Interpretive Phenomenological Research Research Articles

Innovation and Quality of Business Scale Based on Blue Economy in the Coastal Area of Bilato, Indonesia

Abstract This study thoroughly examines and analyzes the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in Nike fish (Ikan Nike) in the Bilato coastal area of Indonesia. Several aspects are used as indicators to assess the extent of this potential, including innovation, scale quality, and the application of the blue economy concept. The methodology employed is qualitative, also known as interpretative research, naturalistic research, or phenomenological research. The results of this study indicate a significant and positive improvement among the SMEs involved in Nike fish, particularly in terms of innovation, which encompasses product innovation, sales media innovation, and environmental innovation. Additionally, there has been notable development in scale quality, as evidenced by increases in income, sales, and business profits. Furthermore, the SMEs participating in the Nike fish group consistently implement the blue economy concept as a means of ensuring sustainability and balance in preserving the environment in the Bilato coastal area. This approach not only enhances economic value but also contributes to social and ecological benefits.

Exploring sociocultural factors and ubuntuism for women living with HIV in rural Zimbabwe.

The focus of this study was on women living with HIV in rural Zimbabwe, who face many challenges, both in the family and community. Patriarchy compounds these problems as these women navigate access to health and other services. The study sought to explore ubuntuism and the sociocultural factors that facilitate or constrain women living with HIV from accessing community services and resources. An interpretive phenomenological analysis research design was utilised for the study. Purposive and quota sampling were applied to recruit 40 participants from six villages. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions that were audio recorded and transcribed. The data were analysed using the interpretive phenomenological analysis framework. The study found that women living with HIV face stigma and discrimination in the form of social exclusion and reduced access to community-based health activities and empowerment opportunities. These challenges were compounded by the negative impact of patriarchy that gives rise to land, resettlement and acculturation challenges. Ubuntu is a reflection of mutual dependence and can be used to promote more compassionate relationships with those who are HIV positive in the community.Contribution:The study provides unique insights into the challenges experienced by women living with HIV and how ubuntu could mitigate those challenges so that it adds to the humanistic philosophies in interpersonal relationships.

Effects of adverse childhood experiences on university students' ability to lead healthy lives: an exploratory qualitative study in Lahore, Pakistan.

Adverse Childhood Experiences are a significant global public health concern as these experiences have adverse effects on all the health determinants. The interpretive phenomenological research design was used to explore the implications of adverse childhood experiences on the adult life of university students. An interpretive thematic analysis method was employed to analyze this study. Five major themes emerged after a comprehensive review of the information obtained from the interviews with the ten selected participants. These were (1) Chronic health struggles (2) Mental health disorders (3) Emotional and social difficulties (4) Paranoia and distrust and (5) Academic and professional under-performance. This study concludes that adverse childhood experiences have long-lasting negative effects on university students' health and behaviour, preventing them from leading healthy lives and excelling academically and professionally.

Towards the development and enhancement of Open and Distance Learning policies in Africa: A step by step guide to the game

Purpose: This study sought to explain and understand possible steps for developing and enhancing open and distance learning (ODL) policies in Malawi. Methodology: It thus deployed descriptive and interpretive phenomenological research as advanced by Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger to deeply understand policies, practices and perceptions within higher education institutions (HEIs) in Malawi. It was assumed that human experiences can best be understood through ones immersion into documents, conversations and lived-experiences of the research subjects. Accordingly, we used document analyses, observations and systematic conversations followed by practical activities to enhance the available draft-ODL policies at the selected HEIs. Findings: The study established that many academics had inadequate knowledge on policy formulation using paradigmatic and marginalized philosophical theories. It was also established when policy-makers combine different theories to inform their policies, they gain more advantages than they would have otherwise done. Since education is usually confronted by complex issues, such theoretical amalgamation has paid dividends. While this study inherently took an eccentric approach to research by reconciling Husserl and Heidegger’s contradictions, it also infused some elements of empiricism and conceptual ideals ushering in a mixed methodology that culminated into a transformative paradigm. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Since research is about discovering new knowledge, this study garnered its uniqueness and credibility through such methodical surprises; the approaches that transcended mere theoretical analyses to yielding a tangible ODL policy product. We acknowledge our methodological limitations although such limitations cannot lender our findings invalid. We therefore recommend researchers to try this approach, and share with us their findings.

