Contemporary Social Research
2 total works
This book focuses upon the debate about quantitative and qualitative research which took root in the 1960s, although many of the central themes go back centuries. The basic terms of the debate have been felt in many of the disciplines which make up the social sciences, especially sociology, social psychology, education research, organization studies, and evaluation research.
This text has been designed to contribute towards the effective practice and evaluation of organizational research through enhanced understanding of methodological issues and problems. It is tailored for the needs of management students and professionals doing courses on organizational analysis. The author takes numerous examples of research, principally from North American and the United Kingdom, to illustrate his themes. Each research design and method is systematically appraised in terms of its uses and limitations. Experiments, surveys, participant observation and interviewing - and more particular problems such as measurement, levels of analysis and the relevance of epistemological issues - are thoroughly discussed.