scholarly journals Engaging young people through photovoice in coastal resorts

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Tickle
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Social Worlds ◽  
Research Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Meaningful Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine and reflect upon the value of using a camera with young people in the research process. In particular, the paper discusses the opportunities that a camera can bring when researching young people’s lives, subsequently encouraging the use of photovoice with young people in ethnographic research. Design/methodology/approach The paper examines how photovoice can be a beneficial method of data collection when researching young people’s lives. By adopting a qualitative participatory approach, and employing photovoice as one of the main methods, rich and meaningful data were gathered that traditional qualitative methods alone would not have captured. Findings Photovoice was used alongside traditional methods to explore how young people experienced and perceived policing, safety and security in a coastal resort. Using a camera, captured rich images which alongside the narratives given by the young people, provided profound and detailed accounts. Originality/value Using innovative participatory qualitative research methods with young people and adapting to the research setting allowed for deep and meaningful explorations of young people’s lives to be gathered. Carefully considering the use of appropriate methods of data collection and selecting methods that are “fun” and “interesting” empowered young people and provided the researcher with an insight into their social worlds.

Emotional landscapes; discomfort in the field

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Levy
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Social Worlds ◽  
Research Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
High Level ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a researcher’s emotions in the field. It argues that a researcher’s emotional responses can lead to insights into certain aspects of participants’ emotional and social worlds, while simultaneously obscuring certain lines of inquiry and limiting data collection. On this basis, the author calls for researchers to maintain a high level of awareness and reflexivity while working with strong emotions in the field. This, the author argues, allows a researcher to remain open to new understandings and address any limitations skilfully and transparently. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on feminist theory and emerging scholarship pertaining to fieldwork and emotions, this paper examines the methodological dilemmas the author faced in relation to the own subjectivity while carrying out field-work at radical ecovillage in the USA. It analyses sections of the reflexive diary and explores the insights the author gained by remaining aware and reflexive while in the field. Findings – The author demonstrates how feelings of unease, alienation and entrapment prompted to explore new lines of inquiry and, in turn, consider certain emotion rules and ideologies present in the research setting. The author also speculates about the ways such feelings impacted the data collection by obscuring certain phenomena in the field. Research limitations/implications – The author makes a number of practical suggestions about how researchers can work skilfully with emotions in the field. In addition, the author proposes that by remaining mindful of one’s emotional responses valuable lines of questioning and themes may emerge for consideration. Originality/value – This paper contributes to emerging scholarship on the importance of examining a researcher’s experiences and reactions to a research setting in conjunction with other data. It offers a practical example of how this approach can elicit insight into the lives of participants.

Reflections of a feminist organizational ethnographer: considering the subject matter and the research setting

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Ryan
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
Research Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Military ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reflexively reconsider the effects of the author’s pre-understandings, both academic and non-academic, on the subject matter and the research setting. The unforeseen implications of this disjuncture on our research practice and the expected deliverables are discussed.Design/methodology/approachThe paper engages in a critical, self-reflexive dialogue of a journey through a stimulating yet, uncomfortable piece of feminist, organizational ethnographic research drawing on the insights from the author's research diary.FindingsThe account presented in this paper describes the problematic nature of undertaking a collaborative, reciprocal research project in the distinctive and foreign cultural landscape of the military. The author shows the importance of delving into matters of positionality and preparedness for what might emerge, as a form of closure.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insights into the importance of sponsors to access “the field” and our obligation as researchers to produce written deliverables.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the emerging literature on the significance of reflexivity in feminist inspired organizational ethnographies in highly gendered settings such as the military.

Attractiveness of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usha Ajithkumar ◽  
Matthias Pilz
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Vocational Training ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Technical Education ◽  
Industrial Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Educational Pathways ◽  
Career Option ◽  
Over Time

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to conduct the study in two states of India to covers the perception of students and their parents about the attractiveness of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in India.Design/methodology/approachThree ITIs were selected each from the states Maharashtra and Haryana for data collection. Students pursuing trade fitter, electrical and beauty courses and their parents were selected. The instrument used to collect the data from students and parents was interviews with students and families.FindingsThe results show that the attractiveness of ITIs has shifted over time. The low status associated with these institutions is slowly fading away. The skills acquired at an ITI can provide the basis of successful careers. Once considered a last resort, today it is being considered as a possible career option. However, ITIs have yet to develop a better image and higher attractiveness within society for it to become an interesting option for young people and their parents when choosing educational pathways.Originality/valueSome implications of this study are presented as suggestions in formulating policies to improve the image of technical education and vocational training.