Echoes of dysfunction: a thematic exploration of toxic leadership in higher education

PurposeNumerous studies have examined effective or positive leadership styles and their effects on employees and organizational outcomes. In recent years, toxic leadership has drawn the attention of several organizations, and toxic managers undoubtedly harm an organization’s social, economic and individual quality of life. This study aims to examine academicians’ perceptions of toxic leadership behavior exhibited by their immediate leaders in the higher education sector.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative interpretive phenomenological research design was used, and data was analyzed using Clarke & Braun’s thematic analysis method. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with 26 teachers from the technical education sector within higher education who had five years or more of experience in the higher education sector.FindingsFive themes emerged from the teacher's narratives based on the research questions that were framed with the help of expert opinions and a thorough literature review (“frequency of occurrences,” “outward behavior,” “repercussions,” “coping strategies” and “support mechanisms”). Using the NVIVO 14.0 software, auto-coded themes were generated and corroborated with the findings. The triangulation of outcomes reveals toxic behaviors exhibited by the leaders in universities and colleges, which conforms with the toxic leadership literature.Originality/valueThis study advances the understanding of the harmful or toxic side of leadership, specifically in the higher education sector. This work advances earlier studies in the field by examining teachers’ perceptions of toxic leadership behavior exhibited by their leaders in the higher education sector. The study continues by highlighting areas of toxic leadership research that are yet to be explored in academic literature and are still to be studied.

Doctors only blame the patients: a systems analysis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

PurposeThis study is conducted to understand an emerging public health problem in the garb of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) that affects about 6–21% of women in reproductive age from a systems perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe research is conducted in two phases. In phase 1, 15 women suffering from PCOS were interviewed to generate a knowledge map using an interpretive phenomenological research approach. The emerging themes were divided into four categories, namely individual, familial, societal, organizational, medical and systemic. In phase 2, five workshops were conducted with six invited actors to generate a causal loop diagram (CLD) of PCOS. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) are used in this study.FindingsA CLD from an individual's perspective with implications on organizational, societal and system levels.Research limitations/implicationsAwareness of “lifestyle diseases” is increasing, and this research shall help future studies put PCOS in the larger psychosocial context. The geographical location of respondents can be a limitation, as the causal linkages could only be true for the research site.Practical implicationsThe CLD provides a comprehensive understanding of complex emerging phenomenon of PCOS.Social implicationsThe paper draws attention to factors such as frequently changing doctors, withdrawal from work, medication fatigue, inclination to adopt due to infertility, etc.Originality/valueThis is the first such paper laying out the causal relationships between factors at the individual levels and connecting them to societal, organizational and system levels. This mapping can be useful for policymakers and industry leaders to empathize with PCOS sufferers so that their working conditions can be managed better.

Decoding South African lecturers’ frustrations with neoliberal governance approaches

Corporate norms and values, characterised by an enterprise ethos, became the new parameters that defined the academic environment. Academics are increasingly becoming concerned about the commodification of higher education and its impact on academic quality and the standards of quality graduates. The voices of South African academics and their experiences within the neoliberal university governance remain underexplored in the current literature. This study aimed to enhance understanding and contribute to knowledge by exploring lecturers’ experiences within a corporatised academic work environment. This study took place across public and private higher education institutions in South Africa. A cross-sectional, qualitative, interpretative phenomenological research design was employed. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of 20 lecturers. The data analysis followed the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings of the study identified three key areas that triggered feelings of frustration with management: (1) participants experienced a lack of management’s understanding of governing academic work environments, (2) an erosion of their collegial culture, and (3) a lack of transparent communication.Contribution: A key contribution of this study, which set it apart from other studies, was lecturers’ perceptions that their professional identity, collegiality, autonomy, and academic freedom were in crisis.

Effectiveness of Environmental Leadership Indicators Based on Local Wisdom in Development Horticultural Agriculture in Ngada - Indonesia

This research delves into the pivotal role of farmer groups in driving the development of horticultural agriculture in Ngada Regency, Flores, Indonesia, under the leadership of their respective group chairmen who adopt an environmental leadership approach rooted in local wisdom, recognizing its significance in fostering effective agricultural development. Employing an interpretive phenomenological qualitative research approach, the study unravels the intricate dynamics of environmental leadership by delving into the lived experiences and perceptions of participants. Data collection involves diverse methods including observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions (FGD) within horticultural farmer groups, highlighting nuances of their organizational structure and practices. Findings elucidate a spectrum of indicators emblematic of effective environmental leadership within the context of agricultural development, such as possessing an ecological vision, adeptness in motivating others, exemplifying leadership through personal conduct, effective communication skills, and a steadfast commitment to goal attainment, underscoring the interconnectedness between local wisdom, ecological stewardship, and leadership efficacy.

