Ethnography: Inductive Approach

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Ethnography

Ethnography is rooted firmly in the inductive approach. It emanates from the field of anthropology. The purpose is to describe and explain the social world the research subjects inhabit in the way in which they would describe and explain it. This is obviously a research strategy that is very time consuming and takes place over an extended time period as the researcher needs to immerse herself or himself in the social world being researched as completely as possible. The research process needs to be flexible and responsive to change since the researcher will constantly be developing new patterns of thought about what is being observed. Ethnographic strategy is naturalistic. This means that in adopting an ethnographic strategy, you will be researching the phenomenon within the context in which it occurs and, in addition, …show more content…

Given this, it is not surprising that most ethnographic strategies involve extended participant observation. However, you need to be mindful that the term naturalism also has a contradictory meaning that is often associated with positivism. Within this context it refers to the use of the principles of scientific method and the use of a scientific model within research. Although not a dominant research strategy in business, ethnography may be very appropriate if you wish to gain insights about a particular context and better understand and interpret it from the perspective(s) of those involved. However, there are a number of issues that you need to consider. Prior to commencing research using this strategy, you will need to find a setting or group that will enable you to answer your research question and meet your research objectives and then negotiate full access. Subsequently you will need to build a high degree of trust with your research participants and, finally, develop strategies to cope with being both a full-time member of the social context in which your research is set as well as undertaking the research ( Saunders,

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