Exploring the complexities of validity claims in action research

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter McInnes ◽  
Paul Hibbert ◽  
Nic Beech
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Language Games ◽  
Research Setting ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Validity Claims ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe paper aims to explore the problematics of validity that are inherent to the conduct of an action research project because of the disparate language games of both practitioners and academics.Design/methodology/approachAn exploration is offered of the tensions between different understandings of a research setting at different stages of the research process.FindingsIn each phase of the research there are a number of tensions between different epistemological assumptions about the “reality” of the research setting. Validity is not, therefore, about capturing a singular objective picture of the organisation, but rather it is produced through the negotiation of a temporary intersection of language games.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper provides a framework for understanding the role of the researcher in the research process and the issues underlying validity claims made from different epistemological positions.Practical implicationsThe paper provides insights in to the mechanisms through which practitioners and academics come to understand each other and the limitations of this knowledge.Originality/valueThe article raises awareness of the different normative assumptions at play within a variety of action research contexts.

Reflexivity and the clinician-researcher: managing participant misconceptions

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy J Hiller ◽  
Danya F Vears
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Professional Background ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethics Support ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – It is increasingly common for health care clinicians to undertake qualitative research investigating an aspect of their own profession. Although the additional knowledge and perspective of a clinician might benefit the research, the professional background of the clinician-researcher can be a precipitator for confusion, similar to the therapeutic misconception occurring in quantitative clinical trials research. A significant challenge for the clinician-researcher is managing the misconceptions of participants and others about their role in the research process. The purpose of this paper is to outline these misconceptions and provide insight into how they might be avoided and managed through awareness and reflexivity. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper the authors draw on their experiences as clinician-researchers and memo writing data from their respective qualitative research projects to discuss participant misconceptions. Theories of reflexivity and ethics support the discussion. Findings – Potential misconceptions from participants include feeling obliged to participate, expecting to receive clinical care or feedback and believing they are being judged. This paper promotes reflexivity as a tool to pre-empt, prevent and manage participant misconceptions resulting from misunderstandings about the role of the clinician-researcher. Originality/value – Alerting clinician-researchers to potential misconceptions and providing examples of reflexive thinking in practice can assist researchers to increase the rigor of their qualitative research.

scholarly journals Ethnographic research with young people: methods and rapport

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Tickle
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Participatory Methods ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Youth Research ◽  
Rapport Building ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper accounts for, and reflects upon, the research design and the methodological approach adopted in ethnographic research with young people. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to reinforce the significance of conducting qualitative participatory and innovative methods with young people, alongside the value of rapport building. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative participatory methods are understood as the most appropriate way to empower and respect young people in the research process. Alongside such methods the ethnographic nature of the research is discussed in conveying the importance of rapport building with young people in the field. In doing so the paper examines a number of important considerations when conducting youth research. Findings The triangulation of qualitative methods was fundamental in exploring and understanding young people’s lives in each locality and allowed for deep and meaningful explorations of specific themes. The additional and complementary methods employed alongside traditional methods were particularly suited to understanding young people’s everyday lives, as complex experiences are not always conveyed through traditional methods alone. Conducting participatory methods produced narratives around safety, security and governance in public places. Originality/value Being reflexive and adapting to a research setting in order to enhance the process of building and maintaining trust with young people is the most important facet when conducting youth research. Giving careful consideration to the impact of a researcher’s presence in the field needs to be carefully navigated.

Becoming a PI: agency, persistence and some luck!

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn McAlpine ◽  
Gill Turner ◽  
Sharon Saunders ◽  
Natacha Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Principal Investigator ◽  
Narrative Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Perspective ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Cross National

Purpose This paper aims to examine the experience of gaining research independence by becoming a principal investigator (PI) – an aspiration for many post-PhD researchers about whom little is known. It provides insight into this experience by using a qualitative narrative approach to document how 60 PIs from a range of disciplines in one European and two UK universities experienced working towards and achieving this significant goal. Design/methodology/approach Within the context of a semi-structured interview, individuals drew and elaborated a map representing the emotional high and low experiences of the journey from PhD graduation to first PI grant, and completed a biographic questionnaire. Findings Regardless of the length of the journey from PhD graduation to first PI grant, more than a third noted the role that luck played in getting the grant. Luck was also perceived to have an influence in other aspects of academic work. This influence made it even more important for these individuals to sustain a belief in themselves and be agentive and persistent in managing the challenges of the journey. Originality/value The study, unusual in its cross-national perspective, and its mixed mode data collection, offers a nuanced perspective on the interaction between agency and an environment where the “randomness factor” plays a role in success. The function of luck as a support for sustained agency and resilience is explored.

