Title: Epistemological perspectives in business research: an analytical review

Authors: Ananya Rajagopal

Addresses: Department of Administrative Sciences, EGADE Business School, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico

Abstract: Philosophically, positivism adheres to the realistic knowledge acquired through observation, empirical evidences and measurement. In positivism studies the role of the researcher confined to data collection, analysis, and interpretation that are observable and quantifiable within the set objectives. Statistical techniques and mathematical modelling are central to positivist research, which adheres to structured research techniques and pre-determined research designs. Positivist researchers tend to make generalisations with limited observations and data evidences, which have emerged as one of the fundamental weaknesses of the positivist philosophy. They believe positivism is deductive research process in management, which eliminates the possibility of conceptualisation against the evidence based research. This paper aims at critically examining the positivism in management research stemming out of the epistemological growth in management research and contributes to the existing literature by interpreting the convergence of classical school of thoughts with the contemporary ideology on management research.

Keywords: positivism; conventionalism; postmodernity; epistemology; research philosophy; management research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCG.2017.087528

International Journal of Business Competition and Growth, 2017 Vol.6 No.1, pp.47 - 59

Received: 14 Feb 2017
Accepted: 11 Apr 2017
Published online: 17 Oct 2017 *

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