Knowledge Creation in Management - Essay Example

Knowledge Creation Week 7 Discussion Question Word Count: 1280. Is knowledge creation in management research American-centred and dominated by positivist/quantitative tradition? If knowledge creation is defined as being research findings which are published in the highest ranking academic journals then the answer is yes, it is American centred. It is also, according to the same definition subject to being from the positivist/quantitative view point. But does that necessarily mean that it is of the most value in a global way? There are three authors, all British, but now working in American business schools, who say that they disapprove of the way in which the sociological facets of management research have apparently been lost i.e. to do with how the powers and privileges of society, as well as within the companies themselves, are affected by large organizations . These three, Clegg, Hinings and Greenwood feel that this sociological perspective is required in order that companies can find for themselves the most suitable ways to solve their problems, ways that are both efficient an defective. . Clegg in 2002 ( p 430) drew a parallel with the planning of the Holocaust in World War II. He describes an organization then which worked at optimum efficiency, and achieved its aims effectively, but as far as moral values and ethics were concerned was totally abhorrent. He also stresses that researchers seeking both funding and access to organisations, must focus their research on real problems faced by the businesses concerned. ( page 436) Grey (2010, p 686) and Clegg (2002, 434) point out how between Europe and America there are differences in the way universities operate with Europeans generally being more open to alternative points of view. Grey talks about the ways in which systems of ranking make the positivist/functionalist viewpoint dominant in North American academic circles. He concludes that this ranking system enables the American universities and the academic journals from that part of the world to prevail when it comes to proving the knowledge creation agenda which therefore tends to fit in with their preference for the positivist/functionalist trend. However there is an increase globally of competition between rival business schools , and a trend towards American ideas to the detriment of academic innovation ( Grey 20110, page 690) Knowledge creation cannot be allowed to remain as the select domain of an elite group of American scholars and those academic journals which are overly concerned with their own rankings. There are other ways to create knowledge as our DBA programme reveals when it shows how Critical Action Learning when used by scholars who are also practitioners will also generate knowledge. Whether or not it then goes on to publication in a high ranking American journal, it can still be used within our own organisations to bring about innovation. Pratt in 2008 ( p 485)) discussed the tensions associated with the publication of findings from qualitative research in top ranked American academic journals. He pointed out three main areas of contention:- 1.     While such research results should if possible be based upon existing theories, at the same time they need to provide new ideas on the topic. 2.    The researchers must provide information and interpret their data in ways which are balanced.    3. There is a need to describe methods in detail, butt there are constraints upon this from the ‘word limit’ placed upon them by the publication concerned. Pratt ( 2008 p 491) goes on to show why research that is qualitative rather than quantitative may have difficulty in being accepted for publication in the elite journals.. He gives a number of reasons for this including a scarcity of editors and reviewers who have been trained to use methods of qualitative research. He points out too that such journals prefer text which they can reuse in similar contexts without making more than minimal changes. Thirdly he mentions the lack of easily comparable standards with America.. His views were confirmed by by Easterby-Smith et al (2008, p 427) who adds the point that business schools must place more stress on giving their students training which includes elements of qualitative research and says that they need to offer their staff as mentors in order to provide experience. and offer mentoring in order to achieve experience. I believe these are valid suggestions which should be followed if the dominance of the American based positivist viewpoint is to be overcome. What is the importance of ethics in research? Can it enable reciprocity in research? Ethics are important in society in general, in individuals, and in the workplace as well as in research, otherwise there would be chaos. Most of us would prefer to live in a society with high levels of morality, but this will depend upon the high moral standards of those who make up that society, whether the relatively small group who make up a company, or in the wider world. Bell and Bryman (2007) describe how ethics with the setting of research settings can be defined as well as achieved. They also discuss why such ethical practices are required. . The authors were able to conduct research