Download THE VALUE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, Nov 2014

THE VALUE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF CARIBBEAN SOCIETY*
Andrew S Downes PhD
Pro Vice Chancellor (Planning &
Development) and Professor of Economics,
University of the West Indies
*Keynote Address, Postgraduate Conference,
Department of Management Studies, UWI, Cave
Hill, November 26,2014
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
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The Nature of Social Science Research
Development Challenges in the Caribbean
Role of Social Science Research in the
Caribbean
Way Forward for Social Science Research
in the Caribbean
THE NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
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What is Research?
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“a scientific process of inquiry and/or experimentation that
involves purposeful, systematic and rigorous collection of
data. Analysis and interpretation of the data are then made
in order to gain new knowledge or add to existing
knowledge. Research has the ultimate aim of developing an
organized body of scientific knowledge” [Dempsey and
Dempsey, 1992, p4.]
“a systematic exploration designed to advance knowledge
and understanding of a subject” [Baban, 2009, p.9]
THE NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
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Broad disciplinary groups include:
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The Social Sciences ( economics, sociology, political studies,
management, social work, anthropology etc)
The STEM ( natural/life sciences, technology, engineering,
mathematics)
The Humanities ( history, literature, languages, philosophy etc)
There are cross-over disciplinary groups
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Soc. Sci. and Hum. – law, cultural studies, library studies,
education
Soc. Sci. and STEM – geography, psychology, health sciences
STEM and Humanities (STEAM)– architecture ( A-arts)
PEST, PESTLE to environmental analysis/scanning in strategic
planning ( Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal.
Environmental)
THE NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
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Social Science Research focuses on “the scientific study of
human society and the manner in which people behave and
influence the world around us (social relationships)”—human
behavioural sciences
Social Science Research (SSR) is aimed at:
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Testing ( scientific) theories
Advancing scientific knowledge
Assisting with the building and managing of successful social
programmes ( eg evaluation research and social impact assessment)
SSR can be:
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Exploratory
Descriptive
Relational/Causal/Predictive
Comparative
THE NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
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Some Common Features of the Social Sciences:
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Focus on the study of contemporary human societies,
economies, organizations and cultures and their
development;
Use of formally set out theories and logically consistent
models with distinct rules and logics of theory development
Use systematically collected data and information via well
established methods—quantitative and qualitative;
Seek patterns of association and causation in the context of
“laws of social development”
Seek to emulate the standards of “good science” and
effective scholarship—using carefully checked data, rigorous
analysis of data, replication critical analysis etc [Bastow et al]
THE NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
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Knowledge development via
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Day to day experience and observation which may not be
based on testing ( ie folk knowledge). This as an aspect of
“local knowledge” which is useful in undertaking SSR in
particular environments—Caribbean, rural community, small
enterprise etc
Use of Scientific Method which yields Scientific
Knowledge which combines the testing of folk knowledge
and the theorizing of Literary Knowledge ( ie created by an
abstracting process which highlights the essential elements
of human experience)
THE NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH
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Scientific Method uses the Deductive Approach —process
whereby general statements or hypotheses are generated by
starting from some basic axioms or assumptions
Alternatively, SSR can use an Inductive Approach whereby
hypotheses are derivable from empirical observations which
might show a high degree of regularity ( eg grounded theory)
or
Abductive Approach which begins with an incomplete set of
observations and proceeds to the likeliest ( best) possible
explanation for the set. It yields the kind of decision-making that
does its best with the information at hand, which often is
incomplete. [ Martin 2009, p.144-6]
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Some Definitions of Development:
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Seers (1969): Development involves a reduction in
poverty, unemployment and inequality. It also involves
the realization of adequate educational levels, freedom
of speech, political and economic independence of
citizens and increases in per capita income.
Sutton( 2005) Development is a “complex multifaceted
process of economic, social, political, environmental
and cultural change which results in increases in the
well-being of people and extends their rights and
choices in the present without comprising the abilities
of future generations to enjoy these benefits”
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Sen (1988 and others): Development is “an
expansion of people’s capabilities, as a process of
emancipation from necessities that constrain further
realisation of human freedoms”. The instrumental
freedoms are political freedoms, economic
facilities, social opportunities, transparency
guarantees and protective security. This underlies
Human Development.
UN (1992): Sustainable Development is
development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Caribbean countries have assessed by various
international agencies
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UNDP’s Human Development Report:
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Caribbean countries are ranked as largely “high human
development” with Barbados being classified as “very high
human development” and Guyana and Suriname as
“medium human development” where human development is
measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected
years of schooling and gross national income per capita.
WEF’s Global Competitiveness Report
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Three stages of development: Haiti (Stage 1-Factor Driven);
Suriname ( Stage 2- Efficiency driven); Guyana and Jamaica
( transitioning from Stage 1 to 2); Trinidad & Tobago ( Stage3Innovation driven) and Barbados ( transitioning from 2 to 3)
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Although international perceptions of the Caribbean are good, the
region faces significant development challenges which require the
intervention of SSR and other research areas.
