Challenges In Research Practice Research Articles

"Unraveling The Role Of IBM SPSS: A Comprehensive Examination Of Usage Patterns, Perceived Benefits, And Challenges In Research Practice"

"Unraveling The Role Of IBM SPSS: A Comprehensive Examination Of Usage Patterns, Perceived Benefits, And Challenges In Research Practice"

Qualitative Content Analysis: Conceptualizations and Challenges in Research Practice—Introduction to the FQS Special Issue "Qualitative Content Analysis I"

In this contribution we introduce Part I of the special issue on qualitative content analysis (QCA). We start by describing the rationale on which this special issue is based and our considerations in dividing the topic into two separate parts. We then provide an overview of concerns in the current methodological discussion of QCA, identifying four core areas: 1. the conceptualization of QCA as a hybrid of quantitative and qualitative elements or as a genuinely qualitative method; 2. the relationship between the German and the international discourse on QCA; 3. the question of whether theoretical and / or epistemological foundations of QCA can be identified; and 4. the lack of transparency in documenting the application of QCA. Next, we outline the process of putting together this special issue and provide an overview of the structure and how the contributions relate to each other. In this current Part I, we focus on contributions in which authors deal with questions concerning the conceptualization of QCA, and on discussions of challenges that arise during the application of QCA and how these challenges were met. We conclude that there are multiple conceptualizations of QCA in the literature, and that this multiplicity is reflected in the variety of challenges and creative solutions described by the authors in this first part of the special issue.

The dual use of research ethics committees: why professional self-governance falls short in preserving biosecurity

BackgroundDual Use Research of Concern (DURC) constitutes a major challenge for research practice and oversight on the local, national and international level. The situation in Germany is shaped by two partly competing suggestions of how to regulate security-related research: The German Ethics Council, as an independent political advisory body, recommended a series of measures, including national legislation on DURC. Competing with that, the German National Academy of Sciences and the German Research Foundation, as two major professional bodies, presented a strategy which draws on the self-control of science and, inter alia, suggests expanding the scope of research ethics committees (RECs) to an evaluation of DURC.Main bodyThis situation is taken as an occasion to further discuss the scope and limits of professional self-control with respect to security-related research. The role of RECs as professional bodies of science is particularly analyzed, referring to the theoretical backgrounds of professionalism. Two key sociological features of professionalism – ethical orientation and professional self-control – are discussed with respect to the practice of biomedical science. Both attributes are then analyzed with respect to the assessment of DURC by RECs.ConclusionIn conclusion, it is stated that issues of biosecurity transcend the boundaries of the scientific community and that a more comprehensive strategy should be implemented encompassing both professional self-control and legal oversight.

International networking. A healthy vehicle for research?

Collaboration between research centres has existed for a long time, but the possibility of obtaining external funding has been an extra motive for centres to participate in international networks. This paper discusses the opportunities and limitations of international networking based upon the case of the CityHealth Research Network in which the authors participated. They reflect upon the functioning of European networking in practice and highlight aspects that could be Improved. The structure, organization and functioning of the CityHealth Research Network are considered as well as its influence on research output. Furthermore, recommendations are formulated on establishing and implementing a coherent and efficient cross-national research network. It is not a one-sided success story about collaboration between international research teams, but rather a reflection upon the learning experiences and the successes achieved within this network. In general, the complexity of networking between research teams from different countries not only seems to be a challenge for research practice, but it also provides a challenging topic for scientific inquiry itself.