Personal notes: I must do better in participation. I always hate doing it but the end result is sweet when I do it well. I really hope I pass this course!
PHL 717
Week I Reflection IReply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
My Response
I have learned a few interesting things from the readings for this week. I learned that when I read anything, I try to find a connection with what it is that I am reading first. I found one particular line from the first chapter of Delanty and Strydom (2003) to be something that I have very often thought about, especially with perceptions of self, others, and the influences from society. The line is, “If I do not submit to the conventions of society, if in my dress I do not conform to the customs observed in my country and in my class, the ridicule I provoke, the social isolation in which I am kept, produce, although in an attenuated form, the same effects as a punishment in the strict sense of the word” (Delanty and Strydom, 2003, p. 27) Also in chapter one, “if a mode of behavior whose existence is external to individual consciousnesses becomes general, this can only be brought about by its being imposed upon them” (Delanty and Strydom, 2003, p. 29). These two statements cause me to believe that a certain type of creativity and being open-minded to other ways of thinking within all different societies is something almost frowned upon. As I kept reading, I found that social theory plays also role in social and moral behavior than expected in a society but those are not the only factors. I cringe at some of these ideas because I think that society can hold people back from their fullest potential.
Week II Question I
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s). To what extent do Mintzberg’s article and its method reflect a paradigm shift in the study of management? Support your position with references to Kuhn’s definition of paradigms and paradigm shifts as appropriate.
My Response
To what extent do Mintzberg’s article and its method reflect a paradigm shift in the study of management? Support your position with references to Kuhn’s definition of paradigms and paradigm shifts as appropriate.
Paradigm Shift
"Myth 1: The manager is a reflective, systematic planner." (p. 5)
According to Mintzberg (1976), managers are not reflective or systematic planners because they have consistently interruptions that prevent any reflection. Emails, phone calls, and client visits each would prevent reflective thinking.
"Myth 2: The effective manager has no regular duties to perform." (p. 6)
Much of what a manager does might appear abstract and others may not understand the extent of the position. If a manager needs to meet or speak with a client, this can be a regular duty. Unlike programming and development, this is a duty that is not always concrete until there are contracts involved.
"Myth 3: The senior manager needs aggregated information, which a formal management information system best provides." (p. 7)
Considering the time that this article was written, this is no longer the case. It is true that many people may prefer to speak verbally through the phone or meetings but there is now technology, such as emails, Skype, and teleconferencing, that can provide both written and verbal communications. I agree with the references to Kuhn's definitions where a formal management information system would be beneficial to an organization. Verbal communications alone have poor paper trails.
Considering the time that this article was written, this is no longer the case. It is true that many people may prefer to speak verbally through the phone or meetings but there is now technology, such as emails, Skype, and teleconferencing, that can provide both written and verbal communications. I agree with the references to Kuhn's definitions where a formal management information system would be beneficial to an organization. Verbal communications alone have poor paper trails.
"Myth 4: Management is, or at least is quickly becoming, a science and a profession." (p. 10)
There are current methodologies and procedures dedicated to processes in a business. So to indicate that there is a science involved with management is agreeable. The waterfall and agile methodology are two that requires a process and procedures.
At Myth 3 and 4, I have some disagreements with Mintzberg's (1976) article, but there is a paradigm shift. From 1976 to now, technology has evolved in the business. Although the article has valid points from that time, in this day and age, I believe only half of these points may still be valid.
Reference: Mintzberg, H. (1976). The manager’s job: Folklore and fact. Harvard Business Review, 53(4), 49.
Week II Question II
At Myth 3 and 4, I have some disagreements with Mintzberg's (1976) article, but there is a paradigm shift. From 1976 to now, technology has evolved in the business. Although the article has valid points from that time, in this day and age, I believe only half of these points may still be valid.
Reference: Mintzberg, H. (1976). The manager’s job: Folklore and fact. Harvard Business Review, 53(4), 49.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with colleagues the following question(s).
Examine one assumption underlying a statement Pfeffer’s article makes about the characteristics of research in low paradigm fields. Is it well founded? Why or why not?
