According to your text, epistemology is a ‘general set of assumptions about the best ways of inquiring into the nature of the world’ (Easterby-Smith, et al., 2012, p.17). Epistemology addresses questions such as:
• What is knowledge?
• How is knowledge acquired?
• How do we know what we know?
• Is it possible to have knowledge at all?
In research, an epistemological stance will influence how you choose a research topic as well as the methodology and methods you use. Review the resources this week to explore the role of epistemology in research.
• In what ways does the choice of an epistemological perspective or stance influence the formulation of a management research problem?