a snapshot of some research methodology approaches – from ethnography and case study research to...

A Snapshot of Some Research A Snapshot of Some Research Methodology Approaches –Methodology Approaches –from Ethnography and Case from Ethnography and Case

Study Research to Action Study Research to Action Research and Chaos TheoryResearch and Chaos Theory

Professor Luiz MoutinhoProfessor Luiz Moutinho

University of Glasgow, University of Glasgow, ScotlandScotland


EthnographyEthnographyAn ethnographic approach can be An ethnographic approach can be described as one in which the described as one in which the investigation seeks to investigation seeks to

Gain a close up detailed rendition of Gain a close up detailed rendition of the real world.the real world.

Challenging the logical positivist Challenging the logical positivist position by claiming that all evidence is position by claiming that all evidence is relative and therefore cannot be relative and therefore cannot be independent of the investigator – independent of the investigator – thereby favouring participant thereby favouring participant observation as the dominant mode of observation as the dominant mode of data collection.data collection.


EthnographyEthnography

permit and even encourage permit and even encourage fieldwork to continue for fieldwork to continue for long periods of time so that long periods of time so that the regularities and rituals the regularities and rituals of everyday life can surface of everyday life can surface (Yin 1993)(Yin 1993)


Taking a Case Study Taking a Case Study ApproachApproach

the phenomenon under study is not readily the phenomenon under study is not readily distinguishable from its context and there is a distinguishable from its context and there is a need to cover both content and context.need to cover both content and context.

there is a desire to define topics broadly there is a desire to define topics broadly rather than narrowlyrather than narrowly

rely on multiple not single sources of evidence. rely on multiple not single sources of evidence.

Yin (1993) argues that the case study is the method of choice when


Taking a Case Study Approach cont…Taking a Case Study Approach cont…

seeking to define specific questions of seeking to define specific questions of study ahead of timestudy ahead of time

seeking to emulate logical positivism in seeking to emulate logical positivism in developing rival hypotheses and collecting developing rival hypotheses and collecting external evidence bearing on these external evidence bearing on these questionsquestions

carrying out fieldwork in a targeted fashion carrying out fieldwork in a targeted fashion – that is focusing on the evidence deemed – that is focusing on the evidence deemed relevant and time-limiting fieldwork. relevant and time-limiting fieldwork.

He continues by saying that case study research may be characterised by


Yin’s approach to case studies is Yin’s approach to case studies is to place them within a framework to place them within a framework of scientific method – to develop of scientific method – to develop hypotheses, collect empirical hypotheses, collect empirical data and develop conclusions data and develop conclusions based on the analysis of such based on the analysis of such data. Case studies however are data. Case studies however are not always considered to be a not always considered to be a method in the logical positivist method in the logical positivist tradition. Case studies can also tradition. Case studies can also be done where an investigators be done where an investigators intuition and ideas have intuition and ideas have prevailed.prevailed.


Taking an Action Research/Taking an Action Research/Action Science ApproachAction Science Approach

One possibility is to take an action One possibility is to take an action science approach to research science approach to research embedded in an ethnographic embedded in an ethnographic framework. Action science is a form framework. Action science is a form of action research. (Argyris 1992). of action research. (Argyris 1992). Definitions of action research differ Definitions of action research differ somewhat between authors. somewhat between authors.


Argyris (1992) says of action research that Argyris (1992) says of action research that itit

““takes its cues from the perceptions of takes its cues from the perceptions of practitioners within particular, local practitioners within particular, local practice contexts. It bounds episodes of practice contexts. It bounds episodes of research according to the boundaries in research according to the boundaries in the local context. It builds descriptions the local context. It builds descriptions and theories within the practice context and theories within the practice context itself and tests them through itself and tests them through intervention experimentsintervention experiments that bear the that bear the double burden of testing hypotheses double burden of testing hypotheses and effecting some desirable change in and effecting some desirable change in the situation.”the situation.”


Action researchers may make Action researchers may make claims about the claims about the generalisability of their generalisability of their research across local context research across local context however they do not describe however they do not describe relationahips in which the relationahips in which the values of a group of dependent values of a group of dependent variables are uniquely variables are uniquely determined by the values of a determined by the values of a group of independent ones.group of independent ones.


Generalisations produced Generalisations produced from an action research from an action research project tend to describe project tend to describe thematic patterns derived thematic patterns derived from enquiry in one setting from enquiry in one setting whose valid transfer to other whose valid transfer to other settings depends on settings depends on confirmation by further confirmation by further experiment.experiment.


Gummesson (1991) indicates Gummesson (1991) indicates that action science always that action science always involves two goals:involves two goals:

To solve a problem for the To solve a problem for the clientclient

To contribute to scienceTo contribute to science


Action Science is primarily Action Science is primarily applicable to the applicable to the understanding and planning understanding and planning of change in social systems of change in social systems and is therefore a suitable and is therefore a suitable strategy for changing strategy for changing processes in organisations.processes in organisations.

(Gummesson 1991)(Gummesson 1991)


Stacey (1993) writes: While chaos Stacey (1993) writes: While chaos means randomness in the behaviour means randomness in the behaviour of a system at a specific level it also of a system at a specific level it also means that there is a qualitative means that there is a qualitative pattern at a general overall level. The pattern at a general overall level. The future unfolds unpredictably but it future unfolds unpredictably but it always does so in recognisable family always does so in recognisable family like resemblances, just as history like resemblances, just as history repeats itself but never in quite the repeats itself but never in quite the same way. Stacey describes how same way. Stacey describes how atoms self organise when an external atoms self organise when an external stimulus is applied. The self stimulus is applied. The self organising process of the atoms. organising process of the atoms.

Chaos Theory

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