development of small-scale intermodal freight transportation in a ...

economist, his and RUTTEN’s research follow the engineering approach that HULTÉN
(1997, p. 20) finds suitable for applied fields of research with a strong multi-disciplinary
element. HULTÉN presents the approach in his recently published dissertation on container
management:
“… an engineering approach to science would be to first work as a natural scientist and
analyse the complex system under study to obtain a thorough understanding of it and
then search for findings from other (more basic) sciences and as an engineer synthesise
these findings and apply them to the complex system under study.”
(HULTÉN, 1997, p. 20)
Although this was not expressed until the main part of my research was carried out, it is
considered as a good description of what I have actually done as well as of the research tradition
generally applied at our department. Nevertheless, if this was to be a pure engineering
effort, the work would be carried out following a strict path to the solution of the ultimate
task of implementing new small-scale intermodal transportation systems. Here – as in
all research – an additional objective of producing knowledge is fulfilled.
In short, I confess to the systems approach and the conceptualising ideal when I present
conceptual system models and descriptions open for use by other researchers. With an engineering
approach I attack some more specific issues further down in the systems hierarchy.
My opinion is that the choice of methods is subordinate to the research questions,
which are identified in an inductive manner. The choices of specific and narrower methods
at lower system levels are described and justified as they appear in the text.
1.4.2 Data and information gathering
In this dissertation, the framework of data, information and knowledge as presented by
POLEWA et al. (1997, p. 158) is used. The conceptual model of the information value
chain, as shown in the figure below, includes data as the raw material, information as the
structured and communicable semi-manufactured product of data processing and knowledge
as the finished product where information has been transformed into a meaningful
form by use of analysis, interpretation based upon earlier experience as well as modelling.
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