An assumption Pfeffer (1993) makes is that a scientific paradigm would have been developed within 10 years of Miner's (1984) analysis of several scholarly theories. Pfeffer (1993) states, “One might have thought, now more than 10 years after the publication of this influential work, that progress would have been made in evaluating the relative usefulness of these different theoretical foci and winnowing down the avenues to be explored.” Depending on the type of evaluations and theories that took place that Miner (1984) was analyzing, the timing of the development of a scientific paradigm can vary. As of the most recent years, there are methodologies that are still being enhanced. The nature of business and technology is always evolving. Assuming that within ten years is a good enough time to come up with a scientific paradigm with the ever-changing technology and business procedures may need further examination. Miner (1984) was also examining 24 theories and without much detail on the theories he was examining, it is difficult to tell to what extent it would take to create a paradigm.
Week II Reflection II
Reply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
My Response
In this week, I learning about different concepts. One concept is paradigm shifts. The reading materials and classmates mention that they can be defined differently and how the ideas might need to be changed. Over time, an idea or theory might change because of the evolution or other influences that occur. The readings have influenced me to look deeper into the meaning of what is being said instead of taking it at face value. My experiences can relate or compare to much of what the reading materials are saying. Another concept is understanding the different styles of theories. Positivism, idealism, and realism are each different styles I am not well informed of. They are so far interesting and I look forward to learning more about them along with all the other lessons in this course.
Week III Question I
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
What metaphor is frequently used in your profession? How does it affect managers’ thinking and behavior? Considering the exchange between Morgan and Bourgeois & Pinder, should it be used in practice and research?
My Response
A frequently used metaphor in my profession is "google it" and many times the manager's use this term to denote researching a topic or information for a project. Bourgeois & Pinder (1983) emphasizes that "we would urge adherents of the field to strive to develop precise literal terminology" (p. 612). This is often a good idea, yet I disagree partly because when the term is used, the employees in the organization understand and can comply easily to certain requests. Morgan (1980) believes that a "metaphor has also been shown to play an important part in the use of language, cognitive development, and the general way in which humans forge conceptions about their reality" (p. 611). Although I agree that metaphors are useful for this reason, metaphors can also be difficult to explain when dealing with out of the country employees. Most of the employees out of the USA do understand english very well but there are times when certain words or phrases that we use may necessitate a literal explanation of the issue or technology.
Week III Question II
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
According to Bourgeois & Pinder (1983, p. 611), Morgan “wishes to speak of metaphors beyond the linguistic ones to which we have restricted our attention and supposes that we are in error to limit our attention to metaphors of the linguistic kind.” Is this an accurate representation of Morgan’s position?
Bourgeois, V. W., & Pinder, C. C. (1983). Contrasting philosophical perspectives in administrative science: A reply to Morgan. Administrative Science Quarterly, 28(4): 608-13.
My Response
I do not believe that Bourgeois & Pinder make a completely accurate representation of Morgan's position from this quote. The implication with Bourgeois & Pinder is that they believe everything should be kept literal, especially when involving certain fields, such as the field of science (Morgan, 1983). Morgan (1983) believes that metaphors are the "basic structural form of experience through which human beings engage, organize, and understand their world" (Morgan, 1983, p. 601). Morgan's position is not so much that the metaphors are meant solely as a linguistic representation but also a representation of how we maintain everyday scenarios in life. Bourgeois & Pinder (1983) believe that "true sentences state facts about the external reality, and sentences are meaningful insofar as they have reference to this reality" (Bourgeois & Pinder, 1983, p. 610). Bourgeois & Pinder seem to believe that unless the "true sentence" is literal, an influence on terminology can hinder the true understanding of the statement that is being told.
References
Morgan, G. (1983). More on Metaphor: Why We Cannot Control Tropes in Administrative Science. Administrative Science Quarterly, 28(4), 601-607.
Bourgeois, V., & Pinder, C. C. (1983). Contrasting Philosophical Perspectives in Administrative Science: A Reply to Morgan. Administrative Science Quarterly, 28(4), 608-613.
