Corporate Ethnographers: Master Puzzlers, What They Do, and Their Value to the Business Sector

Melissa Cefkin\u27s book Ethnography and the Corporate Encounter is the fifth volume in a six-volume series on studies in public and applied anthropology by Berghahn Publishing. Cefkin unearths the world of corporate ethnography by explaining how the field evolved from the larger field of anthropology. Through collecting a variety of corporate ethnography studies conducted at Intel, Microsoft, and others, Cefkin brings to life the work of corporate ethnographers as master puzzlers as she attempts to answer the questions: What are corporate ethnographers and under what conditions do they work? What value does ethnography bring to the understanding of complex business sector problems

The Relationship Between Learning Orientation And Business Performance And The Moderating Effect Of Competitive Advantage: A Service Organization Perspective

This study examines the influence of learning orientation on business performance (the achievement of sales and profit objectives) in the context of pure service. The conceptual framework used in this research has been drawn from marketing, finance, and organizational behavior theory. Specifically, relationships related to learning orientation, sources of competitive advantage, and business performance have been identified. This research develops and tests a framework about learning orientation and its consequences in an organization. Specifically, this study focused on several research questions, including: 1)Is there a relationship between learning orientation and business performance in terms of the achievement of sales and profit objectives in pure service and service-reliantorganizations?, 2) Is there a relationship between learning orientation and competitive advantage in pure service and service-reliant organizations?, and 3) Does competitive advantage moderate the relationship between learning orientation and business performance in pure service and service-reliant organizations?A survey-based research methodology is used to explore these research questions and pertinent findings reported in the light of previous studies (Martinette, 2006, Martinette and Obenchain-Leeson, 2010).The findings of this study suggested that competitive advantage moderates the relationship between learning orientation and business performance in pure service and service-reliant organizations

Relationship Between Learning Orientation And Business Performance And The Moderating Effect Of Competitive Advantage: An Accounting Services Firms Perspective

This study examines the influence of learning orientation on business performance (achievement of sales and profit objectives) in the context of pure service, specifically that of public accounting services firms. The conceptual framework used in this research has been drawn from marketing, finance, and organizational behavior theory. Specifically, relationships related to learning orientation, sources of competitive advantage, and business performance have been identified.This research tests a framework about learning orientation and its consequences in an accounting services firm. Specifically, this study focused on several research questions, including: 1) Is there a relationship between learning orientation and business performance in terms of the achievement of sales and profit objectives in an accounting services firm?, 2) Is there a relationship between learning orientation and competitive advantage in an accounting services firm?, and 3) Does competitive advantage moderate the relationship between learning orientation and business performance in an accounting services firm?A survey-based research methodology is used to explore these research questions and pertinent findings reported in previous studies (Martinette, 2006; Martinette & Obenchain-Leeson, 2010; Martinette & Obenchain-Leeson, 2012). The findings of this study suggested that as learning orientation increases in public accounting services firms, business performance scores and competitive advantage also increase. The findings of this study did not suggest that competitive advantage moderates the relationship between learning orientation and business performance in public accounting services firms

How to Enhance Qualitative Research Appraisal: Development of the Methodological Congruence Instrument

In this research report, we introduce a methodological congruence instrument (MCI) that addresses the five major qualitative research traditions. Methodological congruence is a fit between the researcher\u27s chosen methodology and his/her philosophical perspective. The chosen methodology should be aligned with the research question, data collection and sampling procedures, philosophical perspectives and seminal authors, data analysis, and findings. These elements are contained in the MCI. We share information about its inception, development, and application, and invite our research colleagues to offer critical feedback. It is our hope that qualitative researchers, editorial board members, teachers, and students find this instrument helpful and relevant to the application of qualitative research. As the qualitative research community continues to address questions of quality, the MCI may offer an additional layer of transparency that engenders scholarly discussion and furthers ethical writing, production, and publication

Ethical Issues in Appraising Qualitative Research: Identifying a Gap in the Research Process

The future of qualitative research will likely include an expansion of the edges of the research space through the enlarging and adding of methods and methodology as well as identifying and filling of gaps in the research process. When the element of ethics in research is considered, the existing literature offers a significant volume of material covering the ethical issues in research design, research methodology, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of findings. Unfortunately the current discourse on ethics in research ends with the submission of the manuscript and a massive void exists beyond that point in the research process. This presentation seeks to identify this gap, discuss the need for a framework, and create space for a discussion of ethics in appraising qualitative research. With a focus on ethics of care to all of the stakeholders in the realm of research, a wide range of questions will be offered and feedback will be solicited from session participants as this nascent conversation is formalized and this aspect of qualitative research is shored up as quality and rigor are strengthened throughout the entire research process. Including the benefits and challenges of blind reviews to open reviews, the place for the ethic of care in the appraisal process, the consideration of ethics as a constraint or a direction in evaluation, and the impact of a relational ethic in journal feedback, a gap in the research appraisal is a challenge waiting to be met as we move into the future of qualitative inquiry

Methodological Congruence: The Development of a Tool for Guidance in the Appraisal of Qualitative Research

In an ever-changing research landscape, the future of qualitative research demands a focus on researcher integrity in appraising research. From the vantage point of qualitative research appraisal, one principle stands out because it represents researcher integrity. This principle is known as methodological congruence, defined as a “fit” between research purpose, research question, methodology, data sources/types, and data analysis (Creswell, 2013). As researchers, appraisal of one’s own work begins with the ability to assess the work of others. It requires that the researcher remains true to the chosen philosophical stance and embark on a journey of critical thinking to design, conduct, and appraise, all at the same time. Additionally, it is important to teach the next wave of student scholars about best practices and rigorous qualitative methods. From a developmental perspective, novices must learn to think critically and meet issues of methodological congruence with intention and purpose (Chenail, 2011). A variety of high quality tools and instruments exist which support and guide in this appraisal process (Cooper, 2011). However, a tool that offers detailed guidance on the five main forms of methodological congruence does not yet exist. In the spirit of transparency, quality, and ethical decision-making, the intent of these researchers was to design and pilot such a tool and seek feedback from the qualitative research community. Through the design and pilot of this research tool that complements current best practices and delivers a pedagogical roadmap that is embedded in ethical intentions, we commit to a shared responsibility that reaches our colleagues, sponsors, and most importantly, the participants whose stories we share (Tracy, 2010). In this conversation the presenters will describe the process of developing the tool and encourage a reflective dialogue on how to increase practical application of this tool. We welcome your varied perspectives. References Chenail, R. (2011). Ten steps for conceptualizing and conducting qualitative research studies in a pragmatically curious manner. The Qualitative Report, 16(6):1713-1730. Creswell, R. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among the fiveapproaches (3rd ed). Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA. Cooper, R. (2011). Appraising qualitative research reports: a developmental approach. TheQualitative Report, 16(6):1731-1740. Tracy, S. (2010). Qualitative quality: eight “big tent” criteria for excellent qualitative research. Qualitative Inquiry. 16(10):837-851