Speaker: Professor Jörgen Sandberg
Title: The Art of Phenomena Construction: A Framework for Coming Up with Research Phenomena beyond ‘the Usual Suspects
Date: Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Building 21, PAP Moran, G058, Seminar Room
Samira Nazar is the host of this visitor
Abstract
Despite the centrality of research phenomena, the process of their definition is often neglected and reduced to a simple choosing of pre-established subjects of interest. However, good research not only includes empirical work aimed at more or less ‘given as fact’ phenomena. It also involves phenomena construction: that is, the process of generating and establishing phenomena to investigate and theorize. In the presentation I contend that phenomena construction is not separate from, but integral to, both the empirical and theorizing phases in research. As few phenomena are truly ‘given’ or straightforward to observe, good research calls for careful and creative construction of the phenomenon under investigation. I propose and elaborate a framework that enables researchers to generate and establish research phenomena beyond those currently available in their specific area of interest and, based on this, to produce more imaginative and impactful research.
Jörgen Sandberg is Emeritus Professor in the University of Queensland (UQ) Business School, Australia, Honorary Professor at Warwick Business School, UK, and at Macquarie University, and Co-founder of the international conference Philosophy and Organization Studies (PHILOS). He has researched extensively in the areas of competence and learning in organizations; practice, process, sensemaking theory; theory development; philosophy of science; and research methodology, published in journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Organization Behavior, Organization Theory, Organization Research Methods, Journal of Management Studies, and Harvard Business Review. His most recent books include Generating research questions. Doing interesting research, 2nd Edition (with Alvesson, Sage, 2024); Re-imagining the research process: conventional and alternative metaphors (with Alvesson, Sage, 2021) and Skillful performance: Enacting capabilities, knowledge, competence and expertise in organizations (with Rouleau, Langley and Tsoukas, Oxford University Press, 2017). He also serves on the editorial boards for Academy of Management Review, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Organization Studies.