Week III Reflection III
Reply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
In this week, I have learned that metaphors can be used in different ways. It can be used in an abstract or literal sense, depending on the type of lesson the person is trying to teach when using the metaphor. I have also learned that communication between different people’s beliefs and understanding can be affected. People from different societies can be affected or have a different understanding of what a metaphor is as well.
I also learned that there can be opposition with the uses of metaphors. Some believe that when dealing with the sciences that terms or phrases should be literal to avoid confusion. For example, Bourgeois & Pinder (1983) belief that a "true sentence" should be literal. While others may believe that it can help enhance communication between people and societies.
Reference
Bourgeois, V., & Pinder, C. C. (1983). Contrasting Philosophical Perspectives in Administrative Science: A Reply to Morgan. Administrative Science Quarterly, 28(4), 608-613.
Week 3 Individual Assignment: Journal Article Analysis
Review the
Schommer-Aikens & Hutter article in this week’s Electronic Reserve
Readings.
Write a 1,400- to
2,100-word philosophical analysis of the article, including the following:
·
Identify the philosophical assumptions
underlying the research and methodology.
·
Explain the practical significance of the
assumptions and their effect on the research’s applicability.
·
Relate the assumptions and research methodology
to the readings, including arguments made by Kuhn or other post-positivist
thinkers.
Support your
analysis with references to the Schommer-Aikens and Hutter article and relevant
course readings.
My essay with teacher comments.
Week IV Question I
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
What is the significance of Freud’s discoveries about the language of dreams, as mentioned on pp. 121-122 of the Delanty & Strydom text, for practicing management and social science research?
I supposed that the significance of Freud's discoveries about dream-thought and dream-content can reflect the meanings of practicing management and social science research. In Freud's explanation of dream-thought and dream-content, the dream-content can be interpreted into something else that is meaningful to the scenario through a pictorial representation whereas dream-thought is a bit more straight forward and the issue can be identified without interpretation from pictorial representations. This is similar to or in the same relation as social science research and practicing management. Social science takes a lot of interpretation, just as dream-content does. Social science research may have scenarios where the case may only represent an individual or group that it is associated with and therefore needs interpretation. The interpretation may cover only the cases where needed unlike practicing management. Practicing management can be a bit more straight forward. Problems and solutions to management may not take as much interpretation as social science research does and because it has definition as to what the issue or case may be, there is less to interpret.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
On p. 160 of Understanding Management Research, Johnson & Duberley say the following:
While pragmatists would argue that how we construe the world is an outcome of social construction, they would also point to how an ontologically real external reality intervenes and imposes pragmatic limits on our discursive analyses. . .if you wanted to test this in relation to window glass, and we strongly advise you not to do this, you could try stepping through a window without opening it first and see if the postmodernist free-play of signifiers allows you to remain unharmed!
Is this a legitimate critique of postmodernist views? Why?
Johnson, P., & Duberley, J. (2000). Understanding management research: An introduction to epistemology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Johnson and Duberley (2000) do not appear to have a similar view as other postmodernist views. In most of the articles I have read, they each seem to have a slightly alternative perspective on how realism and truth should be determined. Finding evidence that proves the truth seems to be the consensus and relying on opinion is considered to be facetious. Martin (1990) believes that we find truth through deconstruction. Deconstruction requires multiple resources before truth on a topic is realized. Hogan and Kaiser (2005) believe that in societies, people perceive concrete evidence as more effective in determining truth than knowledge that is derived from the abstract. Because people view the abstract as an entity that can be false, such as opinion or a view other than physical proof, society simply rejects the view as an assumption and not enough to be stated as truth. Burrell (1988) discusses Foucault’s beliefs that truth should be determined by dismissing opinion and only relied on evidence. Cooper (1989) also analyzes truth through deconstruction.
References
References
Burrell, G. (1988). Modernism, postmodernism and organizational analysis 2: The contribution of Michel Foucault. Organization Studies, 9(2), 221.
Cooper, R. (1989). Modernism, postmodernism and organizational analysis 3: The contribution of Jacques Derrida. Organization Science, 10(4), 479.
