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“Doing Interpretive Research” - Geoff Walsham, 2006

Summary and Findings

Team 6 (Balaji & Babu)

19th Feb 2009

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Agenda Overview of “Doing Interpretive Research” paper Central message of the paper Theoretical gap that this paper is trying to bridge The Research Question How is data collected and analysed? Findings of the paper Uniqueness about this paper Lacking in this paper

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Overview of “Doing Interpretive Research”

Doing interpretive research

Carrying out fieldwork

Theory and Data Analysis

Constructing justifying a contribution

Ethical issues and tensions

Choosing a style of involvement

Gaining and maintaining access

Collecting field data

Working in different countries

Role of theory

Choosing theory

Data analysis

Justifying your approach

Constructing a contribution

Writing

Confidentiality and anonymity

Working with the organization

Reporting in the literature

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Central Message of the paper How to carry out an interpretive research (IS)

from inception to publication

Practical advice for Interpretive IS researchers onCarrying out fieldwork; Theory and data analysis; Constructing and justifying a contribution; Ethical issues and tensions.

Extension of Walsham(1995) paper - Interpretive case studies in IS research: nature and method

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Theoretical gap At that time(2006) when the author came up with this paper

there was not much information on how interpretive research should be carried out. (mostly substantive contents on research topic and only little towards research conduct and method)

What was available for new researchers was methodology in social science research (do not provide

specific material and examples directly concerned with interpretive research on IS)

Walsham’s previous paper(1995) that solely dealt with interpretive case studies (has now become old as IS has enhanced faster in the last decade )

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The Research Question What is the general procedure or steps for carrying

out a IS interpretive research? For an IS interpretive researcher :

What must be the style of involvement ? How to gain & maintain access for fieldwork ? How to collect field data ? How to do field research across countries ? How to choose a suitable theory for research and

perform data analysis ? How to construct and justify the contribution and

approach? What are the key ethical issues and tensions to be taken

care?

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How is data collected and analyzed? Data for this paper is collected and analyzed by Mr.

Geoff Walsham based on Literature Personal experiences from over two decades of own

interpretive research work Discussion with other IS researchers and students

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Findings of the paper Walsham(1995, 2006) provides a set of directives for

conducting interpretive research

Focuses on choosing a style of involvement and analyzing data as well as constructing and justifying a contribution; Also, focuses on the ethical issues in research

Sponsors for a research always expects positive projection of their organization in the research

It is important to offer advice, help and provide constructive suggestions even if the researcher is a neutral observer to the show.

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Uniqueness about this paper Development of IS interpretive research

methodology (a directive for new Interpretive researchers).

Discussion about factors like ethical issues and tensions which provides a better means of decision making for researchers in their field activity.

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What is lacking in the paper Clarity in “Role of Theory” section

Social & cultural issues encountered during the field study or research in different countries.

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Questions & Answers

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Thank you!!!