Summary

This innovative Handbook demonstrates that there is no single best approach to conducting longitudinal studies. At their best, longitudinal research designs yield rich, contextualized, multilevel and deep understanding of the studied phenomenon. The lack of resources in terms of time, funding and people can pose a serious challenge to conducting longitudinal research. This book tackles many of these challenges and discusses the role of longitudinal research programmes in overcoming such obstacles.

This book shows how longitudinal research methods enable the understanding of dynamics, mechanisms, causalities and interrelationships of organizational and business concepts in context and in relation to time. It discusses the richness and versatility of longitudinal research and offers, to students and experienced scholars alike, numerous viewpoints, reflections and personal accounts about conducting longitudinal research, from planning and fieldwork to reporting and managing of research projects.

Contributors: L. Aarikka-Stenroos, E.A. Alfoldi, P. Dawson, P. Eriksson, A. Halinen, M.E. Hassett, R. Hoy, T.D. Little, T. Mainela, C. Mari, O. Meglio, M.-J. Oesterle, E. Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, Y. Ploudre, M. Rhemtulla, H.N. Richta, M.A. Sartor, J.P. Selig, T.W. Taris, Z. Vincze, C. Welch