Journal article

Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research

Abstract:: Journal of Business Ethics recently published a critique of ethical practices in quantitative research by Zyphur and Pierides (J Bus Ethics 143:1–16, 2017). The authors argued that quantitative research prevents researchers from addressing urgent problems facing humanity today, such as poverty, racial inequality, and climate change. I offer comments and observations on the authors’ critique. I agree with the authors in many areas of philosophy, ethics, and social research, while making suggestions for clarification and development. Interpreting the paper through the pragmatism of William James, I suggest that the authors’ arguments are unlikely to change attitudes in traditional quantitative research, though they may point the way to a new worldview, or Jamesian “sub-world,” in social research.

Publication status:: Published

Peer review status:: Peer reviewed

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APA Style

Powell, T. C. (2019). Can quantitative research solve social problems? Pragmatism and the ethics of social research. Journal of Business Ethics, 167(2), 41–48.

MLA Style

Powell, T. C. “Can Quantitative Research Solve Social Problems? Pragmatism and the Ethics of Social Research.” Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 167, no. 2, Springer Netherlands, 2019, pp. 41–48.

Chicago Style

Powell, TC. 2019. “Can Quantitative Research Solve Social Problems? Pragmatism and the Ethics of Social Research.” Journal of Business Ethics 167 (2): 41–48.
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Files:: Powell2020_Article_CanQuantitativeResearchSolveSo.pdf

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Publisher copy:: 10.1007/s10551-019-04196-7

Authors

+ Powell, TC More by this author

Institution:: University of Oxford
Division:: SSD
Oxford college:: St Hugh's College
Role:: Author

Publisher:: Springer Netherlands
Journal:: Journal of Business Ethics More from this journal
Volume:: 167
Issue:: 2
Pages:: 41–48
Publication date:: 2019-06-13
Acceptance date:: 2018-03-20
DOI:: 10.1007/s10551-019-04196-7
EISSN:: 1573-0697
ISSN:: 0167-4544

Language:: English
Keywords:: ethics

quantitative research

pragmatism
Pubs id:: pubs:844320
UUID:: uuid:31dd1bf4-75fb-4b5e-bc36-9b05fa6b52c1
Local pid:: pubs:844320
Source identifiers:: 844320
Deposit date:: 2018-04-26

Terms of use

Copyright holder:: Thomas C. Powell
Copyright date:: 2019
Rights statement:: Copyright © 2019 The Authors. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

Licence:: CC Attribution (CC BY)

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