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Pragmatic inquiry

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  • Mike Metcalfe

    (University of South Australia)

Abstract

Inquiry into how people might act to solve a problem, which involves powerful communities of stakeholders, cannot be undertaken using only the principles of scientific inquiry. Science is useful for inquiry into physical activity but less so for inquiry into designing appropriate social systems such as a strategic plan or the appropriate solution to a social conflict. This paper argues that complex problem solving needs to draw on a set of pragmatic principles, which it explains. Pragmatism is an epistemology intended to deal with alternative interpretations of the same physical reality. It is increasingly coming back into the attention of soft operational researchers. After briefly explaining which thread of pragmatism is being drawn upon, this paper identifies five interrelated principles for undertaking a pragmatic inquiry. To explain these interrelations, the principles are designed into a linked system of pragmatic inquiry which is applied in a small case study.

Suggested Citation

  • Mike Metcalfe, 2008. "Pragmatic inquiry," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 59(8), pages 1091-1099, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:59:y:2008:i:8:d:10.1057_palgrave.jors.2602443
    DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602443
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ormerod, RJ, 1998. "Putting Soft OR Methods to Work: Information Systems Strategy Development at Palabora," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 75-98, February.
    2. R Ormerod, 2006. "The history and ideas of pragmatism," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 57(8), pages 892-909, August.
    3. Richard J. Boland & Ramkrishnan V. Tenkasi, 1995. "Perspective Making and Perspective Taking in Communities of Knowing," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(4), pages 350-372, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. C Martin & M Metcalfe & H Harris, 2009. "Developing an implementation capacity: justifications from prior research," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(6), pages 859-868, June.

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