Giving voice by doing with not doing through: Collaborating with tactile sign language interpreters in interpretative phenomenological analysis research involving older deafblind people

There is a dearth of qualitative research into deafblind people’s experiences, impoverishing our understanding of the phenomenon and contributing to deafblind people’s social exclusion. As an approach which seeks to amplify the perspectives of participants from so called ‘vulnerable groups’, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) appears ideally suited to qualitative research exploring the experiences of the deafblind population. However, one strategy for facilitating the inclusion of deafblind people in qualitative research is the involvement of tactile sign language interpreters, and some have argued that phenomenological methods, such as IPA, be avoided where interpreters are involved. Nevertheless, those promoting IPA encourage flexibility and creativity in its use. Using the example of a UK based study exploring vulnerability among older deafblind people, this paper illustrates how tactile sign language interpreters were involved in IPA research. The criteria for evaluating the management of interpreters in qualitative research devised by Squires are used to frame critical reflection on the necessary adaptation of IPA, and the authors contend that IPA study involving tactile sign language interpreters can successfully give voice to older deafblind people when careful attention is paid to the interpreters’ credentials, role, and positionality, and it is acknowledged that IPA research is completed with not through the interpreters.

Child-centred approach to shared parenting: Children’s experiences of bird’s nest parenting arrangements

While shared parenting is considered the best model for meeting children’s needs, we still lack knowledge about the impact of different custody arrangements on child well-being, including potential effects on children’s health and stability of a lifestyle that involves travelling between households. Employing an interpretive phenomenological research design and the ‘responsibility to needs’ approach, this study explored children’s experiences in a bird’s nest parenting (hereafter, nesting) arrangement, where children reside permanently in one home with both parents rotating. A 2022 qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with seven children from four nesting families. The findings revealed how nesting eases the transition to separated family life by preserving the lifestyle to which children are accustomed. Children emphasised both the emotional and practical benefits of nesting, linking physical stability to emotional well-being. Nesting made children feel independent and autonomous as they enjoyed managing their time according to their own needs. The opportunity to grow up as a family with siblings at a permanent home was greatly valued. While a positive relationship between parents was considered helpful, the findings indicate that nesting can be feasible even in cases of parental tension. The children’s experiences indicated that their parents’ overall satisfaction with the arrangement was more crucial to successful nesting.

Description of Nomophobia Among College Students: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Nomophobia is a situational phobia evoked by unavailability of smart phone or the thought of the possibility of not having it, not being able to use it and losing it. Currently used instruments for assessment of severity of nomophobia offers challenges of administration and have limited applicability in the Indian setting. Therefore, this study was aimed to depict and understand the lived experience of college students with nomophobia and making sense of it. This interpretative phenomenological analysis research design study was carried out on 17 undergraduate students belonging to different academic streams including Science, Social science and Commerce from the three study sites situated in different locations of India. An in-depth interview guide was prepared. The students who scored more than 90 on nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q Questionnaire) were included in the study. The data was recorded in audio and video format, it was transcribed, and translated from Hindi to English language. Coding was done and the theme were extracted. The findings identified six superordinate themes: Digital Obsession, Digital Compulsion, Approval Motivation, Digital Intensement, Digital Well-being and Insight. The lived experiences of the students with nomophobia had explicitly shown a strong inclination towards the smartphone. They also focused on some of the significant aids provided by the smartphone. Further the intensive use of the smartphone was posing major challenges to the students when they were away from it.

Including learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Voices of mainstream teachers

The global shift toward inclusive education is in pursuit of creating a more equal and just society. This has lead schools worldwide to experience an increase in the number of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering the general classroom. At the first level of contact, teachers play an important role in the implementation of inclusive education; it is therefore crucial to acknowledge their experiences. Their voices need to be heard since their experiences can contribute to doing justice to the existing policies on inclusive education. In search of teachers' subjective experiences, we framed this interpretive qualitative phenomenological research study in a social constructivist paradigm. Participants were purposefully selected from an international school in Cape Town, South Africa. We collected data through an online open-ended questionnaire, followed by an in-person focus group discussion at the school. The findings indicated that while teachers are in favour of inclusion, they experience many challenges that result in a policy-implementation gap.

Exemplar or facilitator: An exploration of the lived experience of nurse mentors supporting the adaptation of internationally educated nurses.

