Rajasinghe, D., Aluthgama-Baduge, C. and Mulholland, G. (2018) Interpretative phenomenological analysis as an entrepreneurship research methodology. Paper presented to: 25th Eurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES) Conference, Berlin, Germany, 23-25 May 2018.
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Abstract:
This conceptual paper suggests ‘Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis’ (IPA) as an appropriate methodology for entrepreneurship research. First, it discusses the authors’ position of entrepreneurship. It then justifies the relevance of IPA to develop deeper
understanding within the field. Entrepreneurship appears as a subjective and contextual phenomenon (Aluthgama-Baduge,
2017; Stam, 2016). For example, creating a new organisation (Gartner, 1988), using innovative and creative skills to develop something new and useful (Baron, 2012), entrepreneurship within an existing organisation (Heinonen et al., 2013; Casey, 2013), and value creation in the public, private and third sectors (QAA, 2018), are few different meanings that have been incorporated into entrepreneurship. Moreover, entrepreneurship literature also emphasises the importance of considering wider implications such as commercial, social, economic, psychological and cultural to understand the phenomenon
(Welter et al., 2016).
It is therefore clear that the entrepreneurship is situated in context (Brannback and Carsrud, 2016), and socially constructed (Anderson, 2016; Pittaway, 2000). Authors of this paper take this position forward, however, do not discard other realities that may exist. There is also an
attempt to generate standardisation, accreditation and generalizable knowledge within the field (Brannback et al., 2014). It appears that the positivist views within entrepreneurship research continue to dominate (Brannback and Carsrud, 2016; Neergaard and Ulhoi, 2007).
Nonetheless, some (Welter et al., 2016; Davidsson, 2004; Gartner and Birley, 2002) emphasise the significance of capturing contextual and subjective knowledge to support the
growth of entrepreneurship. Consequently, these authors emphasize a need for further research to generate such knowledge and understanding.
IPA is a psychological research methodology informed by phenomenology, hermeneutics, and ideography (Smith et al., 2009). The interest of IPA is in human experience, and the
individual interpretations of a particular experience (Larkin et al., 2011). It analyses how participant make sense of their experience in a given context (Wagstaff and Williams, 2014). Considering authors' position of entrepreneurship, IPA appears relevant and appropriate to
create deeper understanding by analysing interpretations of entrepreneurs and wider stakeholders of entrepreneurship (Smith, 2011). The paper critically discusses how IPA
accommodates current qualitative research demands within the field. It will provide an in depth understanding of philosophical instances of IPA and their links to the authors’ position of entrepreneurship.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Interpretative phenomenological analysis, entrepreneurship research
Subjects:
Creators:
Rajasinghe, D., Aluthgama-Baduge, C. and Mulholland, G.
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
Date:
23 May 2018
Date Type:
Publication
Event Title:
25th Eurasia Business and Economics Society (EBES) Conference
Event Dates:
23-25 May 2018
Event Location:
Berlin, Germany
Event Type:
Conference
Language:
English
Status:
Published / Disseminated
Refereed:
Yes
Related URLs:
References:
Aluthgama-Baduge, C. J. (2017), Educating for enterprise: Exploring the role of the teacher. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, PhD Thesis, Abertay University, UK
Anderson, A. R. (2016), The economic reification of entrepreneurship: re-engaging with the social, In: A. Fayolle and P. Riot (eds.), Rethinking Entrepreneurship: Debating research orientations, Oxon, Routledge, pp. 44-56
Baron, R. A. (2012), Entrepreneurship: An Evidence-based Guide, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar
Brannback, M. and Carsrud, A. L. (2016), Understanding entrepreneurial cognitions through the lenses of context, In: F. Welter and W. B. Gartner (eds.), A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Context, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, pp. 16-27
Brannback, M., Carsrud. A. L. and Kiviluoto, N. (2014), Understanding the Myth of High Growth Firms: The Theory of the Greater Fool, London, Springer
Casey, J. (2013), Hybrid discourse on social enterprise: Unpacking the Zeitgeist, In: T. S. Lyons (ed.), Social entrepreneurship: How businesses can transform society, Volume 1: The nature of organisational structure in social entrepreneurship, Santa Barbara, Praeger, pp. 71-90
Davidsson, P. (2004), Researching Entrepreneurship, Boston, Springer Science + Business Media
Heinonen. J., Hytti, U. and Vuorinen, E. (2013), Intrapreneurial risk-taking in public healthcare: challenging existing boundaries, In: F. Welter et al. (eds.), Entrepreneurial Business and Society: Frontiers in European Entrepreneurship Research, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2013, pp. 149-169
Gartner, W. B. (1988), 'Who is an entrepreneur' is the wrong question, American Small Business Journal, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 11-31
Gartner, W. B. and Birley, S. (2002), Introduction to the Special Issue on Qualitative Methods in Entrepreneurship Research, Journal of Business Venturing, Vol. 17, pp. 387-395
Larkin, M., Eatough, V. and Osborn, M. (2011), Interpretative phenomenological analysis and embodied, active, situated cognition, Theory & Psychology, Vol. 21, no.3, pp.318-337
Neergaard, H. and Ulhoi, J. P. (2007), Introduction: Methodological variety in entrepreneurship research, In: H. Neergaard and J. P. Ulhoi (eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods in Entrepreneurship, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, pp. 01-16
Pittaway, L. (2000), The Social Construction of Entrepreneurial Behaviour, PhD Thesis, The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
QAA (Quality Assurance Agency) (2018), Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education: Guidance for UK Higher Education Providers (January), [online], Available from: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Enterprise-and-entrpreneurship-education-2018.pdf [Accessed: 20/02/2018]
Smith, J. A. (2011) Evaluating the contribution of interpretative phenomenological analysis. Health Psychology Review. Vol.5 No.1, pp. 9-27
Smith, J.A., Flowers, P. and Larkin, M. (2009), Interpretative phenomenological analysis: theory, methods and research, London, Sage
Stam, E. (2016), Theorising entrepreneurship in context, In: F. Welter and W. B. Gartner (eds.), A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Context, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, pp. 93-108
Wagstaff, C. and Williams, B. (2014), Specific design features of an interpretative phenomenological analysis study, Nurse Researcher, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp.8-12
Welter, F., Gartner, W. B. and Wright, M. (2016), The context of contextualizing contexts, In: F. Welter and W. B. Gartner (eds.), A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Context, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, pp. 01 - 15
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