scholarly journals An exploration of the emotional impact of organisational ethnography

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Stephanie Mazzetti
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Emotional Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Ethnographic Studies ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the diverse and strong emotions experienced by the researcher when conducting an ethnographic study in an organisational setting. Design/methodology/approach In this paper extracts from research diaries written over a three-year organisational ethnography study period are presented to the reader. Findings This paper provides an insight into the range of emotions that are experienced throughout the various stages of the research process from securing access, to conducting fieldwork and writing up research for publication. Research limitations/implications Although this paper focusses on organisational ethnography, comparisons are drawn with related disciplines and as such, this paper may also be of interest to those conducting ethnographic studies in other fields. Practical implications It is hoped that the sharing of emotional experiences will better prepare new organisational researchers for the emotions they may experience in the field. Originality/value There is a recognised need for more sharing of emotional experience in organisational studies. It is hoped that this paper goes some way to highlighting these emotional challenges and providing a catalyst for other researchers to do the same.

scholarly journals Integrating perspectives: proposal for the analysis of work as a multifaceted phenomenon

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato Koch Colomby ◽  
Andrea Poleto Oltramari ◽  
Maria Beatriz Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Single Source ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
The One ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the phenomenon of work from eight different and subsidiary perspectives: physiological, cultural, spiritual, ideological, economic, political, legal and psychosocial. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on an exploratory quantitative survey with a probability sample composed of 407 cases. The bibliographic review resulted from several readings about the phenomenon of work and the impacts arising from these different perspectives. Findings The analysis of the data collected confirmed that the meaning and the sense of work are multifaceted. The authors also found that work is an important source of reflection and learning in people’s life. The research instrument promoted thinking and analysis of the participants’ careers. The research process resulted in mutual and interactive learning of investigators and investigation. Research limitations/implications The data collection came from a single source: a written questionnaire. This limits the scope of the data and raises interpretative discussion concerning the contents of the answers. For future reference, the authors suggest to complement it with different techniques of data collection, associating qualitative and quantitative approaches. Practical implications The main contributions of the paper are, on the one hand, the effort of synthetizing and recording eight different categories of analysis of the multiple and possible meanings of work, which were elaborated using the available literature, and on the other hand, to understand and analyze those categories using the perception of a numerically meaningful sample of the public, coming from different backgrounds. Social implications The purpose of this paper is to propose a guideline for future studies so that they could choose with increased awareness the initial perspectives at the basis of the analyses. This study could encourage continuity and provide greater incentives on this increasingly relevant subject. Originality/value After analyzing the data, it was acknowledged that work cannot be seen from a single perspective, but it must be viewed in its multifaceted character and sense. The published material on the meanings of work usually focuses on specific professions and careers, the authors argue that this fact limits the scope of perspectives and interpretations of the phenomenon.

scholarly journals The impostor syndrome: language barriers in organizational ethnography

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Rosales
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Language Barriers ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Language ◽  
The Past ◽  
Organizational Ethnography ◽  
Impostor Syndrome

PurposeThe use of organizational ethnography has grown significantly during the past decades. While language is an important component of ethnographic research, the challenges associated with language barriers are rarely discussed in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to open up a discussion on language barriers in organizational ethnography.Design/methodology/approachThe author draws on her experience as a PhD student doing an organizational ethnography of an emergency department in a country where she initially did not speak the local language.FindingsThe paper examines the author's research process, from access negotiation to presentation of findings, illustrating the language barriers encountered doing an ethnography in parallel to learning the local language in Sweden.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper calls for awareness of the influence of the ethnographer's language skills and shows the importance of discussing this in relation to how we teach and learn ethnography, research practice and diversity in academia.Originality/valueThe paper makes three contributions to organizational ethnography. First, it contributes to the insider/outsider debate by nuancing the ethnographer's experience. Second, it answers calls for transparency by presenting a personal ethnographic account. Third, it contributes to developing the methodology by offering tips to deal with language barriers in doing ethnography abroad.

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