Doing Qualitative Research

Reflexive methodology - new vistas for qualitative research: Media Reviews

This book demonstrates the relevance, rigor, and creativity of interpretive research methodologies for the social and human sciences. The book situates methods questions within the context of broader methodological questions--specifically, the character of social realities and their "know-ability." Exceptionally clear and well-written chapters provide engaging discussions of the methods of accessing, generating, and analyzing social science data, using methods ranging from reflexive historical analysis to critical ethnography. Reflecting on their own research experiences, the contributors offer an inside, applied perspective on how research topics, evidence, and methods intertwine to produce knowledge in the social sciences.

Interpretation and Method : Empirical Research Methods and the Interpretive Turn

Basic concepts for qualitative research

This write-up aims to first clarify the notion of phenomenology by offering sayings of different experts of this genre. Thereafter, it attempts to briefly trace its genesis and classify this broad idea in three different schools viz. transcendental, hermeneutic and existential. After discussing very precisely on each of these schools, it focuses on the premises of hermeneutic phenomenology as a method for doing research. The purpose of this essay is to collect and exhibit a crude paradigmatic clue of doing a hermeneutic phenomenological research. During the course, it emphasizes on the metaphysical stance, methodological grounds, quality concerns and ethical issues that contribute to its paradigmatic assumptions. Bodhi: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 5, 2011, Page 181-200 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/bodhi.v5i1.8053

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Hermeneutic phenomenological research method simplified

This article distills the core principles of a phenomenological research design and, by means of a specific study, illustrates the phenomenological methodology. After a brief overview of the developments of phenomenology, the research paradigm of the specific study follows. Thereafter the location of the data, the data-gathering the data-storage methods are explained. Unstructured in-depth phenomenological interviews supplemented by memoing, essays by participants, a focus group discussion and field notes were used. The data explicitation, by means of a simplified version of Hycner's (1999) process, is further explained. The article finally contains commentary about the validity and truthfulness measures, as well as a synopsis of the findings of the study.

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A phenomenological research design illustrated

Internationally, talent is regarded a key success factor for global competitiveness. However, organizational talent is challenged by continuous change. The Apartheid heritage in South Africa further presents major challenges with regard to the growing of the talent of people. Cooperative education, a structured educational strategy that progressively integrates academic study with learning through productive work experiences, presents itself as a means to grow the talent of the South African people. The literature review identifies the core properties of cooperative education and the study has attempted to distil the core principles of a phenomenological research design. The specific ‘phenomena’ which the research focused on are existing joint ventures between higher education institutions and business enterprises aimed at educating people and growing talent. A selection of the voices of the research participants are presented in this article. Although the present study identifies several shortcomings regarding the practice of cooperative education, it pioneers the notion that the growing of talent can be enhanced through a cooperative education strategy. (Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 2003,4(2), 49-61).

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Growing talented people through cooperative education : a phenomenological exploration

The problem of poor organisational performance is rife in the per-way (company to company transportation) industry, inasmuch as it is experienced by many organisations in South Africa. This problem is further highlighted by the annual research conducted and published by the World Economic Forum. The World Competitive Reports of 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 & 1999 refer. These reports indicate that South African business organisations fare exceptionally poorly when compared to other developed and developing nations. Furthermore, a few of the more disconcerting facts are that the capacity of management to identify and implement competitive practices falls in the bottom 25% for all developed and developing nations and South African organisations fall in the bottom 10% for productivity when compared with other developing nations. The above situation requires leadership of organizations in South Africa particularly to take responsibility for developing new management skills and applying these skills sensitively to their specific workforce situation. The subject of this paper, a manufacturing enterprise, is an organisation in per-way business (i.e. providing mining and railway companies with steel for rail-tracks and/or roads). The company is situated in the Gauteng Province, in an industrial area called Isando in Kempton Park. This company was started in 1976. It has exchanged several hands in terms of ownership. But the company is now owned by an Austrian. In terms of several reports and perception surveys, this company is experiencing a myriad of problems, and of particular importance for this research is that there is inadequate performance alleged to be caused by lack of effective leadership. With a critical mass of managers within per-way industry asking for changes, it is imperative for upper management to respond and organisational policies and systems will stand a better chance of being changed. Furthermore, it takes credible managers and/or leadership who are effective in their day to day roles and who contribute to the organisation’s mission and goals to influence change. Table 1 represents the desired leadership competencies.

