scholarly journals The affective quality of sound: repositioning the listener

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Fiona Josephine Macdonald
Keyword(s):  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Affective Quality ◽  
Research Findings

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibilities of performative research practices in the dissemination of social science research. The paper introduces the benefits of these practices and demonstrates the relational benefits of sound. The paper explores the possibility that sound may be used to reposition the listener to a new way of hearing. Design/methodology/approach This research emerged from a larger research project investigating the silent racism that was evident in an inclusive education program. A constructivist narrative approach was adopted to investigate the benefits of sharing the sensorial qualities of participant responses as an aural excerpt. The aim here is to reposition the listener from their own cultural value systems to being open to new understandings. Findings The paper highlights the relationship between the storyteller and the listener. Sharing a young man’s personal experience of racism enabled the visceral and affective quality of his deeply personal experience to be conveyed to the listener. Research limitations/implications This paper reports on the experiences of one participant. It is not designed to represent the experiences of all young people with African heritage, but rather to present the possibilities of using sound in the dissemination of research findings. Originality/value The methodological approach of this paper offers a unique and valuable contribution to the growing interest in new avenues to disseminate research findings, particularly those that convey the deeply personal experience of participants.

Navigeren in het onderzoeksveld en het onderzoekersveld: reflecties op onderzoekspositionaliteit in (vermeend) insideronderzoek

KWALON ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Jing Hiah
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Insider Research ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract Navigating the research and researchers’ field: Reflections on positionality in (assumed) insider research To challenge rigid ideas about objectivity in social science research, qualitative researchers question their own subjectivity in the research process. In such endeavors, the focus is mainly on the positionality of the researcher vis-à-vis their respondents in the research field. In this contribution, I argue that the positionality of the researcher in academia, what I refer to as the researchers’ field, is equally important as it influences the way research findings are received and evaluated. Through reflections on positionality in my insider research concerning labour relations and exploitation in Chinese migrant businesses in the Netherlands and Romania, I explore how my positionality as an insider negatively influenced my credibility and approachability in the researchers’ field. I conclude that it is necessary to pay more attention to researchers’ positionality in academia as it may shed light on and make it possible to discuss the written and unwritten standards of researchers’ credibility and approachability as an academic in the researchers’ field. Accordingly, this could provide insights into the causes of inequalities in academia and contribute to the current challenge for more diversity in academia.

scholarly journals Interpreting and presenting marginalized voices through intersubjective accounts

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Power Relations ◽  
Postcolonial Theory ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Community Empowerment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Doctoral Research ◽  
Unique Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a unique approach to accessing, interpreting, and presenting issues concerning the lives of social science research participants. It particularly focuses on accessing those considered to be economically, socially, or politically marginalized and where there is reliance upon intersubjective accounts in two languages. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual and empirical material referred to in this paper is drawn from the author’s doctoral research of a Fair Trade case study in Malawi. The approach presented is influenced by concepts derived from postcolonial theory, grounded theory, and intersubjectivity. Findings – For the community empowerment research focus it was important to provide space to capture voices of all participants, accounting for the hierarchical socio-political context in which people were embedded. This required the use of interpreters, introducing challenges related to intersubjectivity such as recognizing and accounting for positionalities and impressions of multiple parties collaborating in the process of collecting and interpreting qualitative research material. Practical implications – Investing in trained and engaged interpreters, using pilot interviews, including participants’ data in the field research design process, and capturing marginalized voices helps a researcher to mitigate challenges related to bias and power relations. Originality/value – Recognizing inherent shortcomings related to interpreter-facilitated research and power relations, the framework presented provides a reflective and practical methodological approach for qualitative researchers.

scholarly journals Data policies of highly-ranked social science journals

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercè Crosas ◽  
Julian Gautier ◽  
Sebastian Karcher ◽  
Dessi Kirilova ◽  
Gerard Otalora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Journal Ranking ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Data Policy ◽  
Economics Journals