Hogan, R. & Kaiser, R. (2005). What we know about leadership. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 169.
Martin, J. (1990). Deconstructing organizational taboos: The suppression of gender conflict in organizations. Organization Science, 1(4), 339.
Week IV Reflection IV
Reply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
My Response
I have learned a few things in Week IV. I have learned some new terminologies and ideas. I have learned about the concepts of dream-content and dream-thought from Freud. I have learned how those ideas can relate to real life events, how they are derived from childhood experiences, and the affects they can have on society and management. I have also learned about postmodernism and the differences of how people might view it. In the search for truth, most of the readings indicate that truth can be found in consistent facts and through research. Opinions and assumptions are looked down upon because it is too abstract to be considered truth.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
Does Thachankery’s (1999, May) account of his work with the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) do justice to the principles of hermeneutics as Gadamer and others explain them? Does it leave anything out? If so, what are the consequences for the findings Thatchenkery presents?
Thachankery, T. (1999). Affirmation as intervention: The hermeneutics of reframing in organizational change and transformation. Paper presented at the 1999 International Conference of Language in Organizational Change and Transformation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Does Thachankery’s (1999, May) account of his work with the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) do justice to the principles of hermeneutics as Gadamer and others explain them?
Hermeneutics attempts to use a methodology that seeks the truth through interpretation or translation that many philosophers have used at one time or another (Bernstein,1983). Thachankery’s (1999) work with ICA uses the appreciative inquiry approach, which attempts to ask questions that will form the truth or what the group is seeking. So for the first part of the analysis, a small sample of 40 people were surveyed to find out what the values of the ICA were. The second was to analyze the organization as a whole through the directors, staff, and volunteers. The third step led to researching ICA’s organization, the feedback, and planning portions. The results from this analysis led to a forecast of where the organization may be in the future. This appears to follow simple principles of hermeneutics where the analysis interprets what may become of the organization.
Does it leave anything out? If so, what are the consequences for the findings Thatchenkery presents?
The author provides a history and background of the organization to attempt to forecast what may happen with the organization. The only things I felt were missing were the responses from the surveys and the response data in a chart or something it to see how the responses were rated.
Thachankery, T. (1999). Affirmation as intervention: The hermeneutics of reframing in organizational change and transformation. Paper presented at the 1999 International Conference of Language in Organizational Change and Transformation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Bernstein, R. (1983). Beyond objectivism and relativism: Science, hermeneutics, and praxis. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
What justification does Habermas offer for his critique of Gadamer's hermeneutical approach to society and social science? Is Habermas's approach more justified than Gadamer's or other approaches (for example, neo-positivism, conventionalism, or post-modernism) you have seen in the course? In formulating your answer, it may be helpful to preview the Week Six readings, which detail the theoretical underpinnings of Habermas's critical method.
What justification does Habermas offer for his critique of Gadamer's hermeneutical approach to society and social science?
Habermas argues that Gadamer’s hermeneutical approach to “social and political disciplines” is that there are too many limitations, such as the ability to critically analyze both society and social science for an extensive amount of information. Habermas also mentions that we are seeking information that unfamiliar to us. This is a very important and fundamental aspect to understand when searching for the truth that requires as much detail towards comprehending the information as possible. Additional to deriving extensive information, Habermas believes that without this type of critical thinking that any questioning of the ideas would not be able to justify itself. In other words, if an interpretation of Gadamer’s ideas are to be criticized, the ideas still have room for scrutiny because the analysis has not been extensive.
Is Habermas's approach more justified than Gadamer's or other approaches (for example, neo-positivism, conventionalism, or post-modernism) you have seen in the course?
Habermas’s approach is to consider using rationalism and a detailed analysis. Habermas believed that by using “performative attitude”, we can begin to investigate the past and how societies were developed through rational thinking and exhaustive research. I think that his approach simply tried to enhance the current approaches and possible flaws in the approaches so far discussed throughout the course.
