Events

The MGSM Research Office invites you to attend a Research seminar on Tuesday 9th December from 4:30pm to 5:30pm followed by refreshments in the Lounge bar. 

Please RSVP research@mgsm.edu.au before Thursday 4th December 2008.

Title: "Reflexivity in empirical research: Acknowledging the researcher in qualitative research"

Presenter: Dr Nada Endrissat, Competence Centre for Management, University of Applied Sciences Bern, Switzerland.

This research seminar will address some of the challenges of doing qualitative research, and outline practical ways of dealing with them.  In particular, when working in the interpretive paradigm, the researcher is generally thought to be actively involved in the "making" of the research results.  That is, the researcher influences both the data collection and the interpretation process.  While some critics therefore dismiss qualitative research as unscientific, others call for the elimination of the researcher's influence.

Drawing on the writing of Alvesson and Skoldberg (2000), Nada Endrissat presents an alternative view, namely that the researcher's influence should simply be acknowledged and understood.  This requires the researcher to demonstrate reflexivity and awareness.  Among other things, qualitative researchers should reflect on:

•  their personal interests, including their epistemological and theoretical assumptions;
•  the specific conditions of the data collection setting;
•  and the interpretation process, including noting emotional reactions.

The seminar is designed for PhD and research students, Dr Endrissat will respond to students' interests and questions concerning their own research.  Even though reflexivity is called for more often by researchers engaged in qualitative research, it is relevant also for quantitative research.

For further information about Nada Endrissat please her curriculum vitae.