Adapting and Advancing Organizational Communication Research Methods: Balancing Methodological Diversity and Depth, While Creating Methodological Curiosity

Abstract

Organizational Communication scholars have a rich history of encouraging multiple approaches to data collection and analysis. In this chapter, I provide examples from our recent history that illustrate how we have developed our broad perspective on research methods. I also disclose the struggles I had when trying to decide how to represent the trends in published methods found in Management Communication Quarterly between 2000 and 2015. My analysis revealed that approximately two thirds of the papers published in MCQ used a qualitative approach to data collection. Mixed methods were rare, while using multiple methods was more common and has been stable over time. The chapter ends by highlighting pedagogical issues surrounding our field's acceptance of methodological diversity. I argue that as teachers, we must not lose the value of educating the next generation to be methodologically deep in some research approaches. However, we must also encourage methodological curiosity; a mindset that will allow our students to continue learning methods well beyond their graduate education.