Doing and publishing qualitative research in international journals:
methodological and theoretical concerns
Marlei Pozzebon[1]
The goal is to discuss theory-research-design fit, what constitute a theoretical contribution and to develop a clear appreciation of how to achieve coherence among the three building blocks of high quality research (substantive, theoretical and methodological domains). In addition, we will explore dominant and emergent topics in leading management international journals, and particularly those targeted by the participants, as well as the more appropriate theoretical lenses do deal with such research topics (what theories have been pervading management publications?). Finally, we will draw methodological guidelines and some criteria for evaluating research and conclude with some elements to be considered in doing, reviewing and publishing in international journals.
Course outline
ü Introduction:
o Fitting theory and research design: the three building blocks of a coherent research
o Ontological and epistemological assumptions of different research traditions
ü Overview of qualitative research methods:
o Methodological assumptions
o The influence of literature review on the research design
o The role of theory: inductive and deductive approaches
ü Qualitative research methods
o Case study method
o Building a rigorous research protocol
o Ethical concerns
ü Criteria for high quality research
o Different criteria for different research traditions
o Brazilian conferences and journals standards
o International conference and journals standards
Calendar
S / Date / Duration1 / 19/02 / 9h00 – 12h00
2 / 26/02 / 9h00 – 12h00
3 / 05/03 / 9h00 – 12h00
4 / 12/03 / 9h00 – 12h00
5 / 19/03 / 9h00 – 12h00
6 / Final paper / 15 hours
Basic readings:
Van Maanen, J. (1979) Reclaiming Qualitative Methods for Organizational Research: A Preface. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24: 520-524.
Dyer, W. G. et A. L. Wilkins, “Better Stories, Not Better Constructs, to Generate Better Theory: A rejoinder to Eisenhardt”, Academy of Management Journal, 1991, vol. 16, no 3, p. 613-627.
Barley, S.R. “Technology as an Occasion for Structuring: Evidence from Observation of CT Scanners and the Social Order of Radiology Departments,” Administrative Science Quarterly, (31), 1986, pp. 78-108.
Pozzebon, M.(2004). “Conducting and Evaluating Critical Interpretive Research: Examining Criteria as a Key Component in Building a Research Tradition”. In: Information Systems Research: Relevant Theory and Informed Practice. Ed. Kaplan, B. et al., London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004, Chapter 16, pp. 275-292.
Whetten, D.A. (1989) What Constitutes a Theoretical Contribution? Academy of Management Review, vol. 14, no. 4, 490-495
Barley, S. (2006) “When I Write My Masterpiece: Thoughts on What Makes a Paper Interesting”, Academy of Management Journal, 49(1): 16-20.
Guba, E. & Lincoln, Y.S., «Competing paradigms in qualitative research», in Handbook of Qualitative Research, par Denzin, N. K., 1994, (105-117).
Rynes, S. & Gephart, R.P. (2004). Qualitative research and the AOM. AMJ, 47(4), 454-462.
Webster, J. and Watson, R.T. “Analyzing the Past to Prepare for the Future: Writing a Literature Review,” MIS Quarterly, (26:2), 2002, R13-23.
Langley, A. (1999) “Strategies for Theorizing from Process Data,” The Academy of Management Review, (24:4), pp. 691-711.
Edmondson, A. and McManus, S. (2007) “Methodological Fit in Management Field Research”, Academy of Management Review, 32(4): 1155-1179.
Eisenhardt, K., “Building Theory from Case Study Research”, Academy of Management Review, 14 (4), 1989, p. 532-550
Stake, R.E. (1998). Case Studies. In: Strategies of Qualitative Inquiry by Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds.). Sage Publications, California. Pages 445-454
Gregor, S. (2006) The nature of theory in Information Systems. MIS Quarterly, Vol. 30 No. 3. pp. 611-642.
Qualitative research: Fundamental books
· Prasad, Pushkala (2005) Crafting Qualitative Research. M.E. Sharpe. New York, 340 pages.
· Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. (1994). Handbook of Qualitative Research. Sage Publications, California.
· Glesne, C. (1999) Becoming Qualitative Researchers. New York: Longman.
· Lincoln, Y.S., and Guba, E.G. (1985) Naturalistic Inquiry, Sage, Beverly Hills, CA.
· Mason, J. (1997). Qualitative Researching. London: Sage Publications.
· Miles, M.B., and Huberman, A.M. (1984) Qualitative Data Analysis: a Sourcebook of New Methods, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.
· Patton, M.Q. (2002) Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods. California: Sage Publications.
· Yin, Robert K. (2008) Case Study Research, Design and Methods, 4th edition, Sage Publications, London, 2008, 240 pp.
· Berg, B.L. (2001). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon.
1
[1] I am an associate professor at HEC Montréal. Some keywords of my research are social innovation, social inclusion, citizen creativity, local and sustainable development and global-local dialogue. Theoretically,structuration and translation theories, social constructivism and critical theory are appealing to me.I have published articles in Organization Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Management International, Journal of Information Technology andJournal of Strategic Information Systems and Information Technology and People, among others.