I am currently undertaking a Ph D in Nonprofit Governance and Management in Ireland. I work full-time in the charity sector and hope to complete my thesis over four years. I am currently halfway through the second year, have completed my draft literature review and currently conceptualising a model of governance. My problem is firstly, I seem to have hit a 'wall' (frustration at difficulties of balancing study, work etc.) and am having difficulty getting over it. Secondly, my limited understanding of research methods is a bit scary and thirdly, there are very few Ph D students that I know of following the same subject. I would like to liaise with anyone doing similar research in the UK, and also would welcome any advice from any quarter on processes etc. Many thanks.
Murt. :-(

Hello Murt!

Wow, we are in an exact same boat. I am also a second year student in management and working full-time. I was also working in non-profit, American NGO and was also conducting my thesis in non-profit governance. However, I just got a funding from ministry and must change my thesis topic to somewhat healthcare related. Well, what can I do! I need the money, cannot really afford to pay for the research.

Anyway, please hang in there! Your hard work will pay off. My strategy is to study at night after work and weekend. I am also very weak in research method. Please don't panic, we will learn along the way. Take care!

Hi Murt.

I sympathise with FT work / PT phd - me too.  Its a case of managing your own expectations, be realistic,  set yourself time scales or goals but don't beat yourself up when life comes at you. I get up early do some work before work.. then come home and pretend i'm still at work for a couple of hours before switching off.  So its an extended working day.  

If you're doing qualitative research you can't go far wrong with starting to read Denzin and Lincoln's tome - the sage handbook of qualitative research. 
Its quite a door stop but is a really lovely read, talks about a range of methods and approaches. 

I also read Blaikie - Approaches to Social Enquiry as a background / paradigm / ontology guide...

Stick with the forum, you're not alone on here.

Chuff

Many thanks for the info and the advice, Chuff. I spend most evenings and weekends at it, and will carry on for the mo.

Kind regards,
Murt.

Many thanks, Jun480, for your encouragement. Interestingly, most of the literature I have reviewed is essentially North American, as that seems where a lot of writings originate.

Kind regards,

Murt

As a starting point for research methods I found Alison Pickard's Research methods book really helpful. It is from an information science perspective but it is helpful from a research method's perspective as it takes you through different approaches chapter by chapter.

There is a lot of literature on corporate and information governance - what is your angle? It's really impressive you have an idea for a model.

Cate

Hello Murt, fellow student in Ireland!

I'm no help with your actual topic I'm afraid but re: research methods, the suggestions already made should be really useful. The Sage book of 'anything' is usually a great starting point. I also have a doorstop of a book, The Sage book of Grounded Theory currently keeping my door open, sorry I mean helping me with my methodology chapter!

If you are able to get to your college library in person, rather than just online, it can be worth literally browsing the method books to get a feel for what is there. No doubt there are some methodology publications relevant to your topic but for a subject such as yours probably many of the research/methods books will be in the sociology section of the library. Sociology is found in the '300s' [Dewey Decimal system]. My own favourite, which I constantly return to as I feel the author is on the same wavelength as me, is Colin Robson (2002) - Real World Research: a resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers.

Motivation mid-way can be tough to keep up after the heady rush and excitiment of that first year has waned, particularly when you're also working. However think postive, and think forward. If you are going for a four-year completion once you get this year over, you will be more than half-way there :-).

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Many thanks Cate, I hope I am replying properly to these posts as this is my first time to use such a forum.

My angle is on conceptualising a core-flexible contingency governance model for adoption by nonprofit organizations in Ireland, regradlless of size, life-cycle stage, mission or vision. this is based on my perception of the weakness of overly prescriptive guidelines produced by umbrella bodies which are not flexible enough or user-friendly for the smaller organisations in particular. This together with the situation that board members are volunteers, wit separate lives to lead, and who require clear, flexible an understandable procedural guidelines to manage the organisation.

REgards and thanks for your suggestions re methodology,

Murt.



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