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Method

Chapter 3

Introduction

This chapter provides information on the methods used to conduct this research study. The focus of this research was to answer the question, “What can leaders learn from the leadership approach of Steve Jobs?” The chapter covers the following areas: selection of method, setting, participants, materials, procedures and data analysis. Reviewing the information provided in this chapter should allow the reader to make a reasonable judgement of the reliability and validity of the methods used to conduct this research (Saunders et al., 2007).

 

Selection of Method

Research Approach

The research approach identifies the way in which a theory is formulated and then tested. There are two major approaches to research. These approaches are deductive and inductive. The deductive approach formulates the theory first and then seeks out data to confirm or disconfirm this theory. The inductive approach begins with the data first and then formulates a theory based on the data gathered.

This research project employed the inductive approach. A research question was formulated prior to gathering the data, however, no theory had been proposed. The data that was gathered and analyzed guided the formulation of the resulting theory.

Research Design

Research design is the overall research plan. This plan stems from the objective of the study. This study aimed to identify leadership lessons that leaders can learn from other contemporary leaders. In this particular study the focus was on Steve Jobs, who is a contemporary leader in the sphere of computer technology and consumer electronics. The study explored the leadership approach of Steve Jobs and sought to identify leadership lessons for current and future leaders.

The design of this study incorporated the inductive approach mentioned above. It also employed the case study strategy and conducted an interpretive in-depth analysis of the data. The following sections of this chapter will provide detailed information on each component of the research design.

Research Strategy

Leadership does not happen in a vacuum. Leaders cannot be lone stars. Where there are leaders, there are followers. This is true on a national, regional and organizational level. The broader subject of this research concerns itself with organizational leadership. The study focused on leadership in particular sectors of industry and a particular company.

The case study strategy seemed most appropriate for this research study. The case study strategy investigates a research question in its real-life context (Saunders et al., 2007). Steve Jobs exercises leadership influence at Apple Inc, where he is the Chief Executive Officer, and in the industry at large. His leadership approach was studied in that context, of his organization, Apple Inc., and the broader industries that his organization is a part of, such as the computer, consumer electronics, home entertainment and wireless communication industries.

Research Method

The research method describes the techniques used in data collection and procedures used for data analysis (Saunders et al, 2007). A research study can incorporate one or multiple methods. There are two major methods for gathering and analyzing data. These are quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method focuses on a numeric method of data collection and analysis; such research attempts to collect statistical data and may use large population samples. On the other hand, qualitative method of research focuses on non-numeric data, which can be referred to as words data. This method can use interviews and analysis of secondary sources to gather data (2007). Either method can be selected for a study, however, one may decide to use both.

For this study the researcher chose to use the qualitative method for gathering and analyzing data. The emphasis was on words data, not necessarily numeric data. This data was gathered through an interpretive in-depth analysis of secondary sources. These sources were magazine and newspaper articles as well as a speech.

Summary

This study used the inductive approach to research. The data gathered through the research was analyzed to formulate lessons that leaders can apply in their context of leadership. The study focused on Steve Jobs and his leadership approach in the context of his organization and the industries that Apple Inc. operates in. Data gathering and analysis used the qualitative method of research. The data used in this study was predominantly non-numeric.

 

Setting

This research study was not necessarily limited to a particular geographic location. However, the study centered on a particular person who resides and conducts most of his work in a certain geographic area. Steve Jobs lives in the Bay Area of California. His company, Apple Inc. is located in Cupertino, California, which is in the general area of California, often called the Bay Area.

Nevertheless, it was more appropriate to define the setting in terms of the non-tangible location, that is the sphere of influence of Steve Jobs. In this case, the setting is Apple Inc. and the industries in which it operates. These industries include personal computers, consumer electronics, home entertainment and wireless communication.

Further, the study primarily focused on a particular timeframe. The emphasis was on the last ten years or so since Steve Jobs’ return to leadership at Apple Inc. Although Steve Jobs is the co-founder of Apple Inc., he was fired in 1985 and spent 12 years away from Apple. In 1997, Steve Jobs was reinstated as the CEO of Apple through an acquisition of a company that he founded since his firing from Apple. From that point to the present time was the period that received the most attention in this study.

Thus, the setting of this study incorporated elements of geography, time and sphere of influence. These were the location of Apple Inc. in Cupertino, California, the period of Steve Jobs’ leadership at Apple since his return in 1997, and the spheres of Apple’s influence and operation in the industry.

 

Participants

The primary subject of this study was Steve Jobs. The researcher selected Steve Jobs as the subject of this study for several reasons. First, the researcher has a personal interest in Steve Jobs and his leadership at Apple Inc. Second, Apple Inc. is an undeniable leader in the industries that it penetrates with its products. As mentioned earlier, these industries include computer technology, consumer electronics, home entertainment, and wireless communication. Apple has revolutionary products in each of these industries. These products include the Mac computer, iPod music player, iTunes Music Store, Apple TV, the iPhone and several other products. Third, the current resurgence of Apple Inc. leadership in the arena of technology after a period of decline during the late 1980s and early 1990s is primarily attributed to the leadership of Steve Jobs. All of these reasons compelled the researcher to undertake the study. It is clear that Steve Jobs is a notable leader and that valuable lessons can be drawn from the study of his leadership approach.

