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Delphi is a
research approach that enables a consensus to be derived from the
progressive and iterative refinement of individual expert opinion about a
problem domain or research proposition. Although it offers a highly
practical way to understand complex phenomena in different subject areas,
including business and management, to date, Delphi studies have mainly
focused upon the generation of theory based upon current or future
scenarios. Rarely, have researchers tried to employ Delphi for theory
testing or conceptual development, nor have attempted to merge experiences
from diverse subject area. The need to address these gaps in knowledge and
to enable successful management of Delphi forms the justification for this
paper.
This paper reviews
the relative place of Delphi studies in the spectrum of consensus seeking
methods and presents the case for a non-traditional use of the Delphi
method for theory evaluation. On the basis of experience gained through
secondary and primary research, a generic decision toolkit for Delphi
studies is proposed, comprising a taxonomy of Delphi design choices, a
stage model and a set of critical methodological decisions. These research
tools will help to increase confidence of the researcher when considering
adoption of the Delphi and allow for a wider and more comprehensive
recognition of the method within the either the scientific or
interpretivist traditions.
Keywords:
Research method, Delphi study, Research design, Evaluation, Model,
Decision support
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