dissertation in pdf-format - Aalto-yliopisto
dissertation in pdf-format - Aalto-yliopisto
dissertation in pdf-format - Aalto-yliopisto
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43<br />
3 Research methodology<br />
based on the national-level data, and the model was estimated us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
matched-pair comparison, acknowledg<strong>in</strong>g a priori probabilities. The<br />
explanatory variables <strong>in</strong>cluded success and growth, size and age of the firm,<br />
<strong>in</strong>novativeness, public R&D fund<strong>in</strong>g, growth of the branch of <strong>in</strong>dustry and<br />
number of auxiliary bus<strong>in</strong>ess names.<br />
In the <strong>in</strong>dustry-level LRA-model the data for small KIBS firms located <strong>in</strong><br />
Eastern F<strong>in</strong>land (North-Savo) were analysed. A dichotomous dependent<br />
variable for the model was constructed by classify<strong>in</strong>g the firms <strong>in</strong>to two<br />
groups, based on the effects of <strong>in</strong>novation activity of the firms on their<br />
turnover, as reported by key <strong>in</strong>formants. CEOs of Group I and II firms<br />
stated that <strong>in</strong>novations, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g renewal and development activities,<br />
accounted for more than and less than 25% of the <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> their turnover<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g the study period, respectively. Four variables were selected to<br />
measure the extent of <strong>in</strong>novation activities <strong>in</strong> the small KIBS firms: the rate<br />
of new product or service <strong>in</strong>troduction, uniqueness of the new products or<br />
services, timel<strong>in</strong>ess of new product <strong>in</strong>troductions, and the success of new<br />
products or -services they launched. These variables were measured us<strong>in</strong>g<br />
5-po<strong>in</strong>t Likert scales. F<strong>in</strong>ally, <strong>in</strong> Article IV content analysis was applied to<br />
data obta<strong>in</strong>ed for the 12 T-KIBS case firms.<br />
Figure 4: Variables used to small KIBS firms accord<strong>in</strong>g to the impact of <strong>in</strong>novations on<br />
their turnover growth (Siikonen et al., 2011)<br />
3.5 Validity and reliability <strong>in</strong> mixed method studies<br />
Onwuegbuzie and Johnson (2006) stated that validity is not about s<strong>in</strong>gular<br />
truths and not limited only to quantitative measurements. Validity can have<br />
subjective, <strong>in</strong>tersubjective and objective components and <strong>in</strong>fluences. The<br />
def<strong>in</strong>itions of validity and reliability <strong>in</strong> quantitative research reveal two<br />
strands: validity is often understood to refer to the accuracy of the means of<br />
measurements, and whether the measurements really measure what they<br />
are <strong>in</strong>tended to measure. Measurements obta<strong>in</strong>ed from a given <strong>in</strong>strument<br />
may be reliable, but not always valid, while others may be valid but not