By encouraging and requiring that authors share their data in order to publish articles, scholarly journals have become an important actor in the movement to improve the openness of data and the reproducibility of research. But how many social science journals encourage or mandate that authors share the data supporting their research findings? How does the share of journal data policies vary by discipline? What influences these journals’ decisions to adopt such policies and instructions? And what do those policies and instructions look like?We discuss the results of our analysis of the instructions and policies of 291 highly-ranked journals publishing social science research, where we studied the contents of journal data policies and instructions across 14 variables, such as when and how authors are asked to share their data, and what role journal ranking and age play in the existence and quality of data policies and instructions. We also compare our results to the results of other studies that have analyzed the policies of social science journals, although differences in the journals chosen and how each study defines what constitutes a data policy limit this comparison.We conclude that a little more than half of the journals in our study have data policies. A greater share of the economics journals have data policies and mandate sharing, followed by political science/international relations and psychology journals.Finally, we use our findings to make several recommendations: Policies should include the terms “data,” “dataset” or more specific terms that make it clear what to make available; policies should include the benefits of data sharing; journals, publishers, and associations need to collaborate more to clarify data policies; and policies should explicitly ask for qualitative data.

Return to Meaning

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Alvesson ◽  
Yiannis Gabriel ◽  
Roland Paulsen
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
No Value ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Political Life ◽  
Cluttered Environment ◽  
Student Fees ◽  
Social Uses

This book argues that we are currently witnessing not merely a decline in the quality of social science research, but a proliferation of meaningless research of no value to society and modest value to its authors—apart from securing employment and promotion. The explosion of published outputs, at least in social science, creates a noisy, cluttered environment which makes meaningful research difficult, as different voices compete to capture the limelight even briefly. Older, but more impressive contributions are easily neglected as the premium is to write and publish, not read and learn. The result is a widespread cynicism among academics on the value of academic research, sometimes including their own. Publishing comes to be seen as a game of hits and misses, devoid of intrinsic meaning and value and of no wider social uses whatsoever. This is what the book views as the rise of nonsense in academic research, which represents a serious social problem. It undermines the very point of social science. This problem is far from ‘academic’. It affects many areas of social and political life entailing extensive waste of resources and inflated student fees as well as costs to taxpayers. The book’s second part offers a range of proposals aimed at restoring meaning at the heart of social science research, and drawing social science back, address the major problems and issues that face our societies.

Qualitative generalising in accounting research: concepts and strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1100-1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee D. Parker ◽  
Deryl Northcott
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
General Applicability ◽  
Information Systems Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Research ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Quality Of Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and articulate concepts and approaches to qualitative generalisation that will offer qualitative accounting researchers avenues for enhancing and justifying the general applicability of their research findings and conclusions. Design/methodology/approach – The study and arguments draw from multidisciplinary approaches to this issue. The analysis and theorising is based on published qualitative research literatures from the fields of education, health sciences, sociology, information systems, management and marketing, as well as accounting. Findings – The paper develops two overarching generalisation concepts for application by qualitative accounting researchers. These are built upon a number of qualitative generalisation concepts that have emerged in the multidisciplinary literatures. It also articulates strategies for enhancing the generalisability of qualitative accounting research findings. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides qualitative accounting researchers with understandings, arguments and justifications for the generalisability of their research and the related potential for wider accounting and societal contributions. It also articulates the key factors that impact on the quality of research generalisation that qualitative researchers can offer. Originality/value – This paper presents the most comprehensively sourced and developed approach to the concepts, strategies and unique deliverables of qualitative generalising hitherto available in the accounting research literature.

Anthropology, Empathy, and the Need for Social Science Communication

2021 ◽  
pp. 107554702110188
Author(s):  
Jennifer Shannon ◽  
Claire Quimby ◽  
Chip Colwell ◽  
Scott Burg
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research

This is a call to science communicators and science journalists to feature social science research and researchers in their reporting, with an emphasis on anthropology and its potential to increase public empathy, improve the quality of public discourse, and contribute to contextual and narrative news trends.

