esade

Epistemology of Science (2235.YR.003216.4)

General information

Type:

 OBL

Curs:

 1

Period:

 S semester

ECTS Credits:

 3 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM

By one widely held conception, epistemology is the attempt to understand the meaning, method, and logical structure of science by means of a logical and methodological analysis of the aims, methods, criteria, concepts, laws, and theories of science. It is thus an attempt to get a clear understanding of what science is and what is not. The major goal of this course os to provide students that understanding.
We would like to stress that this is an introductory course in epistemology. Our principles of selection of the topics included have been these: The selection should be intrinsically interesting. It should be relevant and comprehensible to a beginning student. It should serve to provoke discussion and criticism. We have also tried to relate the topics to current philosophical and methodological debates in the management area.

Course Learning Objectives

1.- Learning current debates within the Philosophy of Science area regarding Epistemological issues
2.- Develop basic skills and frameworks to do top quality research in Management

CONTENT

1. What is the purpose of science?

2. Kuhn and Popper

3. Epistemological anarchy

4. Methods and paradigms in management scholarship

5. Positivim: Data collection and analysis

6. Measurement and cases

7. Interpretivism

8. Values in social sciences

Methodology

The course will be based on readings, some presentations, and, above all, the debate and the exchange of ideas. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to bring their insights and thoughts on the material assigned into class discussion.
Preparation before class. Students are expected to be prepared for each class session, including having read the assigned readings carefully. We would like to emphasize that for this course to be effective, there is no subsitute for students reading the articles before they meet in class to discuss them.

ASSESSMENT

ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN

Description %
Contribution to in-class participation 25
Final Report 40
Review exercise 10
Oral Presentations 25

Assessment criteria

Students are expected to come prepared to class.
The assessment for this course will comprise the following two elements:

1.- Contribution to in-class participation: 25%
2. Reports to be delivered: 25%
3. Oral presentation: 10%
4. Final Report: 40%



In-class participation will be expected both on an individual and a group basis. Along the course, students will be organised in teams to discuss readings and case studies.

Bibliography

Session 1: What is the purpose of a science?
Hempel, C.G. (1942) "The function of general laws in history,? Journal of Philosophy 39(2): 35-48.

Session 2: Kuhn versus Popper
Popper, K. (1962) Conjectures and Refutations. The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. Ch. 1: Science: Conjectures and Refutations. (pp. 35¬-66 in the pdf)
Kuhn, T.S. (1962). The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions. Ch. IX in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.

Session 3: Epistemological Anarchy
Lakatos, I. (1973) "Science and pseudoscience? in Lakatos, I. Philosophical Papers, Vol. 1
Feyerabend, P.K. (1963) "How to be a Good Empiricist: A Plea for Tolerance in Matters Epistemological,? in Feyerabend, P.K. Knowledge, Science, and Relativism. Philosophical papers, Vol. 3.

Session 4: Methods and paradigms in management
Edmondson, A. C., & McManus, S. E. (2007). Methodological fit in management field research. Academy of management review, 32(4), 1246-1264.
Gioia, D. A., & Pitre, E. (1990). Multiparadigm perspectives on theory building. Academy of management review, 15(4), 584-602.

Session 5: Positivism: Data collection and Data Analysis
Bansal, P., & Roth, K. (2000). Why companies go green: A model of ecological responsiveness. Academy of management journal, 43(4), 717-736.
Robinson, W. S. (1951). The logical structure of analytic induction. Case study method: key issues, key texts. London: Sage, 187.

Session 6: Measurement and Cases
Cartwright, N. and Runhardt, R. (2014) Measurement. In Cartwright, N. and Montuschi, E. (eds) Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction
Morgan, M.S. (2014) Case Studies. In Cartwright, N. and Montuschi, E. (eds) Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction
Gibbert, M., Ruigrok, W., & Wicki, B. (2008). What passes as a rigorous case study?. Strategic management journal, 29(13), 1465-1474.

Session 7: Interpretivism
Mantere, S., & Ketokivi, M. (2013). Reasoning in organization science. Academy of management review, 38(1), 70-89
Bonache, J. (2021). The challenge of using a ?non?positivist' paradigm and getting through the peer?review process. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(1), 37-48.
Sandberg, J. (2005). How do we justify knowledge produced within interpretive approaches?. Organizational research methods, 8(1), 41-68.

Session 8: Values in Social Sciences
Douglas, H. (2014). Values in social science. In Cartwright, N. and Montuschi, E. (eds) Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction. 162-182.
Gouldner, A. (1970). Reflexive sociology. In Delanty, G., & Strydom, P. (eds.) (2003). Philosophies of social science: The classic and contemporary readings, 267-276.

Timetable and sections