Deficits in nursing workforces have led to major increases in overseas recruitment in many countries. Internationally educated nurses recruited within Ireland must complete an adaptation programme before they can practice nursing, a process contingent on the support from nurse mentors. However, it is becoming progressively difficult to identify nurses willing to act as mentors, threatening viability of overseas nurse recruitment. This research set out to address this problem by exploring the lived experiences of nurse mentors during the adaptation programme. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research design was utilised to explore the experiences of nurse mentors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a maximum variance sample of 11 nurse mentors. The data were subjected to an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) sequential analytical approach yielding integrative themes. The lived experiences of participants coalesced into three conceptual themes, mentor identity, sustainability, and learner socialisation. Participants who self-identified as 'mentor exemplars' expressed more negative perceptions of the role when compared with nurses who positioned themselves as 'mentor facilitators'. Nurse mentors were challenged by the complexities of intercultural dissonance and insufficient time and training for their mentoring role because of the pressures of clinical service. Although mentorship is essential for the integration of internationally educated nurses, the sustainability of the mentorship role is contingent on how it is supported through training and protected within busy clinical environments. Critically, nurse mentors need to learn how to conceptualise their role as one of facilitating the development of others rather than presenting themselves as exemplary role models.

Providing a voice to the experience of bereavement support at Mexican workplaces

Literature on grief in the workplace is mainly represented in the last three decades and is predominantly western focused. An interpretative phenomenological research study was conducted using criterion sampling to recruit nine participants working full time in Mexican organizations who had a death loss of a close family member in 2018, 2019, 2020, or the first six months of 2021. Participants were interviewed to explore the types of practices offered from their workplace and the implications of those practices, and the felt experience as they made meaning through narrative and visual representation. Results revealed inconsistencies in organizations related to bereavement practices, such as organizations inconsistent communication of bereavement, providing time off, providing flexible bereavement support, and providing financial support for employees exists in the Mexican workplace. The implications of such practices were those of lack of organizational compassion, and insufficient flexibility around work expectations, financial support, and psychological support.

Unsheltered Rainbows: Meaning of Home among Homeless and Runaway Sexual Minority

Home is a warm refuge for many individuals; however, some were not gifted and became unsheltered. Various sociopolitical factors include multiple layers of oppression, mental health, and unsatisfactory relationship scaffold rootlessness. The study aimed to explore the meanings of home among seven gay homeless and runaways. They were recruited through homogenous purposive and snowball sampling. It charted the track of interpretative phenomenological qualitative research and employed photovoice, a visual methodology. Participants were 18 and above self-identified gay men who had experienced youth homelessness for over a year. Framework analysis and triangulation were employed for the interpretation and validation. For the results, the cohort’s meanings of home are forming a non-normative family (nourishing emotional connection with significant non-relatives and achievement of heteronormative goal), characteristics of a home (physical qualities and experiential qualities), positive and emotional environment, emblem of achievement, and genuine parental acceptance. Findings suggest that birth-home and homelessness experiences contribute to conceptualizing and characterizing home as a physical structure and experience. Thus, diversity and inclusivity are social issues that need to be highlighted.

CHRISTIANS’ TOLERANCE OF MUSLIMS’ RELIGIOUS SOUNDS IN TANA TORAJA

<p align="center"><em>Despite extensive research on religious tolerance, there is little empirical research on the sensitive issue of sacred sound, particularly in minority Muslim areas. This issue emerged in Indonesia </em><em>following the Minister of Religious Affairs' policy to regulate loudspeakers from mosques, which were seen as potentially causing intolerance. Religious tolerance remains well established in Muslim-</em><em>minority areas such as Tana Toraja, even though mosques are allowed to sound freely. The present research explores the traces of Christian tolerance to the sound of mosques heard by minority </em><em>Muslims. This qualitative study applied an interpretive phenomenological research design with </em><em>religious leaders, academics, students, and Christian community members as data sources. Garret Keizer's noise theory and Robert Hayden's concept of tolerance categorisation were used to analyse the data. The research results indicated tolerance between religious communities as the mosque sound was accepted as a natural-cultural sound rather than a theological sound. Therefore, intolerance potential arises from the sociological rather than theological dimension. This study suggests that religious tolerance should be shaped by a professional understanding of one's faith and an appropriate response to the religious practices of others. External factors such as social, economic, and political issues, often framed as religious issues, are at the root of religious intolerance. In order to counter the risk of intolerance, a systematic and continuous socialisation of a moderate understanding of all elements of the religious communities is required.</em></p>