The model of HRM-trust-commitment relationships

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (8) ◽  
pp. 1457-1480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmara Lewicka ◽  
Katarzyna Krot
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Affective Commitment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Calculative Commitment ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Organisational Trust ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – It is worth focusing on the examination of factors influencing the quality of the work environment. The purpose of this paper is to verify the influence of the HRM system and organisational trust on employee commitment. Design/methodology/approach – The survey was conducted in Poland among 370 employees in organisations from two sectors of the economy: services and industry. The verification of the theoretical model was performed based on structural equation modelling. Findings – Research findings made it possible to successfully verify the model of the relationship between the HRM system (practices, process), organisational trust and commitment. The starting point for trust in an organisation followed by commitment is the HRM system. It seems that the impact of the HRM process on creating organisational trust is higher. Research findings have also confirmed a relationship between each type of organisational trust and calculative commitment based on benefits, which is a strong determinant of affective commitment. Organisational trust is, therefore, an intermediary factor because the organisation must build trust in employees first before they become affectively committed. Originality/value – Current studies have not examined the issue of a mutual relationship between three constructs: perceived HRM practices and process, organisational trust and commitment. What is more, previous research was confined to the constructs analysed holistically without considering their complexity (different types of trust and commitment). In addition, the authors attempted to enrich Allen and Mayer’s (1991) model with a new aspect of the commitment – calculative, which is linked to the benefits received by employees. The authors also identified the mediating influence of the trust and calculative commitment onto the affective commitment.

Statistical and measurement pitfalls in the use of meta-regression in meta-analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank L. Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marketing Social ◽  
Meta Regression ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Almost All

Purpose Meta-regression is widely used and misused today in meta-analyses in psychology, organizational behavior, marketing, management, and other social sciences, as an approach to the identification and calibration of moderators, with most users being unaware of serious problems in its use. The purpose of this paper is to describe nine serious methodological problems that plague applications of meta-regression. Design/methodology/approach This paper is methodological in nature and is based on well-established principles of measurement and statistics. These principles are used to illuminate the potential pitfalls in typical applications of meta-regression. Findings The analysis in this paper demonstrates that many of the nine statistical and measurement pitfalls in the use of meta-regression are nearly universal in applications in the literature, leading to the conclusion that few meta-regressions in the literature today are trustworthy. A second conclusion is that in almost all cases, hierarchical subgrouping of studies is superior to meta-regression as a method of identifying and calibrating moderators. Finally, a third conclusion is that, contrary to popular belief among researchers, the process of accurately identifying and calibrating moderators, even with the best available methods, is complex, difficult, and data demanding. Practical implications This paper provides useful guidance to meta-analytic researchers that will improve the practice of moderator identification and calibration in social science research literatures. Social implications Today, many important decisions are made on the basis of the results of meta-analyses. These include decisions in medicine, pharmacology, applied psychology, management, marketing, social policy, and other social sciences. The guidance provided in this paper will improve the quality of such decisions by improving the accuracy and trustworthiness of meta-analytic results. Originality/value This paper is original and valuable in that there is no similar listing and discussion of the pitfalls in the use of meta-regression in the literature, and there is currently a widespread lack of knowledge of these problems among meta-analytic researchers in all disciplines.

Measuring the Unmeasurable? Taking Stock of QoG Measures

2021 ◽  
pp. 92-114
Author(s):  
Nicholas Charron
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Quality Indicator ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Wide Scope ◽  
Scientific Impact ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
Future Work

This chapter discusses a wide scope of the available indicators of quality of government. It begins with a brief history of the development of the indicators and their scientific impact on social science research. The chapter posits a typology of the various ways in which indicators of governance can differ and implications of such differences. The chapter then reveals the degree to which contemporary cross-country indicators of corruption in particular correlate. Next, several well-established critiques of contemporary data are presented. The chapter concludes with several comments on what makes a good quality indicator and puts for several suggestions for future work in this ever-growing field.

Sino-Western rivalry in the COVID-19 “vaccine wars”–A race to the bottom?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilson Kia Onn Wong
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Equitable Access ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Depressed Regions

PurposeThis paper analyses the escalating Sino-Western race to develop a safe, efficacious and durable vaccine (i.e. “Goldilocks COVID-19 vaccine”). It argues that such efforts would be considerably more effective if there is greater international cooperation instead of the corrosive rivalry driven by misplaced nationalism.Design/methodology/approachThis study deploys a case-study approach, supported by literature on existing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine development efforts.FindingsDespite the seeming success of recent COVID-19 vaccines, their actual efficacy is far from certain. Moreover, access to these vaccines would not be equitable internationally. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that their unique properties make storage and distribution prohibitively expensive, and international mechanisms to provide distribution to economically depressed regions are non-existent. Given the significant difficulties, it would be incumbent upon the great powers (i.e. China and America) to work together not only in vaccine development but also in the establishment of a distribution platform to ensure equitable access worldwide.Originality/valueThis study is one of the few social science research papers on COVID-19 vaccine development and its implications for society at large.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document