What is a paradigm
Kuhn (1970) describes it as a cluster of
beliefs, which guide researchers to decide
what should be studied and how results
should be interpreted.

What is a paradigm
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill cite research by Burrell and
Morgan (1979 cited p112) which offers four paradigms for
social sciences research, within which business research is
just one type:
 Functionalist paradigms(problem-solving and rational
approach to organizations)
 Interpretive paradigms(organizations only understood
through perceptions of people about those organizations)
 Radical humanist paradigms(organizations are social
arrangements and research is about changing them)
 Radical structuralist paradigms(organizations are a product
of structural power relations, where conflict is inherent)

These paradigms are held by the authors to be
inconsistent with each other, in other words, if you
hold one paradigm, you cannot also hold a different
one.
They therefore foster different research methods and
focus on different areas for study.

Functionalist Paradigm
For example a functionalist paradigm takes a classic
survey approach to issues, which are thought to have
objective reality.
A climate survey of employees would be an example,
made to assess something “real” how employees feel
about working in an organization, and using a
questionnaire with both quantitative and
qualitative questions to gain descriptive responses
about that “reality”.

Interpretive Paradigms
An interpretive paradigm uses a qualitative
research method such as discourse
analysis, unstructured interviews to
investigate perceptions and constructions of
reality by “actors” in organizations, i.e.
employees, managers, shareholders etc.

Radical Humanist Paradigm
A radical humanist paradigm would suggest again a
qualitative method but looks not necessarily at the
perceptions of social actors in the organization but
seeks to probe a deeper level of values and social
definitions, which underpin the organization.
A relevant method would be grounded theory, which
looks for theory through a structured method of
investigation of what is said or written (inductive) and
produces categories of idea, which can then be used
to characterize, develop or change organizations.

Radical Structuralist Paradigm
A radical structuralist paradigm may suggest a
historical analysis of power in the
organization, by developing case studies or
seeking to symbolize transactions
between actors in the organization, for
example an analysis of employee
relations over time.

Sum up
This is one attempt to pull together the ontological and epistemological debates
about conducting social science research. It is the ontological and
epistemological stance of the researcher which affect the methodology and
specific methods they choose for their research. Does this make sense to you?
We are talking about how you think about the world and the stuff you find in it; for
example whether you believe in objective truth, or whether you find all things
subjective. What kind of status business organizations have, and the policies
and plans and structures and cultures they develop.
As researchers we have to develop a clear sense of how we understand the world so
that we don’t make the mistake of thinking everyone else thinks about it the
same way.
We have to learn to be as objective as possible, to recognize when our assumptions
and philosophies may cloud our thinking and try to dispel them for the
purposes of research.

Reference
Greener, S., & Martelli, J. (2018). An introduction to
business research methods.