Philosophical Foundations and Epistemological Frameworks

This week’s topics

Philosophical Foundations and Epistemological Frameworks

1. Ontological and epistemological assumptions
2. Positivism, interpretivism, and pragmatism
3. Deductive, inductive, and abductive logic
4. Influence of philosophical paradigm on methodological decisions
5. Research philosophies in Business And Management
6. Philosophical Beliefs and Assumptions in Business and Management Research
7. Theory development approaches and the Research Onion

What you will be able to do

• 1.1 Critically evaluate various research approaches that are available for solving a problem.
• 1.2 Demonstrate understanding of research philosophies and its influence in data collection process.

Activity

Start with this week’s 3 videos, then: Seminar, guided reading and a short written task: critically evaluate various research approaches that are available for solving a problem.

Study materials

Videos

• Research philosophies in Business And Management · YouTube · Mark Saunders on Research Methods · 17 min · for registered students
• Philosophical Beliefs and Assumptions in Business and Management Research · YouTube · Mark Saunders on Research Methods · 11 min · for registered students
• Theory development approaches and the Research Onion · YouTube · Mark Saunders on Research Methods · 8 min · for registered students
• Positivism vs Interpretivism | Research Philosophy Made Easy · YouTube · Dr Hayley Stainton | Tourism Teacher · 8 min · for registered students
• The Research Onion Made EASY! Simple Research Methods Template For Your Methodology Chapter · YouTube · Dr Hayley Stainton | Tourism Teacher · 8 min · for registered students

Further resources

• MIT OpenCourseWare 15.347 Doctoral Seminar in Research Methods I (Fall 2004) · Reading · MIT OpenCourseWare, course · for registered students
• Big Data, new epistemologies and paradigm shifts · PDF · Reading, article · for registered students