A Snapshot of Some Research Methodology Approaches – from Ethnography and Case Study Research to Action Research and Chaos Theory Professor Luiz Moutinho University of Glasgow, Scotland

Professor Luiz Moutinho Ethnography An ethnographic approach can be described as one in which the investigation seeks to Gain a close up detailed rendition of the real world. Gain a close up detailed rendition of the real world. Challenging the logical positivist position by claiming that all evidence is relative and therefore cannot be independent of the investigator – thereby favouring participant observation as the dominant mode of data collection. Challenging the logical positivist position by claiming that all evidence is relative and therefore cannot be independent of the investigator – thereby favouring participant observation as the dominant mode of data collection.

Professor Luiz Moutinho Ethnography permit and even encourage fieldwork to continue for long periods of time so that the regularities and rituals of everyday life can surface (Yin 1993) permit and even encourage fieldwork to continue for long periods of time so that the regularities and rituals of everyday life can surface (Yin 1993)

Professor Luiz Moutinho Taking a Case Study Approach the phenomenon under study is not readily distinguishable from its context and there is a need to cover both content and context. the phenomenon under study is not readily distinguishable from its context and there is a need to cover both content and context. there is a desire to define topics broadly rather than narrowly there is a desire to define topics broadly rather than narrowly rely on multiple not single sources of evidence. rely on multiple not single sources of evidence. Yin (1993) argues that the case study is the method of choice when

Professor Luiz Moutinho Taking a Case Study Approach cont… seeking to define specific questions of study ahead of time seeking to define specific questions of study ahead of time seeking to emulate logical positivism in developing rival hypotheses and collecting external evidence bearing on these questions seeking to emulate logical positivism in developing rival hypotheses and collecting external evidence bearing on these questions carrying out fieldwork in a targeted fashion – that is focusing on the evidence deemed relevant and time-limiting fieldwork. carrying out fieldwork in a targeted fashion – that is focusing on the evidence deemed relevant and time-limiting fieldwork. He continues by saying that case study research may be characterised by

Professor Luiz Moutinho Yin’s approach to case studies is to place them within a framework of scientific method – to develop hypotheses, collect empirical data and develop conclusions based on the analysis of such data. Case studies however are not always considered to be a method in the logical positivist tradition. Case studies can also be done where an investigators intuition and ideas have prevailed.

Professor Luiz Moutinho Taking an Action Research/ Action Science Approach One possibility is to take an action science approach to research embedded in an ethnographic framework. Action science is a form of action research. (Argyris 1992). Definitions of action research differ somewhat between authors. One possibility is to take an action science approach to research embedded in an ethnographic framework. Action science is a form of action research. (Argyris 1992). Definitions of action research differ somewhat between authors.

Professor Luiz Moutinho Argyris (1992) says of action research that it “takes its cues from the perceptions of practitioners within particular, local practice contexts. It bounds episodes of research according to the boundaries in the local context. It builds descriptions and theories within the practice context itself and tests them through intervention experiments that bear the double burden of testing hypotheses and effecting some desirable change in the situation.”

Professor Luiz Moutinho Action researchers may make claims about the generalisability of their research across local context however they do not describe relationahips in which the values of a group of dependent variables are uniquely determined by the values of a group of independent ones.

Professor Luiz Moutinho Generalisations produced from an action research project tend to describe thematic patterns derived from enquiry in one setting whose valid transfer to other settings depends on confirmation by further experiment.

Professor Luiz Moutinho Gummesson (1991) indicates that action science always involves two goals: To solve a problem for the client To solve a problem for the client To contribute to science To contribute to science

Professor Luiz Moutinho Action Science is primarily applicable to the understanding and planning of change in social systems and is therefore a suitable strategy for changing processes in organisations. (Gummesson 1991)

Professor Luiz Moutinho Stacey (1993) writes: While chaos means randomness in the behaviour of a system at a specific level it also means that there is a qualitative pattern at a general overall level. The future unfolds unpredictably but it always does so in recognisable family like resemblances, just as history repeats itself but never in quite the same way. Stacey describes how atoms self organise when an external stimulus is applied. The self organising process of the atoms. Chaos Theory