into the ethical codes used by various organisations. They were able to investigate the ways in which the contents as well as how these ethical were expressed showed how various issues were being addressed. They pointed out that there was a risk that, even when such codes were closely followed , this might be being done only in order to mitigate risks ( page 66) which could mean that those involved see themselves as merely keeping rules rather than having any real responsibility. ( page 75) because they took no active part in compiling such codes. Bell and Bryman in 2007 make the suggestion that with regard to ethical research any conflicts of interest or affiliations should be stated ( page 67) while at the same time data should be protected with such information being given anonymously and in confidence They include a discussion of “informed consent”. This principle was , established in order to the likelihood of harm , either physical or psychological, coming to those who participate in research.There are however problems with this idea when it comes to research into such things as governments or industry leaders and this could place limitations upon the types of research which are possible.(p 67). Fitting in with Bell and Bryman’s (2007, p 65), we, as DBA students at the University of Liverpool, begin each module by stating our adherence to particular ethical principles, such as avoiding plagiarism by giving credit where credit is due as for example using (according to the Harvard referencing system, not falsify research data and not seeking to publish the same research data more than once as if these were new. We probably take such ethical principles for granted, but carelessness can create difficulties. but even highly reputable people can get, as is shown in the case of “Dr” zu Guttenberg, the former German federal Minister of Defence, who resigned after he admitted copying large parts of his ph D thesis. (Hall 2011) . Reciprocity, the giving of equal benefits to both participants and researcher through their collaboration in the preparation and carrying out of research projects as discussed by Bell and Bryman, ( 2007, p 71 and 73), is always possible or even necessary, as mentioned above when it comes for example to research into governments or other elite groups. However, when ever reasonable participants should be involved from the design stage of project for research and this may well result in better, more ethical ways, being found to enhance findings, as well as the resultant interpretations of such findings and their publication and diffusion and in this way create knowledge.   References: BELL,E. and BRYMAN,A.,. (2007) The ethics of management research: an exploratory content analysis, British Journal of Management, 18(1), pp.63-77, EBSCOhost [Online]. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/ehost/detail?hid=105&sid=446561bf-3152-405d-87fd-f6972fd2d38e%40sessionmgr115&vid=45&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=buh&AN=24165542 (Accessed: 6th August 2011). CLEGG,S., 2002, Lives in the balance, : A comment on Hinings and Greenwood’s “Disconnects and consequences in organization theory?”’ Administrative Science Quarterly, 47 (3), pp.428-441, EBSCOhost [Online]. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/ehost/detail?hid=105&sid=a3b38ce2-447e-46b9-b225-4ecdafa76f4a%40sessionmgr104&vid=3&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=buh&AN=9026000 ( Accessed: 6th August 2011) EASTERBY –SMITH, M., GOLDEN-BIDDLE,K. and LOCKE, K., 2008 Working with pluralism: determining quality in qualitative research, Organizational Research Methods, 11 (3), pp.419-429, Sage Journals [Online]. Available from: http://orm.sagepub.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/content/11/3/419.full.pdf+html (Accessed: 6th August 2011). GREY,C. Grey, C., 2010, Organizing studies: publications, politics and polemic’, Organization Studies, 31 (6), pp.677-694, Sage Journals [Online]. Available from: http://oss.sagepub.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/content/31/6/677.full.pdf+html (Accessed 6th August 2011). HALL, A., ( 1st March 2011) Baron Cut and Paste steps down as Germanys defence minister as he admits copying large chunks of his PhD, Mail on line, available from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361779/Karl-Theodor-zu-Guttenberg-resign-Germanys-defence-minister.html, ( accessed 6th August ) HININGS,C. AND GREENWOOD, R. 2002, ‘ASQ Forum: disconnects and consequences in organization theory?’, Administrative Science Quarterly, 47 (3), pp.411–421, EBSCOhost [Online]. Available from: http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/ehost/detail?hid=105&sid=a3b38ce2-447e-46b9-b225-4ecdafa76f4a%40sessionmgr104&vid=1&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=buh&AN=9025992 (Accessed: 6TH August 2011). PRATT,M. Pratt, M.G., 2008, Fitting oval pegs into round holes: tensions in evaluating and publishing qualitative research in top-tier North American journals, Organizational Research Methods, 11 (3), pp.481-509, Sage Journals [Online]. Available from: http://orm.sagepub.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/content/11/3/481.full.pdf+html (Accessed: 6th August 2011). Read More