The Differences And Similarities Of Positivism And Constructionism: Examples Of Business Research Questions

The Philosophical Differences Between Positivism and Constructionism

• Below are the differences between Positivism and constructionism:

• Below are the similarities  between Positivism and constructionism:
• A social phenomenon of both positivism and constructionism does not depend on each other.
• Measurement of value is same in both kinds of phenomena.
• Richness and high level of transparency are provided by these philosophies.
• Both the phenomena assume existence of real world.
• Both Positivists and constructionists have to tolerate their individual doctrinal commitments (Cupchik, 2001).

(b).   Examples are creation of a schedule for change, analysis of data, correctness of findings, and work together with the participants.

(c ). Some of the examples are using of balanced approaches, examine and calculate the information numerically, validity and reliability standards are used and Employs statistical approaches..    

• This option is valid. Employers of the company are required to check that every employee is aware about the training process so that no employees remain untrained.
• This option is not valid. Training time of the employees should be flexible according to the working hours of the employees so that every employee can undertake online safety training.
• This option is also valid. Supervisors have to check whether each and every employee of the company has knowledge of online safety training so that none of the employees remain untrained.
• This option is also valid. Some employees do not have access to the computer and so because they could not undertake training.
• Other options can be: May be some employees were unavailable at the training day. Thus, in this option employers should take care to inform to the employees so that they can undertake training at their home.

(b).

• This option is valid. Employers should know about whether this training has undertaken by employees before or not.
• This option is also valid. Training must introduce some new concepts which were not earlier.
• This option is not a new option.
• This option is not valid.
• This option is valid. This option shows about number of employees who has joined the company and who has undertaken training.

1. 3.As per Pyne 2014, the factors are as follows:

• Economy factors: As per research, it was observed that many Australians are not confident about their future financial health as well as about the Australian economy. In addition to this research it was also found that around 12% of the populations were able to buy home.
• Education factors: As per research, it was observed that many Australians believed that public schools education and universities education are more worthy private schools education because they bought difference in education pattern and provide education for trade which has increased the Australians earning source.
• Environment factors: As per research, it was observed that 54% of Australians believed that Government has to undertake serious action on the environment saving that is they need to focus on solar energy plants etc also many of them found difference in environment on their own efforts.
• Health factors: : As per research, it was observed that more than 80% of senior citizen group (65+ age) and age group of 14-29’s believed that they will be healthier in future. In doing research it was also observed that mental health and obesity problems were also a biggest issue in Australia.

1. 4.As per the article of Demirtas  & Akdogan (2015).:

(a). Objectives of the research study are: To bring ethical behavior in the organization, managers play critical role. Managers have to very honest with their work and should be independent in their views to bring ethical climate. Thus, in other words ethical leadership is achieved only with the ethical behavior of the leaders of the organization so that it contributes to individual’s flourishing.

(b). Advantages: In earlier times, most of the members of the organization were dedicated towards their work duties and commitments. They all engage in shaping the organization towards moral framework. There were not any scandals at the workplace because every member was honest and fair with his duties.

    Disadvantages: Earlier ethical leadership was only considered as theory concept in many industries such as manufacturing and logistics, thus it was a very big disadvantage to these industries because their working environment was not as effective as other industries.

©. Independent variable acts as dependent reason for an outcome. In other words, it represents the input of the outcome.

(d). Ethical leadership is the independent variable.

(e). Dependent variable means that variable which is dependent on the other variable. In other words, it represents the output of the outcome.

(f). Ethical behavior of the managers.

(g). Mediator variable acts as mediator between ethical behaviors of the managers and the ethical leadership.

(h). To bring the ethical climate, managers have a key role because to bring ethical attitude of the individuals toward jobs and towards organization.

(i). In this study, Ethical leadership behavior in the organization is very important to the managers of the organization so that the ethical commitment is perceived from the members so that their performance is flourishing.

(j). The ethical climate is very important in building ethical leadership behavior because it put emphasizes on the building members bond with the organization so that they can work very efficiently in the organization.

(k). A control variable means that variable which remain unchanged throughout the research in explaining the relationship between two variables.

(l). Affective commitment is a control variable which remain unchanged between ethical leadership and ethical behavior. Affective commitment of the members of the organization is very important because it perceived the working style of the members at the workplace so that they contribute towards ethical framework in their organization.

1. 5.Below are the answers relating to the Article of Christensen et el. (2005).

(a).  Difference between True Experimental design and Quasi experimental design:

 (b).   In this journal, researchers conducted pretest and posttest to identify which students has suitable kinds of oral presentation skills in accounting. After conducting tests researchers allot marks to the students on the basis of proper usage of grammar, proper vocabulary skills etc. Pretest and posttest are considered as quasi experimental design because researchers will manipulate the entire group of the students.

(c ). Difference between internal and external validity:

(d).  As per White & Sabarwal 2014, Below are the advantages and disadvantages of Quasi experimental design:

Advantages:

• It is more feasible than true experimental design because it does not have logical constraints.
• It minimizes the impact of the identified threats.

Disadvantages:

• Because of the lack of randomization, statistical analysis is not relevant.
• Conclusions drawn in quasi experiment design are not perfect.
• Ethical standards must be followed to bring the research to be valid.

1. 6.
2. Jack, L 2016, Accounting and social theory: An introduction, Rout ledge.
3. Daff, L, De Lange, P & Jackling, B 2012, ‘A comparison of generic skills and emotional intelligence in accounting education’, Issues in accounting education, 27, no.3, pp. 627- 645.
4. Parker, LD 2013, ‘ The accounting communication research landscape’, in L Jack, J
5. Davison & R Craig (eds), Rout ledge companion to accounting communication,Rout ledge, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 7-25.
6. Daff, L 2017, Accountants and their Intra- Organizational Communication in the Not-for-profit (NFP) Sector, viewed 10 February 2017, <https://confidentcommunicators.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/executive-summary-of-doctorate.pdf>.

References

Cupchik, G 2001, ‘Constructivist Realism: An ontology that encompasses positivist and constructivist approaches to the social sciences,’ Forum: Qualitative social research, vol.2, no.1.

Calder, BJ, Phillips, LW & Tybout, AM 1982, ‘The concept of external validity’, Journal of consumer research,vol.9, no.3, pp.240-244.

Armstrong, J 2013, ‘Positivism and constructionism’, In improving international capacity development, Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Pyne, R 2014, Australia: The attitudes that unite and divide us, viewed 4 April 2017, < https://www.thenewspaperworks.com.au/attitudes-that-unite-and-divide-us/?ref=nca>.

White, H & Sabarwal, S 2014, Quasi-Experimental Design and methods, UNICEF office of Research, Florence.

Demirtas, O  & Akdogan, AA 2015, ‘The effect of ethical leadership behavior on ethical climate, turnover intention, and affective commitment’, Journal of Business Ethics, vol.130, no.1, pp. 59-67.

Christensen, D, Barnes, J, Rees, D & Calvasina, G 2005, ‘Improving the oral presentation skills of accounting students: An experiment’, Journal of College Teaching & Learning (TLC), vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1-28.