This course is designed for doctoral students who wish to understand the process of knowledge creation and publish research in scholarly journals in Strategic Management and Organization Theory.

While it is generally assumed that science rationally and reliably uncovers the truth, philosophers of science have tended to disagree. The first half of the course introduces major problems and movements in the philosophy of science, which studies the assumptions, foundations, methods, and implications of science, and well as its use and merit. We will discuss traditional themes such as theory and observation, induction, probability, and falsification, critiques articulated by relativists, feminists, and sociologists of knowledge, as well as challenges to these critics from contemporary realist and Bayesian perspectives. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to critically discuss the nature of science, scientific methods, scientific knowledge, scientific explanation, and the role of the social organization of science in its achievements.

The second half of the course is organized following the stages in the research process, beginning with framing research questions, research design, and continuing to consideration of alternative research approaches. We will discuss topics and study exemplars, in experimental design, survey design, ethnography, case studies, and archival research. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to critically evaluate design and method choices for their own research.