Researching Organizations

Matthew Jones is a lecturer in Information Systems at the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School. He previously held postdoctoral positions at the University of Reading and the University of Cambridge where he was involved in the development of computer-based models for public policy decision- making. He has conducted research using a wide variety of different methods including laboratory experiments, computer simulations, interviews and participant observation and has undertaken fieldwork in organisations in a range of different industries including management consultancy, print and broadcast media, and the energy and healthcare sectors. His research interests are concerned with the relationship between information systems and social and organisational change and he has written widely on theoretical and methodological issues in this area. His work has been published in Accounting, Organizations and Society, Cambridge Journal of Economics, Communications of the ACM, Human Relations, Methods of Information in Medicine, MIS Quarterly and Organization Studies. He teaches qualitative research methods and research design to MPhil and PhD students in management and a course on researching organisations to graduate students in the social sciences.

Introduction Research and Organizations The Research Process Ethics in Organizational Research Getting In: Seeking and Negotiating Access Getting On: In the Organisation Getting Out: Leaving the Field and Reporting Research in Organizations Getting Back Emerging Issues in Research in Organizations Conclusions

Matthew Jones makes a great contribution to the study of organizations with his new book. Researching Organizations wrestles with very important yet all too often neglected issues in the practice of fieldwork methodology. The book is based on meticulous scholarship yet entertaining to read; I wish I'd had this book when I started my PhD studies! -- Aleksi Aaltonen It is worth noting the interdisciplinary nature of the book, which is reflected through the various examples and theories that Jones draws upon throughout the text, encompassing fields such as criminology and social anthropology...In sum, the text is well written, informative and accessible. It will likely be of use to researchers, both new to and with experience of this field, looking to develop a practice-based approach to organisational research. -- Emma Smith The book contains a wealth of information which is targeted at graduate level researchers, and others who may wish to obtain a greater understanding of organizational research in practice...The practical nature of the book's layout makes it a useful vade mecum for any researcher in the organisational field and the interdisciplinary nature of the text, drawing on, for example, such fields as criminology and social anthropology, provides a rich source of ideas. In short I can thoroughly recommend Jones's 'Researching Organizations' to anyone contemplating or already engaged upon organizational research. -- Clive Simms This book does indeed shine a light and provides a compass for those 'wandering in the dark' of the practice of organizational fieldwork. As a practitioner, I found it a useful blend of underpinning theories, with a good array of practical tips and thought-provokers. It's systematic, thorough and whilst primarily targeted at graduate-level researchers, it offers a lot to busy experienced practitioners in other disciplines for whom research is not their day job. It will make a relevant contribution to the action learning community as a compendium of practical tools and resources, with lots of useful ideas to stimulate thinking before wading into the practice of organizational fieldwork! -- Mandy Chivers