs and allows for
to the people or organisations with whom the researcher is perceiving Information Technology innovations and
working with as it is an interactive process [6] while at the applications in the eyes of the users. It allows the IT
same time having minimal contribution to knowledge [2]. researcher to improve the understanding of human thought
Though it has limited contribution to theory [4], it is and action through interpretation of human actions in
useful because of its ability to provide answers to context [2], [6]. The merit of this approach to Information
problems that can not wait for theoretical solutions. Technologists is its ability to avoid imposing any pre-
Remember, the Information Technologist work deals with existing theories as it focuses on how members of a
interacting with organisation or users at large. The major community themselves make sense of their social and
strength of the method is in its in-depth and first hand cultural settings within the technology environment [1]. It
understanding the research gets [6]. This research involves participation, talking and doing things with
approach is also distinguished by there being no control participants in their real life situation for a long period of
group or variables. This puts of balance a number of time [7]. The main tool of the approach is observation and
researchers in the third world who believe so dearly in this is done over a period of time giving it a longitudinal
dependent and independent variables in research. Its main perspective [4]. This approach gives an in-depth
weakness lies in its potential lack of objectivity on the knowledge of only a particular context and situation thus
researcher [6], [4]. The lack of an agreed criterion for making it difficult to make generalizations. It also
evaluating action research is also considered as a produces highly qualitative data which is fairly difficult to
weakness [2]. Most software application related ideas are present in a manner that is usable to designers [2] and can
developed by collaborative work between the researchers be too costly if the number of participants were to be
and the beneficiaries. increased.

3.2 Case study 3.4 Grounded theory

This is an in-depth investigation of an individual, This is a method used in Information Technology
group, institution or phenomenon within its real life to develop theory that is grounded in data systematically
context especially where phenomena and context have a gathered and analyzed [2]. It is a discovery method that
slim difference [2], [4], [6]. It offers an in-depth allows the researcher to develop theoretical accounts
understanding of how and why certain phenomena as it based on concepts, categories and prepositions. It
reveals the mechanism by which cause effect relationship characterizes the organisations experiences of
occur [1]. The main purpose of the case study is to Information Technology innovations and applications in
determine factors and relationships among the factors that terms of processes of incremental or radical organizational
resulted in the behavior under study [4]. It does use changes out of the rapid technology changes. It is and has
purposive sampling in selecting the cases to involve in the been used to develop theoretical framework for
study. The methods major weakness is that data collection conceptualizing the organizational issues around the
and analysis is more open to interpretation and researcher adoption and use of Information Technology innovations
bias [1]. It has been criticized of giving allowance for and applications [2]. With this approach there are no
different interpretations by different people over the same worries about the formality of the usage and hence
situation. Again out of the small cases, there is no resulting theories are explicit emergent and it does not test
sufficient ground for establishing reliability or a hypothesis [2]. The approachs weakness lies in its
generalizing its findings. Case study is important in sensitivity to the thoroughness and skills of researchers in
255
 Volume 1 No. 6, October 2011 ISSN-2223-4985
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research

