MS4032 – BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS: ESSAY 1
Tom Bickley 06263760
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Q. Explain the main philosophical traditions underpinning business research, using examples to
illustrate your arguments. (1500 words).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Research philosophies are the broader ideas about the nature of reality and how we can come to
know this reality.” There are three main traditional research philosophies, I will define these
philosophies; ontology, epistemology and axiology and then argue their case using relative examples.
It is key to understand the research philosophy you use throughout your research because it will aid
any readers understanding, evaluation and conclusion regarding the evidence of your argument. – it
helps us understand how you produced your knowledge – on what basis, on what assumptions, on
what premises and this helps us decide whether we accept your evidence and argument or not.
Ontology
Ontology is considered part of the metaphysics branch of philosophy and is the consideration
of questions regarding our assumptions about the nature of reality. Within ontology there are
two main positions,
1. Objectivism/Realism: the social world is objective, independent of our
perceptions.
2. Subjectivism/Idealism/Constructionism: the social world is constructed from our
perceptions and influenced by the actions of social actors.
Objectivism/Realism is the understanding that when something is described, that it, in its own right
has a reality independent of what we see or perceive.
3. Common sense view that when we describe something that thing has a reality which is
independent of our perception of it
4. There is a mind-independent reality
5. Social entities exist in reality external to social actors
6. Reality subsists within objects
Epistemology
This is the concept or theory of knowledge. Epistemology makes us question how we know anything
about the world and concerns our assumptions on how knowledge is acquired.
Axiology
This branch of philosophy focuses on the study of judgements about values.
Conclusion
Bibliography
Books:
Bryman, A. and Bell, E. (2007) Business Research Methods. Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students. Fourth
Edition. Harlow: Pearson.
Ryan, B., Scapens, R. W. and Theobald, M. (2002) Research Method and Methodology in Finance
and Accounting. Second Edition. London: Thomson.
Smith, M. (2003) Research Methods in Accounting. London: Sage. Chapter 1.
Easterby-Smith et al. (2008) (eds) Management Research. London: Sage. Chapter 4.
Online:
Legatt, H. (2008) Blogs influence online buying behaviour [Online] Available from:
http://bizreport.com [Accessed 24 February 2009]
San Diego State University. (2007) [Online] Available from: http://wwwrohan.sdsu.edu/~renglish/370/notes/chapt05/ [Accessed 25 February 2009]
Journals:
Bearden and Etzel (1982) Reference Group Influence on Product and Brand Purchase Decisions,
Journal of Consumer Research, 9: 183-194.
Childers, Terry L., Rao, Akshay R. (1992),The influence of familial and peer based reference groups
on consumer decisions, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 19 (2), pp. 198-211.