About The Book
William H. Starbuck has been one of the leading management researchers over several decades. In this book he reflects on a number of challenges associated with management and social Science research-the Search for a 'behavioral science', the Limits of rationality, the unreliability of many Research findings, the social shaping of research agendas, cultures, and judgements. It is an engaging, chronologically structured Account in which he discusses some of his own research projects and various methodological debates.
This is a feisty argument from someone who has been fully engaged with all aspects of research-carrying out research programmes, evaluating research, tirelessly questioning the assumptions and claims of Social Science research, and never avoiding the awkward theoretical or practical challenges that Face Organizational researchers.
Well written, provocative, and unusual, this quasi-autobiographical account will inform and entertain, and be a valuable guide to current and future research students.
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
1. Creating Better Social Science
2. A Journey into Disillusionment-Discovering Problems
3. Pretences of Research
4. A Journey into Hope-Discovering Partial Solutions
5. The Production of Knowledge
List of Tables
2.1. Newly submitted data
3.1. Two theories of leadership : The Great Plan' versus Fiedler
3.2. Observed correlations between two reviewers
3.3. Correlations in Solow's analysis of the aggregate production function
5.1. Breakdown points : smallest numbers of observations that can distort analysis
5.2. Average absolute percentage error in estimated coefficients
List of Figures
2.1. Mean correlations over time
2.2. Percentage improvements with interventions over time
2.3. Citing half-lives in years
2.4. Percentages of references to the same journal
2.5. Numbers of references per article
2.6. Correlations reported in three journals
2.7. Ratio of forecasted change to actual change (original data)
2.8. Ratio of forecasted change to actual change (revised data)
2.9. Ratio of forecasted change to actual change for four types of forecasts
3.1. Frequency of significance tests in twelve psychological journals
4.1. Why diagnosis impedes treatment
4.2. Profitability versus market share of US brewers
4.3. How observed data misrepresent the present and future
4.4. Ratio of fit with OLS regression to fit with equally weighted independent variables
4.5. Maximum errors in effect sizes when estimated by OLS regression
4.6. Influence of deviations on estimated functions
4.7. Ratios of fit with OLS regression and fit with absolute-value regression to fit with equally weighted independent variables
5.1. Errors in estimated coefficients
5.2. Median errors in estimated coefficients versus explained variation with OLS
Review
'This book is a rare and brave challenge to the comfortable scholarly routines of social scientists. It is a book of protest, advocacy, and reform which combines iconoclasm with a deep appreciation of the practice of contemporary social science. Its arguments and clear evocative prose demand attention and it is worthy of a place on the doctoral programmes of social science and management throughout the world.' – Andrew M. Pettigrew, FBA, School of Management, University of Bath
'Scholars, graduate students, and thoughtful consultants who are concerned about solving interdisciplinary problems and making social science more effective should read this exciting book. The main theme is eloquently and analytically presented in "a journey into disillusionment". Starbuck then provides recommendations that can help us to take his "journey of hope".' – Chris Argyris, James Bryant Conant Professor Emeritus, Harvard University, and Director of the Monitor Group, Cambridge Massachusetts
'In this remarkable book, one of the most original minds in all of social science shows how to make the science better. Bill Starbuck demonstrates that true scholars are defined by their inputs, not just their outputs. Inputs captured in his autobiography (Chapters 2 and 4) are converted into lessons that reshape the tools we use to understand social complexity (Chapters 3 and 5). This book is a profound illustration of living the craft of scholarship, with equally profound guidelines to improve the craft!' – Karl E. Weick, Rensis Likert Distinguished University Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Psychology, University of Michigan
'In a fascinating account of his 40 years of investigation and learning, Bill Starbuck presents an original, razor-sharp and often devastating critique of our vast body of organizational research. He also plots the route to a better way to create useful, cumulative knowledge of organizations. This book is a must-read for anyone who wishes to study organizations and it will become a classic in our literature.' – Danny Miller, Rogers J.A. Bombardier Chair of Entrepreneurship, Hautes Etudes Commerciales, Montreal