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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 100 - 127 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 Deductive Theoretical aspect of methodology experiment survey Secondary data Observation Interviews Questionnaires action research Inductive Interpretive case study grounded theory Practical aspects ethnography 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 . Summary of positivist and phenomenological paradigms (Easterby-Smith :27) Basic and beliefs: Positivist paradigm Phenomenological paradigm The world is external and The world is socially constructed objective subjective Observer is independent Observer is part of what observed Science is value-free Science is driven by human interests Researcher focus on facts should: look for causality and fundamental laws Preferred methods include: Focus on meanings try to understand what is happening reduce phenomena to simplest elements look at the totality of each situation formulate hypotheses and then test them develop ideas through induction of data operatinalising concepts so that they can be measured using multiple methods to establish different views of phenomena taking large samples small samples investigated in depth or over time 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 Deductive experiment survey Secondary data Observation Interviews Questionnaires action research Inductive Interpretive case study grounded theory ethnography 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