Qualitative research in management: addressing complexity, context and persona

Purpose – To contribute to improved research practices by addressing three key realities in management research, all being largely disregarded by research: complexity, context and persona (the human and social aspects of researcher behaviour). Design/methodology/approach – Based on observations from real world cases and inductive analysis the article proceeds as a scientific discourse and advocacy for qualitative methodology combined with network theory, particularly current developments in the natural sciences. Findings – A qualitative approach to research is required, allowing researchers to deal with complexity, context and persona and their multitude of factors, relationships and fuzzy phenomena; conventional statistical methods fail in all these aspects. Holistic, systemic thinking as manifested in case study research and modern network theory offers a superior mindset and techniques for merging modern physics and mathematics with qualitative approaches. Social and human properties, including tacit knowledge, common sense, subjectivity and what drives a researcher need to be made part of research. Research limitations/implications – Research in management disciplines, neither basic research nor applied research can rely on mainstream quantitative techniques. These are two shallow as they can harbour too few variables, do not put studied phenomena in their proper context, and sweep persona under the carpet. Originality/value – The article is on qualitative methodology and the opportunities it offers to address issues not handled well by mainstream research in business. Modern natural sciences are introduced; especially network theory, suggesting a merger between the quantitative and the qualitative and between modern natural sciences and business research. In this way the reality of complexity, context and persona can be added to the research agenda.