Abstract
It is argued that there are currently two separate research approaches to behaviour in organizations; the qualitative approach and the quantitative approach, each with their own framework, criteria of proof, and accepted procedures. Reasons for the dominance of the quantitative approach and the renewed interest in the qualitative approach are presented. Implications for future research in organizational behaviour are developed. There is a need for more multi-approach research efforts and for a conceptual scheme that will locate the two approaches in relation to one another.
Highlights
Daar word aangevoer dat daar tans twee verskillende benaderings tot gedrag in organisasies bestaan; die kwalitatiewe- en die kwantitatiewe benadering, elk met sy eie raamwerk, bewyse en aanvaarde prosedures
According to van Maanen (1979) and Filstead (1970), the basic difference underlying the various approaches to studying organizational behaviour is whether or not they are qualitative or quantitative in nature
Another is that the outcomes of qualitative research do not conform to a 'standard pattern that can be identified as being of one type rather than another
Summary
It is argued that there are currently two separate research approaches to behaviour in organizations; the qualitative approach and the quantitative approach, each with their own framework, criteria of proof, and accepted procedures. Daar word aangevoer dat daar tans twee verskillende benaderings tot gedrag in organisasies bestaan; die kwalitatiewe- en die kwantitatiewe benadering, elk met sy eie raamwerk, bewyse en aanvaarde prosedures. According to van Maanen (1979) and Filstead (1970), the basic difference underlying the various approaches to studying organizational behaviour is whether or not they are qualitative or quantitative in nature. It is this difference that, in their view, tends to divide students of organizational behaviour into 'opposing camps', that are often ignorant of what each other is doing and frequently deny the validity of each other's approach as well. It is my view that over the past few decades this has led to a 'debilitating schism' within the discipline, between those who support quantitative approaches and their opponents who believe only qualitative approaches are really capable of improving our understanding of people's behaviour in organizations
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