Reference: Bernstein, R. (1983). Beyond objectivism and relativism: Science, hermeneutics, and praxis. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Reply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
Reference: Bernstein, R. (1983). Beyond objectivism and relativism: Science, hermeneutics, and praxis. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Week V Individual Assignment: How Good is Good
To Great?
Review Ch. 1 and pp. 219–260 of
the Collins text.
Write a 1,400- to
2,100-word philosophical analysis of the text, including the following:
·
Identify the philosophical assumptions
underlying the research and methodology.
·
Explain the practical significance of the
assumptions and their effect on the research’s applicability.
·
Relate the assumptions and research methodology
to the readings, including your observations on how adherents of at least one
approach—conventionalist, poststructuralist, postmodernist, hermeneutic, and so
forth—would respond to Collins’s research and its conclusions.
Support your
analysis with references to the Collins text,
course readings, or other pertinent research sources.
My essay with teacher comments.
Week VI Question I
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
Identify one example of “systematically distorted communication” (Johnson & Duberley, p. 121) in an organization with which you are familiar. How does the organization produce and reinforce the communication? How does this affect its members’ lives and work?
Johnson, P., & Duberley, J. (2000). Understanding management research: An introduction to epistemology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
My Response
Identify one example of “systematically distorted communication” (Johnson & Duberley, p. 121) in an organization with which you are familiar.
How does the organization produce and reinforce the communication?
There are many things that the organization I work for uses “systematically distorted communication” (Johnson & Duberley, p. 121) and the employees cannot dispute the information if it comes from a person with power. The CTO of the organization constantly tries to dominate projects, even when he has not been involved with them and has only his assumptions to go by. Many times he will go against the clients wishes and deny the clients the ability to have certain aspects of their request done. The employees do not have a say even though much of what he says does not make sense. To give some background, I work for a company that creates websites. There is very little that the organization cannot do to provide the clients with what they want, but sometimes on a whim, the CTO will make decisions that prevents projects from getting completed.
How does this affect its members’ lives and work?
When the CTO interrupts or ends a project that may have taken months to complete, many times the employees become confused, angry, upset, or they simply do not care. I was once told that the insensitivity from the CTO has been going on for so long that many of the employees have become desensitized and no longer care about his behavior or the product so long as they continue to get paid. The CTO does not allow anyone in the organization to care for or take ownership of the projects they work so hard on. The employees become dissatisfied and eventually decide to move on to another organization. The average an employee stays in the organization I work for is about 3 years. The organization has been around since 1998 or so.
Johnson, P., & Duberley, J. (2000). Understanding management research: An introduction to epistemology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
What are the assumptions underlying Habermas’s concept of an ideal speech situation? How realistic and justifiable are they?
My Response
What are the assumptions underlying Habermas’s concept of an ideal speech situation?
One assumption is that in an “ideal speech situation” (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 122) that the individual will comprehend what another person is saying as well as be able to speak just as the other person is. For example, every so often I go to a science fiction meeting to speak with my friends about sci-fi movies and anything else related. We learn from each other through these meetings but we do not always know or agree on interpretations of what we might witness in these movies or related. These meetings will sometimes bring arguments and debates but for the fun of learning about different perspectives.
How realistic and justifiable are they?
Because a perception or interpretation may be different, it is not realistic to believe that the ideal speech situation is always going to be “symmetrical” (Johnson & Duberley, 2000, p. 122). The individual may not voice their opinion although they may be able to add to the interaction. Many times I understand what my friends are saying but I tend to listen and learn rather than contribute. I also think that any “distorting influences” can lead to an evolved idea. Just because there is disagreement or a debate does not mean that the debate has to be irrational as the opposing party might choose to agree with the new perspective.
Johnson, P., & Duberley, J. (2000). Understanding management research: An introduction to epistemology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Reply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
My Response
In this week I felt that much more information in our lessons was related towards the experiences that I and others have encountered in organizations they have worked for/are working for. Habermas goes into discussing some very interesting ideas about arguments and lectures, the perception and assumptions of the people having the discussion, and the necessary elements to find harmony in a discussion. He also discusses that the dominate personality will focus on making his or her point, and may distort the facts so that his or her point of view becomes more appealing. These factors each produce the ability to analyze further into how to identify the type of discussion that one might be facing. Although I do not agree with Habermas on everything, I believe that he demonstrates a path that we as individuals can find and determine in our own lives how his approach can be applicable towards these types of experiences.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
Select a research article from a peer-reviewed journal that reports the results of a study addressing at least one major course topic. If you wish, select an article that relates to the subject of your final paper. Read the Recommendations and Conclusions section. What is the relationship between the study’s problem statement and the research question?
Select a research article from a peer-reviewed journal that reports the results of a study addressing at least one major course topic. If you wish, select an article that relates to the subject of your final paper. Read the Recommendations and Conclusions section. What is the relationship between the study’s problem statement and the research question?
Problem Statement
The study's problem statement attempts to locate the "structural nature of theory in Information Systems" (Gregor, 2006, p. 611). Gregor (2006) suggests that when a theory is being developed and evaluated in information systems, the structure and integrity degrade as there is little information about the explanation or any additional information to comprehend the theory.
Research Questions
The research questions that are used are:
The relationship between the study’s problem statement and the research questions are that both attempt to derive information about the structure of theory as it pertains to information systems. At first, the study begins with locating the restrictions and influences of the field. Then the study continues to answer fundamental questions to avoid assumptions. The next step of the study determines the best epistemological approach for the study. Lastly, the study analyzes and demonstrates how people in the field understand information systems. It also provides some history and intent towards understanding the ability of what the pros and cons are of the discipline.
The study's problem statement attempts to locate the "structural nature of theory in Information Systems" (Gregor, 2006, p. 611). Gregor (2006) suggests that when a theory is being developed and evaluated in information systems, the structure and integrity degrade as there is little information about the explanation or any additional information to comprehend the theory.
Research Questions
The research questions that are used are:
"1. Domain questions. What phenomena are of interest in the discipline? What are the core problems or topics of interest? What are the boundaries of the discipline?2. Structural or ontological questions. What is theory? How is this term understood in the discipline? Of what is theory composed? What forms do contributions to knowledge take? How is theory expressed? What types of claims or statements can be made? What types of questions are addressed? 3. Epistemological questions. How is theory constructed? How can scientific knowledge be acquired? How is theory tested? What research methods can be used? What criteria are applied to judge the soundness and rigor of research methods?4. Socio-political questions. How is the disciplinary knowledge understood by stakeholders against the backdrop of human affairs? Where and by whom has theory been developed? What are the history and sociology of theory evolution? Are scholars in the discipline in general agreement about current theories or do profound differences of opinion exist? How is knowledge applied? Is the knowledge expected to be relevant and useful in a practical sense? Are there social, ethical, or political issues associated with the use of the disciplinary knowledge?" (p. 611-612).
RelationshipThe relationship between the study’s problem statement and the research questions are that both attempt to derive information about the structure of theory as it pertains to information systems. At first, the study begins with locating the restrictions and influences of the field. Then the study continues to answer fundamental questions to avoid assumptions. The next step of the study determines the best epistemological approach for the study. Lastly, the study analyzes and demonstrates how people in the field understand information systems. It also provides some history and intent towards understanding the ability of what the pros and cons are of the discipline.
Reference
Gregor, S. (2006). The nature of theory in information systems. MIS Quarterly, 30(3), 611-642.
Gregor, S. (2006). The nature of theory in information systems. MIS Quarterly, 30(3), 611-642.
Post your 150-300 word responses to Discussion Questions (DQs) referencing supporting literature as appropriate. Continue to discuss each others' responses throughout the course week. Please answer and discuss with Colleagues the following question(s).
Select a management or leadership concept relevant to your profession. Given the definitions of science you encountered in the readings, to what extent does this concept make claims to universality and predictive power? What does it assume about the forces at work in society and organizations? Is it part of a large system of concepts and principles?
Select a management or leadership concept relevant to your profession.
The leadership or management concept that is most relevant to my profession is collaboration. This concept is necessary as it takes an entire team to build an extensive industry-specific website. I have to collaborate with many people in my office and with people in several other countries and states.
