Research Design, Main Philosophical Traditions Underpinning Business Research

Business Research Methods: Research Design, Main philosophical traditions underpinning business research When developing a research project through a research question and objectives, a researcher is thinking about the most appropriate data collection techniques and analysis procedures. He or she is adopting different information gathering strategies and choosing different methods, in order to approach the goal. However, this thinking does not start with the research design. There are perceptions, basic beliefs and assumptions about the way, in which the researcher views the world. This particular view depends on the research philosophy adopted by the researcher, and underpins the research strategy and methods to choose. Therefore, in order to recognise which research designs will work and which will not, and to indicate the limitations of particular approaches, it is important to understand different research philosophies and the matters of ontology and epistemology. The aim of this essay is to discuss main research philosophies in more detail through different examples. However, sometimes it is hard to understand what authors mean by one or another term. Therefore, this essay concentrates on the most generally acceptable terms. In conclusion the most important aspects are emphasised.