Data collection, interviews and textual data Flashcards
What is the purpose of organizational research?
Has a dual focus:
Practical Relevance: Solving real-world organizational problems.
Theoretical Contribution: Advancing knowledge by building or challenging existing theories.
The authors (Rennstam et al) stress the balance between addressing practical organizational issues and contributing to academic discourse.
What are the key philosophical underpinnings?
Ontology: Refers to the nature of reality.
Questions whether organizational phenomena exist independently of human perception or are socially constructed.
Examples: Realism (objective reality) vs. Constructivism (socially constructed reality).
Epistemology: Concerns the nature and scope of knowledge.
Positivism: Advocates for objective, measurable knowledge.
Interpretivism: Focuses on subjective interpretations and meanings.
The alignment between ontological and epistemological positions shapes the research design and methodology.
What is reflexitivity in research?
Reflexivity involves critically examining the researcher’s role, assumptions, and influence on the research process
Which are the core research paradigms?
Positivism: Aims for objectivity, generalizability, and causal explanations.
Interpretivism: Seeks to understand the meanings individuals and groups ascribe to organizational phenomena.
Critical Theory: Challenges power structures and aims to promote emancipation and social change.
Postmodernism: Questions universal truths and emphasizes fragmented, context-specific narratives.
What is the role of theory?
Theory provides a lens for understanding, explaining, and predicting organizational phenomena.
Which are the three different interplays between theory and data?
Deductive Approach: Starts with a theory, followed by hypothesis testing.
Inductive Approach: Begins with data collection to generate theory.
Abductive Approach: Alternates between theory and data to refine understanding iteratively.
What are some common challenges in organizational research?
Navigating the tension between theory and practice.
Managing the complexity and unpredictability of organizational settings.
Ensuring rigor while maintaining flexibility