Indirectly, the journalists and authors whose work was analyzed in this study can also be considered participants. In this case, there was no consideration given to the demographics of these contributors to the data that was used in the study. Such consideration was seen as unnecessary and irrelevant to the study at hand. The sources used were major business publications, such as The Economist, Forbes, Fast Company, BusinessWeek, USNews, Fortune and others. 

 

Materials

The study relied solely on secondary data. Thus, it is appropriate to consider the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data. One of the primary advantages of using secondary data is the low cost of obtaining the data. Secondary data is usually obtained from published reports, articles and books. The resources that were required to collect this data have been expensed by the original researcher. Another advantage is that secondary data is more readily available. It can be obtained in a short period of time. Collecting primary data may take long periods of time, especially in the case of longitudinal studies. And finally, secondary data can result in discovery of unintended information, thus leading to conclusions initially not envisioned. This is especially beneficial for inductive studies that seek to explore a subject (Saunders et al, 2007).

However, there are some disadvantages to using secondary data. One disadvantage is that secondary data may have been collected for a purpose other than what the current study is seeking. Such situations can cause the data to be unusable or diminish its effectiveness. Second, there is very little control over the quality of secondary data. The original researcher may have had different standards of quality than the current study requires. And lastly, secondary data may be presented in a way that served the original purpose, but may not be effective or credible for the current study (Saunders et al, 2007).

Despite the disadvantages of using secondary data, the researcher believes that the benefit is greater than the cost. The ability to access secondary data quickly and at a low cost made this study possible. Significantly higher resource requirements would have made this study prohibitive to this researcher. Also, secondary data allowed the researcher access to a wider range of sources than time would have allowed if gathering primary data. The data available through secondary sources was collected by people in some cases who had greater access to the original sources than the current researcher did. And finally, because secondary data presents the possibility of discovering unintended information, it enhanced the exploratory nature of this study.

 

Procedures and Data Analysis

The design of the study called for a case study strategy that employed an interpretive in-depth analysis of narrative data. The research approach was inductive. Thus, the data was analyzed to answer the research question and formulate leadership lessons.

The sources of the data for this study were secondary. The focus was on business publications, books and other sources, such as a graduation speech delivered by Steve Jobs at Stanford University. The data was obtained primarily through online searches. However, some data was obtained through the library or other printed media outlets.

The initial plan was to analyze data through a four part rubric. This rubric would look for evidence that supports these four characteristics: embracing change, shared vision, decisive action and social responsibility. Embracing change refers to a leader’s ability to seize opportunities during times of change as well as the ability to effect change in the organization and industry at large. Shared vision is the ability of the leader to create a vision for the organization and entice others to follow this vision. Decisive action is a characteristic of leaders who can take appropriate action based on the vision and the situation at hand. Social responsibility refers to the willingness and recognition that responsibility to the community in which the organization operates is an important part of the leader’s influence.

However, the rubric was later changed to reflect leadership theory and the material studied in the program. The new rubric evaluated the narrative data through the lens of two concepts presented by Collins (2001) in the book Good to Great and transformational leadership theory. The two concepts from Collins were level 5 leader and hedgehog concept. Collins defines a level 5 leader as someone “who blends extreme personal humility with intense professional will” (p. 21). The hedgehog concept is comprised of three key elements: deep passion for what the company does, understanding of what one can be best at in the world, and understanding of the economic engine of the company. Transformational leadership theory describes leaders as those who effect change in their followers and in themselves (Northouse, 2004). This kind of leadership commands influence within the organization and also on a broader level to the extent of producing social change (Burns, 1978).

The data gathered through the analysis of the sources was synthesized to formulate conclusions within each of the areas of the rubric. The researcher used primarily printed and online media in the data gathering process. The in-depth interpretive analysis occurred as the material was read.

Certain ethical issues must be considered. The researcher was an active participant in the research. Thus, any personal biases may have been present in the data analysis and presentation. Further, since the data was secondary, caution was exercised when placing value on the data gathered and its validity. Conclusions drawn from the data are not as firm as one would desire. Nevertheless, the study provided valuable lessons and revealed areas for future study.

 

Summary

The purpose of this chapter has been to lay out the method by which the said study was conducted. The objective of the study was to answer the question, “What can leaders learn from the leadership approach of Steve Jobs?” The approach to this study was inductive, utilizing the case study strategy and relying on qualitative techniques of data gathering and analysis. The study focused on Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Inc, which is located in Cupertino, California. The data gathered and analyzed primarily covered the period since Steve Jobs’ return to Apple Inc. in 1997.

Although reliance on secondary data has some disadvantages, the researcher believes that the benefits outweigh the costs. Primarily, the ease with which secondary data was accessed made this study feasible. Additionally, secondary data lends itself favorable to a study of an exploratory nature, allowing the researcher to discover information initially not intended. The researcher did not distance himself from the research process, thus some personal bias was expected to be present in the gathering and analysis of the data.

Leadership is a broad area of study with limited value unless applied in real organizational situations. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to evaluate the leadership approach of a contemporary leader and seek to formulate lessons that can be applied by current and future leaders.

 

Next: Chapter 4 - Research Findings

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