The research philosophy Andrs Istvn KUN Different disciplines

The research philosophy András István KUN

Different disciplines • Research methodology is a supporting subject • Different disciplines have different paradigms • Only the substance of research is similar

The Wheel of Science Theories Empirical generalizations Hypotheses Observations

The research ’onion’

Definition • A system of beliefs and assumptions about the development of knowledge. • This is what you as a researcher will do: developing knowledge on a particular field. • These assumptions inevitably shape how you understand your research questions. • This will allow to design a coherent research project.

Three types of research assumptions • Ontological • Epistemological • Axiological

Ontology • It refers to assumptions about the nature of reality. • The way you see and study your research objects (organizations, management, artefacts etc. ).

Epistemology • Assumptions about knowledge, what constitutes acceptable, valid and legitimate knowledge, and how we can communicate knowledge to others.

Axiology • Refers to the role of values and ethics within the research process. • How researchers deal with their own values and those of the other research participants.

Objectivism and subjectivism • Objectivism incorporates assumptions of natural sciences, while subjectivism incorporates assumptions of arts and humanities. • Objectivism embraces realism (the things of the world exists independently of us), while subjectivism is nominalist (the things we study are created by us).

Research perspectives Why are you ding your research: • Regulation perspective: if you fell the need for the regualtion of human behaviour • Radical change perspective: if you fundamentally question the way things are done, and you want to offer help to change it.

Combining two dimension

Major philosophies • Positivism (=direct realism): working with an observable social reality to produce law-like generalizations. • Critical realism: explains what we experience in terms of the underlying structures of reality. • Interpretivism: it studies humans created meanings. • Postmodernism: it questions the accepted ways of thinking and give voice to alternative ones. It emphasizes the role of language and power relations. • Pragmatism: concepts are only relevant when they are supporting action.

Approaches to theory development

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