Enhancing academic staff retention in an open distance e-Learning higher education institution in South Africa

This paper reports on a Human Resource risk management conceptual framework for enhancing academic staff retention in an open-distance e-learning higher education institution in South Africa. The study utilised an interpretative phenomenological analysis research design. Data were collected from academics by means of semi-structured individual interviews and focus group interviews guided by an interview schedule. Three superordinate themes emerged from the data analysis, namely: determinants of academic staff retention; human resource risk assessment; and human resource risk management. The findings of this study resulted in the development of a conceptual framework that has practical utility for promoting academic staff retention in an open-distance e-learning higher education institution. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and it's promoting and hindering factors underpin the study and enabled the development of the Human Resource risk management conceptual framework. The identified risk factors are intrinsically and extrinsically instrumental in influencing and determining academics’ decisions to leave or remain at their respective open-distance e-learning higher education institutions as their place of employment.

Psychological and sexual problems of cancer survivors.

To explore: 1) the unmet needs of breast cancer patients; 2) the sexual needs experienced by breast cancer survivors; 3) the experiences of cancer patients at the time of relapse, including the biopsychosocial- spiritual aspects of their experiences. Interpretative phenomenological qualitative research by conducting direct in-depth interviews with participants who met the inclusion criteria. Sample analyzed were breast cancer survivors who had experiences related to unmet needs (14 participants) or sexual problems (12 participants); adult cancer patients who experienced recurrences (10 participants). Themes identified for breast cancer patients with unmet needs were i) overcoming health problems in breast cancer survivors; ii) need to access the best health services; iii) women's unmet information needs concerning cancer treatment. For breast cancer survivors: i) information is needed to overcome sexual problems, ii) family support is needed to get sexual information, and iii) health care facilities need to provide sexual information. For patients experiencing recurrences: i) the reaction that occurs when receiving bad news; ii) efforts made during a relapse, iii) self-concept during a relapse. Health-related problems of breast cancer survivors, such as fatigue and fear of cancer recurrence, can lead them to have trouble with social relationships, question their spirituality, and struggle with sex and sexuality. Oncology nurses and other professionals need to be aware of the unmet needs of breast cancer survivors, especially in relation to resolving the sexuality issues of cancer survivors. Understanding of the experiences of patients with relapse of different types of cancer should be improved.

Understanding sexual health concerns among adolescents and young adults with differences of sex development: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Purpose Differences of sex development (DSD) are congenital conditions that involve variations in individuals’ sex chromosomes, genes, external and/or internal genitalia, hormones, and/or secondary sex characteristics. This study sought to elucidate the experiences of adolescents and young adults living with DSD by focusing on their experiences of intimacy and sexual health. Methods An interpretative phenomenological research design was adopted. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 Norwegian adolescents and young adults aged 16–26 years who had five different DSD conditions. The interview findings were analysed by means of a reflexive thematic analysis. Results The participants reported feeling different, both in terms of how their body functioned and how their body looked. Lack of knowledge increased this feeling of differentness. Moreover, lack of everyday language with which to talk about intimacy and sexual concerns resulted in the participants feeling stigma. Anticipating stigmatization and lacking everyday language complicated the participants’ communication regarding their DSD and sexual health. Conclusions The sexual experiences of adolescents and young adults with DSD are diverse. Fear of stigmatization and lack of everyday language complicate communication with healthcare professionals and others. Understanding their unique needs is crucial to helping individuals achieve good sexual health.

Exploring the path to pathos "Lived experiences of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder": An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require lifetime support by the family, thus posing a great amount of stress among parents. Understanding lived experiences of parents who provide lifelong support will guide in planning effective treatment for children with ASD. In view of this, the study was aimed to depict and understand the lived experiences of parents of children with ASD and making sense of it. This interpretative phenomenological analysis research design was carried out on 15 parents of children with ASD coming to the tertiary care referral hospital of eastern zone of India. In-depth interviews were conducted to understand the lived experiences of parents. The current study identified six themes: major symptom recognition; myths, beliefs, and stigma related to children with ASD; help seeking behavior; coping with challenging experiences; support system; uncertainties, insecurities, and gleam of hope. Lived experiences were found to be predominantly difficult for most of the parents of children with ASD, and inadequate services pose a major challenge to them. The findings highlight the need for involving the parents in the treatment programs as early as possible or extending appropriate support to the family.