In Search of Alternative Research Methods in Marketing: Insights from Layder’s Adaptive Theory Methodology

This paper argues that Layder’s adaptive theory methodology can overcome two main methodological issues affecting academic marketing research—namely, (1) paradigm dilemmas caused by the mixed methods approach and (2) apparent imbalance between agency (individual subjectivity) and structure (social s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contemporary Management Research 2013-09, Vol.9 (3), p.343-360
Main Authors: Hewege, Chandana Rathnasiri, Perera, Liyanage Chamila Roshani
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic marketing
Academic Marketing Research Methodology
Adaptive Theory
Agency– Structure Issue
Behavior
Design of experiments
Epistemology
Human agency
Hypothesis testing
Ontology
Paradigms
Qualitative research
Research methodology
Researchers
Social structure
Subjectivity
Trends
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Summary:This paper argues that Layder’s adaptive theory methodology can overcome two main methodological issues affecting academic marketing research—namely, (1) paradigm dilemmas caused by the mixed methods approach and (2) apparent imbalance between agency (individual subjectivity) and structure (social structure). A review of research methods used in marketing reveals that quantitative methods continue to dominate. Marketing phenomena tend to arise in the social world through a circular process whereby individual behaviours create social structures that in turn influence individual behaviours. Both the structure and agency perspectives need to be studied in a single research project to fully understand a marketing phenomenon. Adaptive theory, as a sound alternative to positivistic research approach, can achieve a balance between agency and structure perspectives that underpin marketing phenomena.
ISSN:1813-5498
1813-5498
DOI:10.7903/cmr.9978