Transcript CHAPTER 1
MANAGEMENT RESEARCH Third Edition, 2008 Prof. M. Easterby-Smith, Prof. R. Thorpe, Prof. Paul R. Jackson CHAPTER 4 The Philosophy of Management Research Learning Objectives To understand the different philosophical assumptions ‘hidden’ beneath management research and to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of each. To appreciate how different philosophical assumptions influence criteria we use to judge research quality. To be able to locate one’s own philosophical position. Ontology A Researcher’s Ontology refers to: His/Her Philosophical Assumptions about the Nature of Reality. The Main Ontological Positions in Management Research Representationalism – whether or not phenomena are concrete, it is only possible to gather indirect evidence of what is going on in fundamental physical processes (Putnam, 1987), i.e., reality can be observed & measured. Relativism – different observers may have different viewpoints: ‘what counts for the truth can vary from place to place and from time to time’ (Collins, 1983: 88). Nominalism – it is the labels and names we attach to experiences and events which are crucial. Epistemology A Researcher’s Epistemology is a result of his/her Ontological Position and refers to: His/Her Assumptions about the Best Ways of Inquiring into the Nature of the World and Establishing ‘Truth’. The Main Epistemological Positions in Management Research Positivism – is linked to a Representationalist ontology and aims to measure the world through experiments Relativism – is linked to a Relativist ontology and aims to expose correlations in the world through triangulation Social Constructionism – is linked to a Nominalist ontology and aims to understand the meaning of happenings in the world Ontology & Epistemology Ontology of social science Representationalism Relativism Nominalism Truth Requires verification of predictions. Is determined through consensus between different viewpoints. Depends on who establishes it. Facts Are concrete, but cannot be accessed directly. Depend on viewpoint of observer. Are all human creations. Epistemology of social science Positivism Relativism Social constructionism Epistemology & Methodology A particular Epistemology usually leads the researcher to a Methodology that is characteristic of that position. Conversely, where a given Range of Methods is employed in a particular study it is possible to infer that the researcher holds, perhaps implicitly, a corresponding Epistemology. Methodological Implications of Different Epistemologies Social science epistemologies Positivism Relativism Social constructionism Aims Discovery Exposure Invention Starting points Hypotheses Propositions Meanings Designs Experiment Triangulation Reflexivity Techniques Measurement Survey Conversation Analysis /interpretation Verification/ falsification Probability Sense-making Outcomes Causality Correlation Understanding Elements of methodologies Strengths & Weaknesses of the Main Traditions Strengths Weaknesses Positivist Can provide wide coverage. Potentially fast and economical. Easier to provide justification of policies. Inflexible and artificial. Not good for process, meanings or theory generation. Implications for action not obvious. Relativist Accepts value of multiple data sources. Enables generalizations beyond present sample. Greater efficiency including outsourcing potential. Requires large samples. Cannot accommodate institutional and cultural differences. Problems reconciling discrepant information. Social constructionist Good for processes, and meanings. Flexible and good for theory generation. Data collection less artificial. Can be very time consuming. Analysis and interpretations are difficult. May not have credibility with policy makers. Other Philosophies There are a number of other philosophical positions which have been represented as coherent schools of thought, and as with the others to a greater or lesser extent, exclude other positions: Critical theory Feminism Hermeneutics Postmodernism Pragmatism Structuration theory Further Reading Blaikie, N. (1993) Approaches to Social Enquiry. Cambridge: Polity Press. Hassard, J. and Parker, M. (eds) (1993) Postmodernism and Organizations. London: Sage. Sayer, A. (2000) Realism and Social Science. London: Sage