Qualitative Research and Theory Development by Mats Alvesson Dan Karreman

Author:Mats Alvesson, Dan Karreman [Mats Alvesson, Dan Karreman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857023230
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2011-05-25T00:00:00+00:00

A Loose Design for Exploring Mysteries and Breakdowns

Although the overall idea of constructing and solving a mystery through working with breakdowns is sufficient as a methodology, it is not that easy as considerable support is needed. In Chapter 3 we pointed towards some useful interpretive principles and in this chapter we have explored how to consider the dialogic nature of empirical work that is aimed at producing interesting results through disciplined imagination. But all of this can be supplemented with ideas on what the specific research process, involving various steps or moments, could look like.

The meta-framework outlined above offers broad guidelines and direction but, crucially, is not ‘locked’ into a narrow way of seeing that determines the results a priori. This makes it possible to work with a more technically specific method/research practice that structures the dialogue between theory and empirical material, in which the pre-understandings, expectations, and imaginations of the researcher are crucial. The key elements here are finding ways of encountering breakdowns and creating mysteries. Below, we outline a method for doing this (also, see figure 4.1 for a visual representation).2

1. Familiarization with the setting under study and making inquiries about themes in a fairly open way. This is based on preliminary decisions about a field of interest and an initial, fairly broad focus for the investigation. Rather than focusing on narrow themes e.g. ‘knowledge sharing’, ‘teamwork’ or ‘leadership’, one can ask oneself ‘What is going on here?’ or ‘What do the natives think they are up to?’

Figure 4.1 The research process: a simple version (from Alvesson, M. and Kärreman, D. (2007) Constructing Mystery: Empirical matters in theory development, Academy of Management Review, 32: 1265–1281. Reprinted with permission from the publisher.)

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