Slide 4.

Chapter 4
Understanding research philosophies
and approaches

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.2

The research ‘onion’

Saunders et al, (2008)

Figure 4.1 The research ‘onion’
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.3

Why to pick an approach???

• Leads to decide research design
• Helps to decide the choices and strategies
• Helps to cater problems and constrains

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.4

Summary: Chapter 4

The two main research approaches are

Deduction - theory and hypothesis are

developed and tested

Induction – data are collected and a theory

developed from the data analysis

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.5

DEDUCTION AND INDUCTION

1. Theory

2. Hypothesis 1. General Research Questions

Deduction

Induction
3. Data Collection 2. Data Collection

4. Findings 3. Findings

5. Hypothesis confirmed or rejected 4. Generation of Theory

6. Revision of theory
5
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.6

Deductive and Inductive research

Major differences between these approaches

Saunders et al, (2009)

Table 4.2 Major differences between deductive and inductive approaches to
research
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.7

‘Research philosophy is an over-arching term

relating to the development of knowledge and
the nature of that knowledge’

Adapted from Saunders et al, (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.8

Understanding your research philosophy

Three major research philosophy

• Ontology- What is the nature of reality?

• Epistemology -What is regarded as acceptable knowledge

and how we know it?

• Axiology- What is the role of values in conducting research?

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
 Slide 4.9
Sr. Philosophical
# Assumption
1 Ontology: -
What is the nature of
reality?
OR
what is knowledge?
2 Distance and impartiality
Epistemology: -
What is the relationship
between the researcher
and that being
researched?
What is regarded as
acceptable knowledge
and how we know it?
3 Axiology: -
What is the role of
values?
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Positivism Interpretivism Pragmatism
Singular reality existing Multiple realities Singular and multiple
apart from researcher’s shaped by realities.
perception and cultural researcher’s prior e.g. researchers test
biases. (Objectivism) understanding hypothesis and
e.g. researchers reject or (constructionism). provide multiple
fail to reject hypothesis. e.g. researchers perspectives.
provides quotes to
illustrate different
perspectives.
Closeness (e.g. Practicality (e.g.
(e.g. researchers researchers visit researchers collect
objectively collect data on participants at their data by “what work”
instruments.) sites to collect data) to address research
Acceptable knowledge is It is cased on the question).
gained through sense and perceptions of the Objective +
is objectively real. individuals about the Subjective
(Objective) world. (Subjective)
Unbiased (e.g. researchers Biased (e.g. Multiple stances. (e.g.
use checks to eliminate researchers actively researchers include
bias) talk about their biases both biased and
and interpretations) unbiased
9perspectives)
Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.10

Understanding your research philosophy

(3)
Aspects of ontology

• Objectivism – quantative measuring, social entities are

external to social actors.

• Subjectivism – complex phenomena, on going process,

involves social actors.

• Pragmatism- research philosophy is picked according to

research questions

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.11

Understanding your research philosophy

(4)
Aspects/views of epistemology

• Positivism - the stance of the natural scientist

(observerable, law-like generalisations, resources)

• Realism - ( scientific enquiry ) direct and critical realism.

( cricket umpire)

• Interpretivism – researchers as ‘social actors’ (generalisation

is not necessary)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.12

Research paradigms

Definition

‘A way of examining social phenomenon from

which particular understandings of these
phenomena can be gained and explanations
attempted’

Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.13

Combining research approaches

Things worth considering

• The nature of the research topic

• The time available

• The extent of risk

• The research audience – managers and markers

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.14

Four conceptual dimensions

• Radical Change - judgment about ways organizational
affairs should be conducted, how to make them better, critical
perspective

• Regulation – less critical and judgemental, seeks explanation

as how affairs are regulated in organization and how they can be
improved with in the given framework

• Objectivist – (ontology)
• Subjectivist – (ontology)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.15

Summary: Chapter 4

Social science paradigms can generate fresh

insights into real-life issues and problems

Four of the paradigms are:

Functionalist Radical humanist

Interpretive Radical structuralist

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Slide 4.16

Radical change
Radical Humanist Radical Structralist
(critical perspective in ( fundamental changes
organizational life, like power relations,
how to change the patterns of conflict,
status quo, what is what should be done. )
Subjectivist done) Objectivist
Interpretive Functionalist (why a
(fundamental problem is occurring
meanings attached to and how it can solved,
organizational life, Problem oriented
understand and approach, practical
explain why things are solutions, practical
happening in an problems)
organization)
Regulation
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009