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Leadership competencies in a manufacturing environment

Organisational talent is internationally regarded a key success factor in a competitive world and is continuously challenged. In South Africa, the Apartheid heritage further presents major challenges regarding developmental opportunities of talented people. Co-operative education presents, as structured educational strategy that progressively integrates academic study with learning through productive work experiences, itself as a means to grow the talent of the South African people. As result of the inadequate practice of co-operative education and a fair amount of associated resistance, ‘classical’ literature is reviewed. The literature review further identifies the core properties of co-operative education and the study has attempted to distil the core principles of a phenomenological research design. The specific ‘phenomena’ which the research focused on are existing joint ventures between Higher Education institutions and business enterprises aimed at educating people and growing talent. Selections of the voices of the research participants are presented in this article. Although the present study identifies several shortcomings regarding the practice of co-operative education, it pioneers the notion that the growing of talent can be enhanced through a co-operative education strategy. OPSOMMING Organisatoriese talent word internasionaal beskou as ’n sleutelfaktor in ’n kompeterende wereld en word dus voortdurend aan uitdagings onderwerp. In Suid Afrika stel die nagevolge van Apartheid grootskaalse uitdagings ten opsigte van die ontwikkelings moontlikhede van talentvolle mense. Kooperatiewe onderwys bied, as gestruktureerde opvoedkundige strategie wat progressief akademiese leer met produktiewe werkservaring integreer, ’n geleentheid om die talent van Suid-Afrikaners op te bou. ‘Klasieke’ literatuur word weegegee ten einde die ontoereikende beoefening van kooperatiewe onderwys en ’n gepaartgaande redelike mate van weerstand aan te spreek. Die literatuurstudie identifiseer verder die kerneienskappe van kooperatiewe onderwys en probeer om die vernaamste eienskappe van ’n fenomenologiese studie raak te vat. Die spesifieke ‘fenomene’ waarop die studie fokus, is die bestaande samewerking tussen tersiere instellings en besigheidsondernemings om mense op te lei en hul talent te ontwikkel. Geselekteerde uitsprake van die deelnemers aan die studie word weergegee en alhoewel daar verskeie tekortkominge rakende die beoefening van kooperatiewe onderwys geidentifiseer is, verteenwoordig die studie baanbrekerswerk op die terrein van die rol van kooperatiewe onderwys in die ontwikkeling van talent.

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The contribution of co-operative education in the growing of talent in South Africa : a qualitative phenomenological exploration

The objective of this paper is to share the learning derived from an action research pilot project on the monitoring of work-integrated learning. The South African higher education imperatives are outlined and perspectives on both defined competencies and/or outcomes of assessment are reviewed, as well as the more 'artistic' ability derived from unexpected experiences and problem-centered/based learning. Views on developing reflective ability are presented. The research method entails an outline of the preparation phase, an exposition of the monitoring guidelines and instrument, as well as an explanation of action research. The launch, progression and review phases are then outlined. The findings comprise a synopsis of the qualitative data derived from the monitoring reports submitted, a summary of a focus group discussion held with regional learning facilitation staff, and the reflective perspectives of the central coordinating office staff. The article is concluded with a discussion of key lessons taken from the experience and procedural proposals.

Thomas Groenewald

Papers

A phenomenological research design illustrated

Growing talented people through cooperative education : a phenomenological exploration

Leadership competencies in a manufacturing environment

The contribution of co-operative education in the growing of talent in South Africa : a qualitative phenomenological exploration

Lessons derived from a work‐integrated learning monitoring pilot at a distance higher education institution