Methodology and Philosophies of research Lecture Outline: Aims of this session – to outline: what is meant by methodology the implication of adopting different methodological stances in research Reading: Very important for this lecture! Saunders pp

What is methodology? Practical explanation of how research is organised / planned / the ‘recipe’ : research strategy Theoretical explanation of underlying assumptions that have gone into designing the research strategy: research philosophy

The Research Onion – adapted from Saunders (2006:102) Positivism Interpretive Deductive Inductive experiment survey case study grounded theory ethnography action research Secondary data Observation Interviews Questionnaires Theoretical aspect of methodology Practical aspects of methodology – research strategy

Practical: What are you trying to find out? The research strategy Exploratory Description Explanatory

Practical: What are you trying to find out? Exploratory (the explorer)  To find out what is happening  To seek now insights  To ask questions Case studies often used for exploratory research – the questions asked: how / why Description Explanatory

Practical: What are you trying to find out? Exploratory Description (the detective)  To portray accurate profile  Requires previous knowledge Surveys are often used for descriptive research. The questions asked often relate to who / what / where Explanatory

Practical: What are you trying to find out? Exploratory Description Explanatory (the doctor)  Seeks explanation usually in the form or causal relationships Experiments are often used for this form of research. The questions relating to this research often ask how / why

The Theoretical methodology: Research Philosophy Why Philosophy?  ‘field’ of management comes from many disciplines  More than ‘common sense’  Research is linked to ‘ways of knowing’  Research needs to be credible Need an understanding of philosophy  Convince others  Practical benefit to understand taken for granted assumptions

How we understand the world around us Ontology:  The basic assumption about the fundamental nature of existence 2 extreme positions  Scientific rationalism – all aspects of life are subject to fundamental laws that will ultimately be discovered by scientific investigation  Humanist interpretation – human existence has unique properties – human action is rooted in how we understand the world

How do we know it is not a dream?

Research: Knowing Epistemology – what information ‘counts’ as valid knowledge the two ontological positions point to different epistemological assumptions  Scientific rationalism (often referred to as positivism) – assumes world is characterized by objective facts  Humanist interpretation (often referred to as phenomenology) – assumes facts as socially and historically contingent

Is it hungry?

Positivism Two assumptions: Reality is external and objective Knowledge is based on observation Implications: –independence –value freedom –causality –hypothetico deductive –operationalisation –reductionism –generalisations

Phenomenology Rejects the notion of absolute facts The world is socially created Focus on meanings.

Theory, RQ’s and process All work needs theory – an abstract explanation of an event or situation. If you want to test a theory (ie you are doctor) then you have to use what is already ‘known’ – Deductive process If you want to try to understand (ie. you are an explorer) then you may develop your own theory from the data – Inductive process

Deduction Known facts based on prior laws and theories Theory  hypothesis / observations / findings / reject or confirm theory / revise theory

Induction Facts are not assumed often associated with phenomenology… but… Observations/ findings / look for patterns / categories / develop theory  theory explains

Choosing a methodology What sort of researcher are you?  Eg. Explorer, Doctor or Detective? (RQ’s?) What assumptions about nature of existence do you (or your discipline) hold? Ontology  Eg. Scientific rationalist or humanist interpretive What information counts as valid ? Epistemology  Eg. Positivist or Phenomenological What approach to theory are you taking?  Eg. Inductive or Deductive?

The Research Onion – adapted from Saunders Positivism Interpretive Deductive Inductive experiment survey case study grounded theory ethnography action research Secondary data Observation Interviews Questionnaires

Practical Considerations May influence or determine choices on: research strategy design method resources & costs May be influenced or determined by: nature of the topic people being investigated political acceptability

Philosophy is useful! Helps clarify research design Helps recognise when research might work