These main challenges include:
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High level of poverty and youth unemployment as shown in recent
studies ( see CDB’s website)
Declining rates of economic growth and the need for economic
restructuring
Human insecurity ( crime and violence associated largely with the
drug trade)
Weaknesses in governance
Vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change effects
High incidence of non-communicable chronic diseases
High dependence on imported food and energy
Implementation deficit in projects and programs esp at the regional
level
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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A significant degree of research has been
undertaken on aspects of these challenges:
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CDB’s Growth and Development Strategies for the
Caribbean ( 2010)
ECLAC’s: Review of Selected Areas of Research on the
Caribbean Subregion in the 2000s: Identifying the Main
Gaps ( 2011)
These reports also outline the areas of Caribbean
development which require SSR and other research
( STEM and Humanities) and where SSR has been
undertaken
ROLE OF SSR IN THE CARIBBEAN
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Several of the development challenges are
social scientific in nature and therefore SSR
is directly relevant in helping to find
solutions to the issues.
SSR may be basic or applied ( policy
oriented)
SSR can be used to explain a range of
phenomena; confirm issues and effects
and develop reasons/causes and make
inferences
ROLE OF SSR IN THE CARIBBEAN
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There are various types of applied SSR:
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Parameter estimation ( averages, variances
etc)
Monitoring of social trends
Modelling social phenomena (developing
causal models)
Evaluation of ongoing policies and programs (
with and without exercises)
Social experimentation to examine alternative
policy options
ROLE OF SSR IN THE CARIBBEAN
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SSR provides a number of benefits for examining Caribbean
development issues:
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Informs decision making, policy formulation and planning
Provides methods of data collection and analysis which are
credible and well established
Provides useful insights that were previously unknown ( eg
effects of actions)
Use of methods that reflect “procedural research
transparency” with credible data and replicable logic
Incorporates “local knowledge” to contextualize the issue
rather than drawing solely of foreign knowledge
Assist with the choice of alternative explanations of issues
Provides a socio-economic dimension of an issue
ROLE OF SSR IN THE CARIBBEAN
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Over the years there have been attempts to develop an indigenous
approach to SSR:
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Plantation economy and society ( Best-Levitt and Beckford)
Independent Thought ( Best)
Dependency ( New World Group, Girvan, Demas)
Plural society ( Smith-Robotham debate)
Integration ( Lewis, Demas, Brewster-Thomas, Girvan)
Convergence ( Thomas, Dookeran)
Radical ( Thomas, Munroe)
Useful review of SSR up to mid 1980s given in E Greene ( SES, vol
33, no 1 1984) and G Sankatsing (Caribbean Social Science: An
Assessment, 1989). Also Lindsay (ed ISER,1978) and Nurse and
Punnett, JECS 27(20 2002 for Mgmt Studies Research Review
There are some more general studies of Caribbean development and
SSR mainly from a single discipline [see recent review in Bishop: The
Rise and Fall of Caribbean Development Theory; 2013]
SSR has been largely empirically grounded in recent years
WAY FORWARD FOR SSR IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Although a lot of SSR ( applied) has taken place on Caribbean
development issues over the years there is still a lot more research to
be done.
One challenge is funding of SSR—Government, Development
partners, NGOs, Crowd-funding etc
Need to expose SSR at seminars, conferences, symposia –national,
regional and international.
Publishing of high quality SSR in regional and international periodicals
Packaging SSR findings for agencies and social media/websites (
more effective communication/presentation skills)
Database development to undertake research—time series, cross
sectional, panel/longitudinal data
Establishing inter-disciplinary teams to examine issues in a holistic
way—eg SALISES and development studies programme– with a well
developed research programme.
WAY FORWARD FOR SSR IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Adoption of Inter-disciplinary and Trans- disciplinary
Approaches to go beyond the Multi-disciplinary Approach to
research.
Multi-disciplinary—each discipline brings its own approach to
bear on a development issue in an additive fashion
Inter-disciplinary---there is integration or synthesis of two or
more disciplines from the beginning of the analysis of the
development issue.
Trans-disciplinary—provides a holistic approach that
subordinates individual disciplines in looking at the whole
dynamic process—highest level of integration
SSR is enriched when used in the two later approaches,
but challenging to undertake.
WAY FORWARD FOR SSR IN THE
CARIBBEAN
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Some example:
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Poverty/Unemployment---SSR in an inter/trans-disciplinary approach
CNCD/Early Childhood Dev---SSR and Health/Medical—inter-discipl.
Alternative energy —SSR and STEM
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) —SSR and Science.
Creative Industries —SSR and Humanities
Entrepreneurship ---SSR and STEAM
SSR is valuable and fundamental to resolving development
challenges, but social scientists need to develop ways of measuring
their impact and to engage in greater advocacy.
Human relations and institutions which underlie the fundamental
basis of SSR lie at the root of development action.
Management research by its nature needs to be interdisciplinary.
WAY FORWARD FOR SSR IN THE
CARIBBEAN
“The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both
when they are right and when they are wrong, are more
powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world
is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe
themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual
influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct
economist.”
 “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as
in escaping from old ones”.
John Maynard Keynes
 These are the challenges for SSR but social scientists have
to press on with their research in a holistic and systematic
manner.
 NOTE: Cassandra complex/problem—when valid concerns
are or good advice is not taken on board or dismissed--- a
challenge for SSR.
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH