Final Blog Entry

I have come to my final blog entry for BUSN 8018.  I really enjoyed this course and as well as doing this blog.  I would like to make a few points in relation to the progress of my qualitative research project.  I am analysing the interview data in addition to some documents.  I can already see how ANT will provide some explanations for my results and hence 'fit' my data and research problem.  It provides a language for my observed phenomena.  For example, with the interview data on research teams it becomes obvious that to understand research teams they cannot be seen in isolation but must be placed within their larger network of relations.  The ties with significant others helps shape and mould the success/failure of research teams.  Also, the entry and exit of team members is important in shaping the direction.  Their are many interrelated factors that unfold to produce the observed outcomes. 

Particular aspects of ANT that I think I will draw on to explain my data include: network of relations/interactions (broader nexus of activity); the notion of performativity; and the importance of human as well as non-human actors.  The key difference between these actors is that human actors have intentionality, however non-human actors do not.  Therefore, while ANT advocates that non-human actors deserve the same attention as human actors, the differentiating feature of intentionality is expected to provide insight into why differences may exist between these actors.  In the context of my study, particularly in the document analysis, one can argue that accounting and MCS are the non-human actors (accounting is a network effect and an interdependent actor) and that accounting is a mediator and transforms relationships.  The importance of accounting as a non-human actor, performativity and employing a network perspective based on social relations and interactions are the tools that I will employ from this theoretical lens.

Based on my experience from conducting interviews with academic staff I realise that during an interview, the interviewer needs to do a lot of thinking.  For example, in addition to your interview protocol you may tend to ask another question following from what an interviewee said.  This shows you are listening to the interviewee and it seems more like a dialogue than simply an interview.

A preliminary document analysis reveals that the companies involved in such a coopetitive relationship attempt to implement mechanisms to cooperate during earlier parts of the value chain (research, design, development and production), however seek to compete with it comes to selling the final product to consumers.  In particular, I noticed that they tend to implement mechanisms to manage the JV separately from the two organizations and that there is a strong emphasis on making sure that neither company knows the other companies marketing and sales strategies, with some separation agreements. 

Overall, this course helped me to gain a deeper understanding about the practice of qualitative research, including qualitative methods and the qualitative methodology.