Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
2012
Publication Title
Annual International Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2012, ASEM 2012 - Agile Management: Embracing Change and Uncertainty in Engineering Management
Pages
714-722
Conference Name
Annual International Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2012, ASEM 2012 - Agile Management: Embracing Change and Uncertainty in Engineering Management, 17-20 October 2012, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
Abstract
Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies have had their greatest share of debates dating back to the 1970s. Researchers have long argued over the underlying philosophical features between the two methodologies and their ability to derive knowledge (Onwuegbuzie & Leech, 2005, Sale, Lohfeld, & Brazil, 2002; Powell, Mihalas, Onwuegbuzie, Suldo and Daley, 2008; Sechrest and Sidani, 1995). More recently, modern researchers have argued that the integration of quantitative and qualitative methods into a single methodology (known simply as mixed methods research) allows researchers to answer questions otherwise unobtainable (Carey, 1993). The emergence of mixed methods research has gained increasing popularities in the late 20th century and has been adopted by researchers throughout many disciplines. Instead of revisiting the never-ending quantitative and qualitative debates, this paper aims at assessing the philosophical foundations that govern different research methodologies. More specifically, this paper will look at how knowledge, through the underlying philosophy, can be perceived from different positions within the foundations of ontology, epistemology, and the modes of reasoning.
Rights
Copyright © 2012
Reprinted with permission of the American Society for Engineering Management. International Annual Conference. All rights reserved.
ORCID
0000-0003-0144-9099 (Sousa-Poza)
Original Publication Citation
Siangchokyoo, N., & Sousa-Poza, A. (2012). Research methodologies: A look at the underlying philosophical foundations of research. In Annual International Conference of the American Society for Engineering Management 2012, ASEM 2012 - Agile Management: Embracing Change and Uncertainty in Engineering Management (pp. 714-722). American Society for Engineering Management.
Repository Citation
Siangchokyoo, Nathapon and Sousa-Poza, Andres, "Research Methodologies: A Look at the Underlying Philosophical Foundations of Research" (2012). Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications. 246.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/emse_fac_pubs/246