Given the definitions of science you encountered in the readings, to what extent does this concept make claims to universality and predictive power?
By using collaboration, we can strengthen the culture and data that we derive from each other. To build the websites in our organization, it takes a compilation of individuals that specialize in development, data processing, systems operations, and leadership. As Delanty and Strydom (2003) suggests, collaboration follows the hermeneutic science or interpretive nature towards understanding what is needed in the project as well as a “predictive control of objectified processes” (Delanty and Strydom, 2003, p. 255) to be able to have testable theories that are replicable or not to prove if the theory is valid.
What does it assume about the forces at work in society and organizations?
This concept assumes that everyone in the organization can collaborate without any language barriers and fully comprehend what is needed. Societies and cultures vary and so it is important for our organization to make sure that we are explicit in meaning and definition of what needs to be accomplished.
Is it part of a large system of concepts and principles?
This concept is also related to “critical-reconstructive social sciences” (Delanty and Strydom, 2003, p. 255) and is considered to be influential towards some “Freudian psychoanalysis” (Delanty and Strydom, 2003, p. 255).
Delanty, G., & Strydom, P. (2003). Philosophies of social science: The classic and contemporary readings. Philadelphia, PA: McGraw-Hill.
Reply to this thread and post your response in the body of the post, not as an attachment. Please see your syllabus for additional assignment requirements. Have a great week!
My Response
I found this week to actually be very difficult for me because I was so busy with miscellaneous things. I have learned a few things though. I learned that there are many questions that can go into a study. By asking research questions and testing out several theories, we can identify the strengths and weaknesses of the theory and relate the data to how information systems can influence the decisions within an organization. I also noticed I received many responses from the students about my DQ answers and I really enjoyed reading all of them as well as learning from them. I learned a few things from the readings and classmates about what an "ideal speech situation" is and how it can be used. I appreciate learning from the alternative perspectives from everyone in the class as well. I think that the readings have taught me about a lot of what can be used or that are used in organizations with attempting to pursue an "ideal speech situation".
Create an
annotated outline of your final paper, including the following:
·
Identify the field you selected for your paper.
·
Specify the philosophical concepts and topics
your paper will address.
·
Identify the philosophical assumptions you
intend to evaluate.
·
Outline the argument you intend to make
regarding whether such assumptions are justified, desirable, and consciously
held by practitioners and researchers in your field. This portion should list
what sources you intend to use and explain how those sources will support your
position.
Week VII Learning Team Assignment: Part 2: Constructive Feedback
Review the
annotated outline your assigned partner submitted to your Learning Team forum
and provide constructive feedback, which may include the following:
·
Suggest additional sources and avenues of
investigation.
·
Call attention to unanswered questions and
weaknesses in the author’s argument.
·
Pose counterarguments that the author may need
to address.
Note. Your goal
is not to play the role of instructor or to prove that you are right. Rather,
help the author prepare a clear, effective, and well reasoned position for his
or her final paper. Use the Review function in Microsoft® Word to
insert your comments into the original document.
I am not submitting someone else's essay for this portion.
Week VII Individual: Final Paper
Select a field of
professional endeavor in the social sciences with which you are familiar. You
may select a field—for example, marketing, finance, operations, information
systems, or human resources—in which you work, have worked, or plan to work. You
may draw examples of professional practice in the field from the private or
public sector.
Write a 2,100- to
2,450-word paper that evaluates the current state of knowledge in the field you
selected. Your paper must
·
Describe the field you selected and the scope
and basis of your familiarity with it.
·
Identify the different kinds of knowledge
practitioners and researchers in the field to draw on to inform business or
leadership decisions.
·
Identify the philosophical assumptions
underlying research and practice in the field, including operative paradigms,
normal scientific and management practice, and other characteristics that seem
relevant and telling in terms of their effects on the profession.
·
Evaluate whether such assumptions are justified,
desirable, and consciously held by practitioners and researchers in the field.
