TY - CHAP

T1 - Exploring complex phenomena with qualitative research methods

T2 - An examination of strategic innovation trajectories in haute cuisine

AU - Wenzel, Matthias

AU - Koch, Jochen

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Whereas qualitative research methods have become increasingly popular in the broader social sciences, they remain less prominent in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology research. In the face of increased complexity of empirical phenomena in these fields of research, we make the case for qualitative research methods as one valuable methodological option for researchers to gain a better understanding of complex phenomena. By unbundling the challenges that the empirical examination of complex phenomena imposes on researchers, we outline that qualitative research methods are particularly well-suited to cope with these challenges. To shed more light on how researchers may use qualitative data to draw theoretical inferences, we propose an analytical approach for the examination of complex phenomena that systematically discloses the inner logic of these phenomena in a step-wise process. In a case study of strategic innovation trajectories in haute cuisine restaurants, we illustrate how researchers may apply this analytical procedure ‘in practice.’ Our illustrative analysis indicates that, despite the severe challenges that researchers face when exploring complex phenomena, the proposed analytical procedure provides a practical and helpful guide for researchers to gain a better theoretical understanding of complex phenomena based on qualitative data.

AB - Whereas qualitative research methods have become increasingly popular in the broader social sciences, they remain less prominent in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology research. In the face of increased complexity of empirical phenomena in these fields of research, we make the case for qualitative research methods as one valuable methodological option for researchers to gain a better understanding of complex phenomena. By unbundling the challenges that the empirical examination of complex phenomena imposes on researchers, we outline that qualitative research methods are particularly well-suited to cope with these challenges. To shed more light on how researchers may use qualitative data to draw theoretical inferences, we propose an analytical approach for the examination of complex phenomena that systematically discloses the inner logic of these phenomena in a step-wise process. In a case study of strategic innovation trajectories in haute cuisine restaurants, we illustrate how researchers may apply this analytical procedure ‘in practice.’ Our illustrative analysis indicates that, despite the severe challenges that researchers face when exploring complex phenomena, the proposed analytical procedure provides a practical and helpful guide for researchers to gain a better theoretical understanding of complex phenomena based on qualitative data.

KW - Management studies

KW - analytical technique

KW - complex phenomena

KW - Haute cuisine

KW - Methological challenges

KW - qualitative research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019478876&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-27108-8_8

DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-27108-8_8

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-3-319-27106-4

T3 - FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship

SP - 163

EP - 182

BT - Complexity in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Research. FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship

A2 - Berger, Elisabeth S.C.

A2 - Kuckertz, Andreas

PB - Springer Verlag

ER -