Study the note on the motivation for qualitative methods in organisational research below and answer the questions that
Posted: Thu May 05, 2022 9:01 am
Study the note on the motivation for qualitative methods in
organisational research below and answer the questions that follow.
On the motivation for qualitative methods in organisational
research There were several sources of inspiration that motivated
this note. First and foremost was a thoughtful and provocative
article by Jean Bartunek, Sara Rynes, and Duane Ireland that
appeared in the Academy of Management Journal in 2006. This article
published a list of the 17 most interesting organisational papers
published in the last 100 years. These papers were identified by
Academy of Management Journal board members – all of whom are
leading organisational scholars cognizant of the best work being
done in their respective areas. A total of 67 board members
nominated 160 articles as exceptionally interesting; those articles
that received two or more nominations were deemed the most
interesting. Of these exceptional articles, 12 (71%) involved
qualitative methods. This result strongly mirrors our own
experience as organisational researchers. Although both of us have
used a variety of methods in our organisational research (ranging
from experimental lab studies and surveys to computer-based, agent
simulations), our favourite studies by far have been our
qualitative studies (including those we have done together). One of
the qualities we have come to most appreciate, even cherish, about
qualitative research is the sense of discovery and the opportunity
for genuine intellectual surprise. Rather than merely seeking to
confirm a preordained hypothesis or “nail down” an extrapolation
drawn from the extant literature, our inductive studies, we found,
invariably opened up exciting, unexpected intellectual doors and
pointed us toward fruitful empirical paths for further
investigation. In short, if life is largely all about the journey
rather than destination, as the adage asserts, we have found
qualitative research most often gave us a road we wanted to follow.
Together, then, our experience, along with the findings of
Bartunek, Rynes and Ireland, led us to wonder about the use of
qualitative methods to produces such an overrepresentation of
stimulating and thought provoking papers. In particular, we were
interested in learning about how purveyors of qualitative methods
used innovative approaches to data collection, design, analysis,
and interpretation on the way to their discoveries. Scholars,
including both seasoned veterans of the methodology as well as
those new to the practice are on the quest to unearth how
qualitative methods can best serve those who, like them, seek
pathways to cool ideas and interesting papers. Source: Elsbach, K.
D., Kramer, R. M. (2016). “Introduction: In search of innovative
pathways and methods in qualitative research”. In Elsbach, K. D.,
Kramer, R. M. (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative organizational
research: Innovative pathways and methods (pp. 3). New York, NY:
Routledge. Answer ALL the questions in this section.
Question 1 (25 Marks)
In the note above, Elsbach and Kamer (2016:3), argue in favour
of qualitative research by stating: “One of the qualities we have
come to most appreciate, even cherish, about qualitative research
is the sense of discovery and the opportunity for genuine
intellectual surprise”. In light of the observation, compare and
contrast quantitative and the qualitative paradigms of business and
management research from the perspective of the ontological and
epistemological commitments that underpin their respective
methodologies.
Question 2 (25 Marks)
Elaborate on the concept of research design and discuss TWO (2)
research designs each for quantitative and qualitative approaches
to business and management inquiries.
organisational research below and answer the questions that follow.
On the motivation for qualitative methods in organisational
research There were several sources of inspiration that motivated
this note. First and foremost was a thoughtful and provocative
article by Jean Bartunek, Sara Rynes, and Duane Ireland that
appeared in the Academy of Management Journal in 2006. This article
published a list of the 17 most interesting organisational papers
published in the last 100 years. These papers were identified by
Academy of Management Journal board members – all of whom are
leading organisational scholars cognizant of the best work being
done in their respective areas. A total of 67 board members
nominated 160 articles as exceptionally interesting; those articles
that received two or more nominations were deemed the most
interesting. Of these exceptional articles, 12 (71%) involved
qualitative methods. This result strongly mirrors our own
experience as organisational researchers. Although both of us have
used a variety of methods in our organisational research (ranging
from experimental lab studies and surveys to computer-based, agent
simulations), our favourite studies by far have been our
qualitative studies (including those we have done together). One of
the qualities we have come to most appreciate, even cherish, about
qualitative research is the sense of discovery and the opportunity
for genuine intellectual surprise. Rather than merely seeking to
confirm a preordained hypothesis or “nail down” an extrapolation
drawn from the extant literature, our inductive studies, we found,
invariably opened up exciting, unexpected intellectual doors and
pointed us toward fruitful empirical paths for further
investigation. In short, if life is largely all about the journey
rather than destination, as the adage asserts, we have found
qualitative research most often gave us a road we wanted to follow.
Together, then, our experience, along with the findings of
Bartunek, Rynes and Ireland, led us to wonder about the use of
qualitative methods to produces such an overrepresentation of
stimulating and thought provoking papers. In particular, we were
interested in learning about how purveyors of qualitative methods
used innovative approaches to data collection, design, analysis,
and interpretation on the way to their discoveries. Scholars,
including both seasoned veterans of the methodology as well as
those new to the practice are on the quest to unearth how
qualitative methods can best serve those who, like them, seek
pathways to cool ideas and interesting papers. Source: Elsbach, K.
D., Kramer, R. M. (2016). “Introduction: In search of innovative
pathways and methods in qualitative research”. In Elsbach, K. D.,
Kramer, R. M. (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative organizational
research: Innovative pathways and methods (pp. 3). New York, NY:
Routledge. Answer ALL the questions in this section.
Question 1 (25 Marks)
In the note above, Elsbach and Kamer (2016:3), argue in favour
of qualitative research by stating: “One of the qualities we have
come to most appreciate, even cherish, about qualitative research
is the sense of discovery and the opportunity for genuine
intellectual surprise”. In light of the observation, compare and
contrast quantitative and the qualitative paradigms of business and
management research from the perspective of the ontological and
epistemological commitments that underpin their respective
methodologies.
Question 2 (25 Marks)
Elaborate on the concept of research design and discuss TWO (2)
research designs each for quantitative and qualitative approaches
to business and management inquiries.