Chapter 4

8/13/2022
Chapter Four
Understanding Research
Philosophy
For use with Business Research Methods

by Quinlan, Babin, Carr, Griffin & Zikmund
9781473760356 © 2019 Cengage Learning
Aim of chapter
The aim of this chapter is to introduce the student to the

philosophical underpinnings of research and research
methodologies.
The philosophical topics covered in this chapter are

positivism, constructionism, interpretivism, functionalism,
critical inquiry, feminism and postmodernism.
Each of these represents a fundamental

framework within philosophy, and each
represents different perspectives within
social science research.

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Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter the student should:
• Understand the philosophical underpinnings of

research and research methodologies
• Understand the different world views

represented in the different philosophical
approaches
• Understand the links between research,

theory and knowledge
RESEARCH SKILLS
At the end of this chapter the student should, using the exercises on
the accompanying online platform, be able to:
• Explain the philosophical underpinnings of sample

research projects

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The Philosophical Framework
In this chapter, the focus is on understanding philosophical frameworks.

Every research project is underpinned by a philosophical framework;
every research project is situated within a particular philosophical
framework.
The philosophical framework within which the research project is
situated evidences the worldview within which the research is
situated.
Every step in the research process as designed by the
researcher, should be appropriate to, should ‘fit’ with,
the purpose and focus of the research.
Every aspect of the research project, as it is developed
by the researcher, should ‘fit’ with the philosophical
framework within which the research project is situated.

Ontology and Epistemology
Our choice and use of particular methodologies and

methods relate to the assumptions about reality that we
bring to our work. Questions about the nature of reality
are questions of ontology.
Questions about the methodology and methods used in

the research project relate to our understanding of
knowledge, of what constitutes knowledge,
of how knowledge is created, and the value
we ascribe to knowledge. These are
questions of epistemology.

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Epistemological positions

The Philosophical Underpinnings of Research

and Research Methodologies
The epistemological positions we are concerned with are
positivism, constructionism and interpretivism
Some commonly used philosophical frameworks (see

Table 4.2) in social science research are: functionalism,
symbolic interactionism, feminism, critical inquiry and
postmodernism.
Each of these represents a particular

framework for viewing the social world, and
each represents particular ontological and
epistemological standpoints.

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The Research Project and the Philosophical

Frameworks
Knowledge creation and the nature of knowledge are epistemological
questions.
The means by which knowledge is created is an epistemological issue.
Knowledge is created in the research project through the use of

research methodologies and methods
The methodology and the methods used must

fit with the research project, the philosophical
framework used in the research project.
In order to answer epistemological questions, the
researcher must explain and justify the methodology
and methods used in the research project.

The Five Basic Elements of Research
In Figure 4.1 we can see the five basic elements of

research.
The epistemological and ontological assumptions

embedded in every research project are
embedded in the theoretical
perspective deployed in the research,
and this is embedded in the research
methodology used in the study.

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The Methodological Pyramid
The Methodological Pyramid (see Figure 4.2)

illustrates how the underlying philosophical
frameworks support the research methodologies
which in turn support the data collection
methods.
This is the way in which the
concept of ‘fit’ works within social
science research.

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Quantitative and Qualitative Data
There are two types of data that can be collected

for any research project, quantitative and
qualitative data.
• Quantitative data is data in the form of numbers,

numerical data.
• Qualitative data is data is non-

numerical data.

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The Use of Theory in the Generation of

Knowledge
All research is about the generation of knowledge.
All research conducted in an academic setting is

embedded in theory.
Every academic project emerges from a particular body

of knowledge, and in turn it makes a contribution to
that body of knowledge.
As every research project concludes and

makes its contribution to the body of
knowledge, the body of knowledge grows.

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The Importance of Theory in Research
Theory is of the most fundamental importance in

research.
Research that is theorised makes a contribution to

the body of knowledge – it connects with the
body of knowledge.
Such research becomes part of the

‘what is known’ about the phenomenon
under investigation.

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Concepts - the building blocks of theory
Concepts are the building blocks of theory.
Concepts, as we have seen from our exploration

and use of the conceptual framework, are key
ideas, key words, often the big words in a
sentence, a paragraph, in an idea.
Every discipline and every theory

is made up of concepts.

