“Your westernized habits”: contextual nuances of qualitative research in Russia
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management
ISSN: 1746-5648
Article publication date: 17 May 2021
Issue publication date: 3 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Fieldwork in emerging economies can be unpredictable and somewhat dangerous. The purpose of this article is to ascertain problematic issues that may arise when conducting qualitative research in emerging economies.
Design/methodology/approach
The author reflects on her fieldwork in Russia in 2014 and 2015. Specifically, the author provides a reflection on her investigation on how the Russian government influences Russian MNEs' ability to deal with domestic institutional complexity and gain external legitimacy.
Findings
The author has encountered a number of unforeseen difficulties: the ethical dilemma, sensitivity of the topic, translation challenges and unexpected group interviews. Through this reflection, he develops specific tactics on how to deal with these circumstances when conducting research outside a Western context. He also provides recommendations on how researchers in emerging economies can deal with ethical dichotomy created by the pressure to follow ethical guidelines. Finally, he identifies a list of opportunities that Russia presents as a research site.
Research limitations/implications
The reflections on fieldwork discussed in this paper can prove to be useful for qualitative researchers interested in conducting qualitative research in Russia. In particular, it provides specific recommendations on how to navigate Russia as a research site.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on issues related to methodological issues related to conducting research in emerging economies, as well as under research contexts, such as Russia.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would first like to thank Professor Snejina Michailova for encouraging him to write this manuscript. He would like to sincerely thank Associate Professor Christina Stringer on providing very constructive feedback throughout the entire process of the development of the manuscript. The author would also like to thank Professor Michael Hall for giving a very honest feedback on the latest drafts of the manuscript. He is also very grateful to Jody Cowper-James for the professional proofreading of the manuscript. The author would like to extend his appreciation to the associate editor, Dr Amanda Peticca-Harris and the anonymous reviewers for providing very constructive recommendations on how to develop the paper.
Citation
Earl, A. (2022), "“Your westernized habits”: contextual nuances of qualitative research in Russia", Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-06-2020-1972
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited