Consulting Skills for Social Researchers


Book Description

Consulting skills help researchers frame and define research projects, manage the social research process, engage with stakeholders and influence change. This practitioner-oriented text is the first to help social researchers and those active in the social research sector develop these skills. Drawing from the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes’ consulting competence framework, it will aid understanding of effective consulting skills in the UK and international social research community and will be invaluable for all those commissioning, managing and conducting social research.




Consulting Skills for Social Researchers


Book Description

This practitioner-oriented text is the first to help social researchers define research projects, manage the social research process, engage with stakeholders and influence change. It will be invaluable for all those commissioning, managing and conducting social research.




The Art of Consultancy


Book Description

"This is the practical approach I wish I had come across much earlier in my career." Cynthia Pexton-Shaw Whether you are just starting out, considering or already working as a consultant this book is essential reading, enabling you to understand the needs of your client and to get the result they want.




Social Science Research


Book Description

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.




Consulting Start-Up and Management


Book Description

Looking to start up your own research and evaluation consultancy? For almost 20 years, Gail V. Barrington has run popular workshops to help professional researchers and evaluators determine if they have what it takes to succeed as consultants. This book makes that helpful guidance, and more, available to a wider audience. Barrington shows readers how to get started, set fees, find work, manage time and money, set up an ownership structure and business systems, manage contracts, and work with subcontractors and staff. With Barrington's advice and encouragement, independent practitioners have the roadmap to success!"I would highly recommend it to anyone starting a consulting career. The author has truly singled out the most important lessons to be passed on, both of the practical type and of those related to consultancy."-George Grob, Center for Public Program Evaluation"This book addresses a big and important gap in the evaluation literature. It provides a clear and concise account of what evaluators and applied researchers need to know in order to succeed in independent consulting practice." -Stewart Donaldson, Claremont Graduate University




Taking Social Research to the Larger World


Book Description

"With its detailed accounts of early life at Princeton, royal commissions, government task forces, and private sector assignments, this book will be a compelling read for anyone interested in policy, organizational change, equality issues, and the recent history of Canada's sometimes fragile confederation." "Although biographical, this book is, in large part, a history of Canada too. The author has woven his life together with Canada's recent past, leading us through the strong post-war economic growth and the demographic explosion that came to be known as the baby boom, and on to the resulting dramatic social policy developments. Details of behind-the-scenes events and conversations add humour and realism to the "characters" in his account." "The author captures the era remarkably well. He intertwines personal interests in jazz, chess, and abstract art with the pursuit of university education and developing an understanding of political and social issues. He clearly describes the optimism of the 1950s and early 1960s, the tremendous social revolution of the 1960s, the JFK assassination, and the Marxist 1970s."--BOOK JACKET.




Building a Career Outside Academia


Book Description

This career guide surveys the rewarding job opportunities that can be found outside academia. Experienced professionals from a variety of nonacademic fields offer insider tips to help readers establish successful careers. After years of hard work and many long hours, you've finally finished your dissertation and earned your doctorate. You've persevered through many challenges, but one dilemma still lies before you: What will you do with your degree? Many graduates go on to pursue academic careers -- but academia isn't for everyone. This career guide examines the rewarding opportunities that await social and behavioral science doctorates in nonacademic sectors, including government, consulting, think tanks, for-profit corporations, and nonprofit associations. Jennifer Brown Urban and Miriam R. Linver have gathered experienced professionals to provide an insider's look into their respective fields. They explain why they chose their paths, the challenges they overcame, and how they applied their PhDs to make a difference in the real world. Chapters offers tips for leveraging support from mentors, conducting job searches, marketing your degree and skill set, networking, and preparing for interviews. This expert guidance will help you decide what career is the best fit for you.




Statistical Consulting


Book Description

This book is intended for the statistician or student interested in becoming a statistical consultant, as well as clients who need to understand what is involved in the consulting process. It discusses different consulting environments, provides detailed descriptions of communication skills a consultant must possess, and provides concrete examples and case-studies of varying complexity. Emphasis is placed on the importance of engaging the client's understanding of the purpose and interpretation of statistical procedures.




The Use and Abuse of Social Science


Book Description

Expectations about the use of social science research vary from the near euphoric to the downright cynical. The Use and Abuse of Social Science looks at the outcomes of such research in order to give a realistic appraisal of what our expectations should be. The authors describe a number of successful and unsuccessful applications of social science research and highlight some outright abuses. Within a realistic framework, they provide impressive arguments and supporting data to show that social science research can lead to important developments in policy and to changes in practice. Their evidence also demonstrates that there are many equally valid research philosophies and methods. The authors come from a wide variety of disciplines, including systems science, economics, criminology, sociology, political science, organizational studies, psychology and government administration. Their experience covers the United States, France, Germany, Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands and Australia.




Social Research Consultation


Book Description