2010-11 IJICT Journal. All rights reserved

http://www.esjournals.org

interpreting data. As such it does not favour novice

researcher [2]. 3.7 Secondary
3.5 Survey Secondary research makes use of data obtained
from previous published studies to undertake a research
According to Mugenda and Mugenda [4], survey synthesis to combine findings of different studies on a
method is an attempt to collect data from members of research problem [6]. It is also referred to as content
population in order to determine the current status of that analysis. Its main purpose is to study existing documents
population with respect of one or more variables. This is a such as documentations of Information Technology
study that investigates relationships and outcomes [6]. The systems, books, other research findings amongst others to
method is very useful in studying a large number of determine factors that explain a given phenomenon of
variables using a large sample size and rigorous statistical interest [4]. Its the best approach to identifying crucial
analysis [6]. The method is therefore used to describe, areas and questions that have not been adequately
explain or explore existing status of a phenomenon at a addressed [6].
given time. It is the best method for measuring The main strength of the approach lies in its
characteristics in a large population [4]. It is closely ability to economies on time and money as well as the
associated with the use of questionnaires in data collection easiness with which one can be able to detect and correct
though structured interviews and data logging techniques errors hence minimizing the chances of drawing incorrect
get used too [1]. It is a good method to use in answering and misleading conclusions as a result of biases in the
questions about what, how much, how many as well as primary study or from the review itself. The method has
why [4]. It has to do with questions that seek to find out no effect on what is being studied [4]. The major undoing
about the nature of the target population. It is best utilized of the approach is its limitation to recorded
in situations when control of dependent and independent communication where ascertaining the validity of the data
variables is not easily achievable or desirable. It is handy is not easy.
when the point of interest in the study has to be studied in
its natural setting [7] and occur incurrent time or the recent
past [6]. Most of the studies in Information Technology 4. MAJOR PUBLICATION OUTLETS IN
due to its rapid changing involve recent or current INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
occurrences. Being a method used from time in history as
an intervention strategy for organizational change [6] Research work as well as knowledge in the field
makes it handy for Information Technology researchers. of information Technology can be shared out with the
The major challenge of this approach is in community at large through journal publications and
controlling against sample bias. The bias can greatly conference all over the world. Some of the major journals
compromise the generalization of the findings of the in this area include computer and Information Science
study. The other limitations of this approach include its journal, IEEE Computer society, Decision Science,
being dependent on the cooperation of respondents hence Elsevier Science Publishers, MIS Quarterly, Information
they determine the degree of the reliability of the results. Systems Research, International Journal of Information
In most case information unknown to respondents can and Communication Technology Research, Journal for
hardly be tapped and information that is fairly secret and strategic Information Systems, Journal of Information and
personal may easily be inaccurate. Surveys are not useful software technology, Journal of Information Technology,
in obtaining data that can be used for forecasting things to Journal of Information Technology Education, journal of
come [4]. Management Information Systems, Journal of Systems
and Software and Eastern African journal of Engineering
3.6 Experimentation science and Technology amongst others. Most of this
journals organize conference through which dissemination
This has for a long time been the commonly used of research findings of Information Technology can be
approach for computer scientist. Experiments are done along side those organized by universities. Many of
undertaken where the researcher needs to have control the journals also do not charge for publishing with them.
over the situation with direct and precise and systematic
manipulation of the behaviour of the phenomenon under 5. CONCLUSION
study [4], [6]. An experiment method is one where the
investigation of one or more dependent variables is IT is a new and rapidly growing field that started
manipulated to measure the effect on one or more as a grassroots response to the practical, everyday needs of
variables. The key characteristic of the method is the business and other organizations [3] and as such IT
control aspect. The method is most important in research is closely associated to ITs rapid changes and
circumstances where testing of theories or hypothesis is at responses to the practical every day needs of businesses.
the centre of the study. IT research may or may not involve the use of computers.
It is mainly concerned with the manipulation of
information and business requirements. It does focus on
256
 Volume 1 No. 6, October 2011 ISSN-2223-4985
International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Research

2010-11 IJICT Journal. All rights reserved

http://www.esjournals.org

the application usage and technology application. It Software Engineering Research. PIT 912
focuses towards application of technology to solve the Advanced Research methods in Information
every day problems. IT research is concerned with the Technology reader Compiled BY Prof. P. Ogao ,
identifying need for technology and how to effectively and 83-105.
efficiently glue together available technology components
in high level programming environments and providing [2] Jabar M., Sidi F., Selamat M. H., Ghani A. A.&
accessible interface to the functionality of the components Ibrahim H. (2009). An Investigation into methods
provided by the technology. IT research is not overly and Concepts of Qualitative Research in
inclined towards science, engineering and mathematics Information Systems Research. Computer and
only but in-cooperates all fields due to its multi- Information Science , 2 (4): 47-54.
disciplinary nature.
Out of its multi-disciplinary nature, it is not [3] Lunt B. M., Ekstrom J. J., Gorka S., Hislop G.,
possible to say only one approach or method from one Kamali R., Lawson E., LeBlanc R., Miller J., &
discipline is applicable to IT research. It draws its methods Reichgelt H. (2008). Information Technology
of research from all disciplines. None of these methods 2008. Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate
therefore, can be said to be the best but instead the best Degree Programs in Information Technology.
method to use will be determine on the basis of the nature Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
of the problem to be studied, the time and funds available. IEEE Computer Society.
The problems vary from being highly technological,
behavioural and social in nature. In most cases a [4] Mugenda O. M. & Mugenda A. G. (2003).
combination of these methods will be handy to a Research methos: Qusntitative & Qualitative
researcher as all of them have strength and weakness. Use approaches. Nairobi: African Centre for
of a combination of methods is handy to overcome the Technology Studies press.
weakness and emphasis the strength. The findings of
Information Technology researches have many openings
[5] Kothari C. R. (2007). Research Methodology:
to be shared out amongst many sources ranging from those
Methods & Techniques. New Delhi: New age
that are highly technical to those that are highly social
international (P) limited, publishers.
depending on the nature of the study.
In developing nations, a number of computer
science researcher have end up doing IT research and vice [6] Sjberg D. I. K., Dyb T. & Jrgensen M. (2007).
versa, however, there is need to have the difference clearly The future of Empirical Methods in Software
defined out. The discussion give in this paper goes a long Engineering Research. Future of Software
way in doing just this. Engineering, IEEE-CS Press 2007 .

REFERENCES [7] Kasomo D. (2007). Research Methods in

Humanities and Education. Eldoret: Zapf
[1] Easterbrook S., Singer J., Storey M., & Damian Chancery.
D. (2010). Selecting Empirical Methods for

257