Individual Assignment 15/03/2024
Part 1 Page 1 (5)
Samahir Elzaki Hassan Adam
Qualitative Research in Information
Systems
Analysis of a published study
Samahir Elzaki Hassan Adam
Spring 2024
Department of Informatics SE-901 87 Umeå [Link]/english
Individual Assignment 15/03/2024
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Samahir Elzaki Hassan Adam
The researcher identified a gap in knowledge management literature for not paying enough
attention to the work of producing and reproducing information and knowledge ( Schultze, 2000,
3). The author described the unit of research as a US-based, fortune 500 manufacturing firm
where she investigated the informing practices of three groups of knowledge workers employed
her own ethnographer as well as the readers' experiences with information and knowledge creation
in a self-revealing and introspective account of the research process to draw the audience into the
text so that the assumptions and practices of the 'foreign' culture serve as a parallel in which the
audience's own assumptions are reflected and questioned (Schultze, 2000, 3).
The researcher has adopted a critical philosophical assumption as her own experience while
conducting the research is extensively interwoven with the actual ethnographic material to achieve
a cultural assessment as readers are continually prompted to reflect on their own practices and
assumptions in juxtaposition with others (Schultze, 2000, 7).
Regarding the research method, I believe that the author used ethnographic study because her
objective was to explore knowledge work in its natural environment and develop a grounded
understanding of what knowledge work is really like ( Schultze, 2000, 3). Ethnographic study fits
this research well since it focuses on first-hand observations owing to the researcher immersing
herself for a long amount of time in this field of knowledge work wherein, she investigates, draws
in, documents, and finally publishes a descriptive thorough account (Schultze, 2000, 6).
When it came to the data collection, the author had different degrees of involvement with the
three groups. For instance, with the librarians and system administrators, she assumed an active-
member-researcher role, where she gained identity as a group member and researcher as they were
readily accessible in their offices ( Schultze, 2000, 9). She engaged in ongoing observations and
informal conversations with librarians and system administrators. On the other hand, with the third
group, the competitive intelligence (CI) analysts, she took on the peripheral-member-researcher
role yet interacted closely enough to gain perspective of an insider ( Schultze, 2000, 9). In this
case, she scheduled formal interviews since they were required to attend meetings with clients
which requires further consent that was more difficult to get. Schultze also made field notes.
During conversations and meetings, she took hand notes that used later as basis for more elaborate
descriptions. She also recorded field notes when commuting between the two sites where she
conducted the study (Schultze, 2000, 10).
It is worth mentioning that the author receded tape-recorded semi-structured interviews as
participants were less candid through such an intrusive approach and substituted with unstructured
interviews and informal conversations for the benefit of building trust and pave the way for
recurrent follow up and observations in contextualized detail over the extended length of the
research (Schultze, 2000, 10). Schultze also asserted that it was impossible to capture the complete
richness of events in words at any rate and she must rely on events and interpretations that she
committed to her memory (Schultze, 2000, 10).
The researcher exercised extensive documentation that included literature about the company,
press release, bulletin board messages, analysts’ reports, librarians search results, system
administrators’ documents, conference proceedings and project advancement PowerPoint
presentation (Schultze, 2000, 10).
During the analysis phase, the researcher continuously identified themes and concepts. It Involved
constant comparison, reading field notes repeatedly to identify themes, and balancing induction
with deduction to interpret and present the data. By combining constant comparison with a balance
Department of Informatics SE-901 87 Umeå [Link]/english
Individual Assignment 15/03/2024
Part 1 Page 3 (5)
Samahir Elzaki Hassan Adam
of induction and deduction, the author aimed to ensure a rigorous analysis that respected the
integrity of the data while meeting academic standards. She decided it was time for her to exit
based on many factors that coincided with events of closure that occurred naturally in the field
(Schultze, 2000, 11).
The author's choices in philosophical assumptions, research method, data collecting, analysis
strategy, and written record all contribute to knowledge claims that are contextually rich,
multifaceted in interpretation, and contemplative. By using a confessional ethnography, the study
provides insights into knowledge workers' subjective experiences, challenges standard research
paradigms, and invites readers to consider their own beliefs about knowledge work. The
combination of these choices allows for a more in-depth understanding of the intricacies and social
dynamics inherent in knowledge work practices, which contributes to the larger conversation
about information systems research and knowledge management.
The researcher presented her results by drawing parallels to her own experience during the study
with respect to all three groups under study. For instance, the inherited status of CI analysts as
internal consultants dictated the importance that they should be seen as impartial and objective.
Their informing practice of monitoring was one way and they exercised gathering ‘just-in-case’
information to assure them that the information they rely on for analysis was not tainted by their
interest in it. The researcher, conscious that her very presence in the company constitutes an
intrusion, attempts to reduce her contamination of the data by studying her body language as a
means of intervention. She sought to strike a balance between pushing her own agenda and letting
things happen spontaneously (Schultze, 2000, 19).
When describing the informing practice of system administrators, the author discovered detailed
documentation that stem from their perception of themselves as outsiders and without support
within the firm and they felt the need to protect themselves through detailed documents that
exhibited their daily engagement with system users. The author also drew similarities with this
method since she documented situations as objectively as possible, including herself as a subject,
as if they would be utilised by a third party who was not acquainted with the issue to ensure
richness and reliability (Schultze, 2000, 15).
Finally, librarians see themselves as information specialists who retrieve information requested by
customers on an ad-hoc or recurring basis and intermediaries between the question domain and the
answer domain and rely on their knowledge to interpret request prompts and contextualize the
need for the information to provide cost-effective search ( Schultze, 2000, 24). The researcher
drew parallels to her own experience through identification of coherent set of questions and
answers and interpreting events through constant comparison, transferring information between
field and academic community and systematically iterate through data-driven and theory-driven
frameworks and theories (Schultze, 2000, 25).
The method chosen in the paper, a confessional ethnographic approach, presents both
consequences and challenges in the study of knowledge work. One consequence is the depth of
insight gained through the intimate exploration of knowledge workers' practices and experiences.
By intertwining personal reflections with ethnographic data, the author creates a rich narrative that
offers a unique perspective on the complexities of knowledge work. This approach allows for a
more nuanced understanding of the social dynamics and subjective aspects of information creation
and management within the studied organization.
Department of Informatics SE-901 87 Umeå [Link]/english
Individual Assignment 15/03/2024
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Samahir Elzaki Hassan Adam
However, this method also poses challenges. The subjective nature of confessional writing may
introduce bias or subjectivity into the research findings, potentially impacting the objectivity of the
study. Balancing personal reflections with empirical data analysis becomes crucial to maintain the
credibility and rigor of the research. The author practiced going back and forth between active
participation and distant observation, interaction and silence and emergence of event and their
design by the author (Schultze, 2000, 24). Additionally, the vulnerability inherent in confessional
writing may raise ethical concerns regarding the portrayal of participants and the researcher's role
in the study. Furthermore, the confessional approach may limit the generalizability of the findings,
as the emphasis on personal experiences and reflections may not be universally applicable to all
knowledge work contexts. Ensuring the transferability of insights to other organizational settings
becomes a challenge when employing such a personalized research method.
Department of Informatics SE-901 87 Umeå [Link]/english
Individual Assignment 15/03/2024
Part 1 Page 5 (5)
Samahir Elzaki Hassan Adam
Reference:
'A confessional account of an ethnography about knowledge work' by Ulrike Schultze (2000)
Department of Informatics SE-901 87 Umeå [Link]/english