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Concepts
Each concept contains a great deal of meaning.
Concepts, created and developed, and aligned

with other concepts, are the means through
which theory is created.
Concepts are the building blocks

of theory.

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The uses of theory in research
The conceptual framework contains the key concepts in

the research project.
The theoretical framework contains the literature review.
The theoretical framework is designed by the

researcher. The Theoretical framework emerges from
the conceptual framework.

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How to create a theoretical framework: the

second of the four frameworks
The key concepts in the conceptual framework direct

you in your search for literature and in your reading.
The theoretical framework, or literature review, contains

a discussion, or a review, of the literature in the area
of the research project.
The key concepts provide a structure

for the literature review.

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In undertaking the literature review:
• The researcher first sources the literature.
• Then s/he downloads and saves the literature.
• Then s/he reads the literature.
• Finally, s/he begins to construct from

the literature s/he has read the
theoretical framework for their
research project.

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The researcher creates the theoretical

framework in order:
• to provide the theoretical framework for the research
project;
• to establish their expertise in this area;
• to detail the current state of knowledge in the area;
• to highlight what is known and to highlights any gaps in

what is known;
• to detail the theory from which the

research has emerged;
• to outline the theory to which the
research will ultimately contribute.
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How to Generate Theory from Your Own

Research
• Your review of the literature gives you material from
which you develop questions to ask in data gathering.
• When you analyse the data gathered, you begin the

process of theorising your data.
• You do this by establishing where and how your data

supports, and/or contradicts, the theory in the
literature review.
• This is the process of establishing how your

data fits with the theory in the field.

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Research, Theory and Knowledge
• The conceptual and theoretical frameworks guide the

research in terms of data gathering.
• The analysed data is theorised.
• The findings of the research are knitted into the body of

knowledge.
• What results is new theory or an extension of existing

theory.
• This is the new knowledge created by the

research project.

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8/13/2022

For use with Business Research Methods

The aim of this chapter is to introduce the student to the

The philosophical topics covered in this chapter are

Each of these represents a fundamental

For use with Business Research Methods

At the end of this chapter the student should:

• Understand the philosophical underpinnings of

• Understand the different world views

• Understand the links between research,

• Explain the philosophical underpinnings of sample

For use with Business Research Methods

The Philosophical Framework

In this chapter, the focus is on understanding philosophical frameworks.

For use with Business Research Methods

Ontology and Epistemology

Our choice and use of particular methodologies and

Questions about the methodology and methods used in

For use with Business Research Methods

For use with Business Research Methods

The Philosophical Underpinnings of Research

Some commonly used philosophical frameworks (see

Each of these represents a particular

For use with Business Research Methods

The Research Project and the Philosophical

The means by which knowledge is created is an epistemological issue.

Knowledge is created in the research project through the use of

The methodology and the methods used must

For use with Business Research Methods

The Five Basic Elements of Research

In Figure 4.1 we can see the five basic elements of

The epistemological and ontological assumptions

For use with Business Research Methods

The Methodological Pyramid

The Methodological Pyramid (see Figure 4.2)

For use with Business Research Methods

Quantitative and Qualitative Data

There are two types of data that can be collected

• Quantitative data is data in the form of numbers,

• Qualitative data is data is non-

For use with Business Research Methods

The Use of Theory in the Generation of

All research is about the generation of knowledge.

All research conducted in an academic setting is

Every academic project emerges from a particular body

As every research project concludes and

For use with Business Research Methods

The Importance of Theory in Research

Theory is of the most fundamental importance in

Research that is theorised makes a contribution to

Such research becomes part of the

For use with Business Research Methods

Concepts - the building blocks of theory

Concepts are the building blocks of theory.

Concepts, as we have seen from our exploration

Every discipline and every theory

For use with Business Research Methods

Each concept contains a great deal of meaning.

Concepts, created and developed, and aligned

Concepts are the building blocks

For use with Business Research Methods

The uses of theory in research

The conceptual framework contains the key concepts in

The theoretical framework contains the literature review.