Abstract
This chapter concerns the research process - the sequence of activities that takes you from the start of a research project to publication. The focus is on a set of activities taking place in the early parts of the research process, before data are collected and analysed. The activities are generic and apply to all the different research approaches described in the remainder of the book. The first activity regards the importance of contributing to knowledge. To properly understand the research process, an understanding of its goal is necessary, which is to contribute to existing knowledge. The second activity is choosing a research topic, as any contribution to knowledge starts with finding a suitable research topic. The third activity is the literature review and various ways of using and misusing literature. The fourth activity is developing research questions, which are a fundamentally important part of any research process. The final activity regards some key considerations in choosing a research approach. In this the final part of the chapter three considerations in selecting a research approach are discussed: the achievement of methodological fit, the impact of the researcher's philosophical position and practical considerations.