Your evaluation must consider your view of the profession and how at least one
approach—positivist, conventionalist, poststructuralist, postmodernist,
hermeneutic, critical, or critical realists—might challenge or augment those
assumptions and their practical consequences.
My essay.
Grade Report: PHL/717
Grade Summary (Week 1-Week 7)Total Percentage: 91.05%
Your Total Score: 69.2
Total Possible Score: 76
Week 7
Possible Score Your Score
Discussion Questions 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment. Good job!!
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment. Good job!!
Participation 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment. Good job!!
Annotated Outline 11.0 10.0
Comment:
Good outline, but you failed to provide a reference page.
Constructive Feedback 10.0 9.6
Comment:
Good Job, but you failed to suggest additional sources.
Week 7 Subtotal : 26 24.6
Cumulative Week 7 Subtotal : 76 69.2
Week 7 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback.
Week 6
Possible Score Your Score
Discussion Questions 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment. Good job!!
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Participation 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment. Good job!!
Week 6 Subtotal : 5 5
Cumulative Week 6 Subtotal : 50 44.6
Week 6 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback.
Week 5
Possible Score Your Score
Discussion Questions 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Participation 2.0 0.8
Comment:
Learners should post two substantive messages on 3 out of 7
days. You only posted substantive posts on 5/7. I would suggest that you post more frequently and include some of the following in your post: Range from 150 to 350 words (check word count in the upper left corner of the OLS window) Integrate theory, research, and/or professional experience Include specific examples and/or substantiating evidence Include in-text citations and references in APA format Stay on topic and address the course objectives Demonstrate proper spelling, grammar, and scholarly tone
Paper 12.0 11.2
Comment:
You provided a paper that included paragraph transitions which improved the overall flow of your paper. However you had some sentences that were grammatically incorrect. Also, you failed to specifically explain the practical significance of the assumptions and their effect on the researchs applicability.
Week 5 Subtotal : 17 15
Cumulative Week 5 Subtotal : 45 39.6
Week 5 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback.
Week 4
Possible Score Your Score
Discussion Questions 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Participation 2.0 0.8
Comment:
Learners should post two substantive messages on 3 out of 7
days. You only posted substantive posts on 4/27 and 4/30. I would suggest that you post more frequently and include some of the following in your post: Range from 150 to 350 words (check word count in the upper left corner of the OLS window) Integrate theory, research, and/or professional experience Include specific examples and/or substantiating evidence Include in-text citations and references in APA format Stay on topic and address the course objectives Demonstrate proper spelling, grammar, and scholarly tone
Week 4 Subtotal : 5 3.8
Cumulative Week 4 Subtotal : 28 24.6
Week 4 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback.
Week 3
Possible Score Your Score
Discussion Questions 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Participation 2.0 2.0
Comment:
Paper 12.0 11.2
Comment:
This was an excellent paper that was grammatically well written. You failed to write a conclusion and also you did not explain the practical significance of the assumptions and their effect on the researchs applicability. Also, you failed to submit your certificate of originality.
Week 3 Subtotal : 17 16.2
Cumulative Week 3 Subtotal : 23 20.8
Week 3 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback.
Week 2
Possible Score Your Score
Discussion Questions 2.0 2.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Participation 2.0 0.6
Comment:
Learners should post two substantive messages on 3 out of 7 days. You only posted substantive posts on 4/16. I would suggest that you post more frequently and include some of the following in your post: Range from 150 to 350 words (check word count in the upper left corner of the OLS window) Integrate theory, research, and/or professional experience Include specific examples and/or substantiating evidence Include in-text citations and references in APA format Stay on topic and address the course objectives Demonstrate proper spelling, grammar, and scholarly tone
Week 2 Subtotal : 5 3.6
Cumulative Week 2 Subtotal : 6 4.6
Week 2 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback.
Week 1
Possible Score Your Score
Weekly Reflection 1.0 1.0
Comment:
You successfully fulfilled the requirements of this assignment.
Week 1 Subtotal : 1 1
Cumulative Week 1 Subtotal : 1 1
Week 1 Feedback:
Please see comments regarding assignment feedback. Keep up the good work.
