Essay on research paradigm
Hsc
BUS604Week21.pptxWeek 2
Understanding research philosophies and approaches
Lecture Overview
Research Paradigm
Philosophical assumptions
Research approaches
Research Paradigm
An over-arching term relating to the development of knowledge and the nature of that knowledge’ (Saunders et al, 2009)
“A basic set of beliefs that guide action” (Guba, 1990, p. 17)
Research Paradigm
When implementing worldviews in your research, you must addresses the following:
Identify and state clearly the philosophical worldview for your the study
Define the basic ideas of that worldview
Demonstrate how the worldview shape your approach to research
Research Paradigm -Understanding philosophical assumptions
Ontology: it relates to the nature of reality and its characteristics
Epistemology: how knowledge is constructed and justified
Axiology: the role of values in research
Methodology: the process involved in research/ how research should be conducted
Research paradigms
Positivism/ Postpositivists
Realism
Interpretivism
Pragmatism
These paradigms have their positions on the philosophical assumptions
Saunders et al. (2009,p.119)
Comparison of four research philosophies in management research
| Assumptions | Positivism | Realism | Interpretivism | Pragmatism |
| Ontology: the researcher’s view of the nature of reality or being | External, objective and independent of social actors | Is objective. Exists independently of human thoughts and beliefs or knowledge of their existence interpreted through social conditioning | Socially constructed, subjective, may change, multiple | External, multiple, view chosen to best enable answering of research question |
| Epistemology: the researcher’s view regarding what constitutes acceptable knowledge | Only observable phenomena can provide credible data, facts. Focus on causality and law like generalisations, reducing phenomena to simplest elements | Observable phenomena provide credible data, facts. Insufficient data means inaccuracies in sensations (direct realism). phenomena create sensations which are open to misinterpretation | Subjective meanings and social phenomena. Focus upon the details of situation, a reality behind these details, subjective meanings motivating actions | Either or both observable phenomena and subjective meanings can provide acceptable knowledge dependent upon the research question. |
Saunders et al. (2009,p.119)
Comparison of four research philosophies in management research
| Assumptions | Positivism | Realism | Interpretivism | Pragmatism |
| Axiology: the researcher’s view of the role of values in research | Research is undertaken in a value-free way. the researcher is independent of the data and maintains an objective stance | Research is value laden; the researcher is biased by world views, cultural experiences and upbringing. | Research is value Bound. the researcher is part of what is being researched | Values play a large role in interpreting results. the researcher adopting both objective and subjective points of view |
| Data collection techniques most often used | Highly structured, large samples, measurement, quantitative, | Methods chosen must fit the subject matter, quantitative or qualitative | Small samples, in-depth investigations, qualitative | Mixed or multiple method designs, quantitative and qualitative |
Research Approaches
Research project involve the use of a theory
The theory may or may not be made explicit in the design of the research
The decision will depend on the research approach you adopt: deduction vs induction vs abduction
Research Approaches
Deduction: drawing logical consequences from premises
Deducing a hypothesis
Expressing the hypothesis operationally
Testing the operational hypothesis
Examining the specific outcome of the enquiry
Modifying the theory (if necessary)
Research Approaches
Deduction approach:
Explaining causal relationships between variables
Establishing controls for testing hypotheses
Independence of the researcher
Concepts operationalised for quantitative measurement
Generalisation
Research Approaches
Induction: Building a theory by:
Understanding the way human build their world
Permitting alternative explanations of what’s going on
Being concerned with the context of events
Using more qualitative data
Using a variety of data collection methods
Saunders et al, (2009)
Research Approaches
Abduction: identifies a pattern in a surprising phenomenon and proposes a plausible hypothesis
Choosing your research approach
The nature of the research topic
The time available
The extent of risk
The research audience – managers and markers
Class Activity
Reading list
Creswell, J.W and Creswell, J.D. 2018, Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, SAGE, Thousand Oaks
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A., & Wilson, J. (2009). Business research methods. Financial Times, Prentice Hall: London.
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