A Critical Look At Organizational Studies Based on Positivist Epistemology

Abstract

The relationship between the data obtained by the researcher and the theories has been discussed by philosophers for many years. According to Arthur Conan Doyle, creating a theory without having data is a big mistake. Besides, people start collecting data without a specific theoretical basis, and this is also a big mistake. Indeed, the philosophical foundations of research are of great importance in the design and evaluation of organizational studies. Every study, whether natural science or social science research, is built on these philosophical foundations, known as ontological and epistemological assumptions. Ontology refers to the researcher's assumptions about the nature of reality. Epistemology refers to the assumptions made about the nature of knowledge and the ways of acquiring knowledge. In other words, it involves the assumptions we make about how we know what we know. Organizational studies are within the scope of social sciences. Thus, in this study, epistemological assumptions will be discussed within the framework of social sciences. In fact, epistemology has formed the basis of ongoing discussions in the social science community about the design of research and how to obtain accurate information. Advocates of positivism and social constructivism, two opposing assumptions, have to some extent stereotyped researchers on the opposite side. In this study, positivism, one of the main epistemological approaches that forms the basis of the patterns of organizational studies within the scope of social sciences, will be critically discussed.