Qualitative Methods of Naturalistic Inquiry

ORG LP723 - Qualitative Methods of Naturalistic Inquiry

Credits: 3

Qualitative research is a method of naturalistic inquiry that explores human systems to generate rich data and make possible emergent theory of organizational behavior. The lived experience of leaders, their teams and organizations is studied under the naturalistic paradigm with the researcher as subjective inquirer. Students learn methods of data collection and analysis that allow them to generate themes that elude quantitative survey methods of assessment. Students will develop grand tour questions, conduct field observations, create protocols, facilitate face to face interviews with organizational actors, and code data using grounded theory to generate themes regarding organizational phenomena. Competencies developed through this course allow students to assess organizations, teams, and groups to come to shared diagnosis with their client companies. These skills are crucial for organizational development and intervention work. Additionally, methodologies presented allow students to embark on future research in the field of organizational and leadership psychology.