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  • © 2022

Researching Values

Methodological Approaches for Understanding Values Work in Organisations and Leadership

Palgrave Macmillan
  • The first book to provide an overall view on how to study values and values work

  • Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of potential research methods

  • Considers the role of the researcher and specific empirical contexts in which to research values

  • This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-030-90771-6
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Free shipping worldwide
    See shipping information.
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-030-90768-6
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Free shipping worldwide
    See shipping information.
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout

Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xix
  2. Researching Values in Organisations and Leadership

    • Gry Espedal, Beate Jelstad Løvaas, Stephen Sirris, Arild Wæraas
    Pages 1-12Open Access
  3. Methods for Collecting and Analysing Data

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 115-115
    2. Research Interviews to Investigate and Co-create Values

      • Gry Espedal
      Pages 117-132Open Access
    3. Observation and Shadowing: Two Methods to Research Values and Values Work in Organisations and Leadership

      • Stephen Sirris, Tone Lindheim, Harald Askeland
      Pages 133-151Open Access
    4. Thematic Analysis: Making Values Emerge from Texts

      • Arild Wæraas
      Pages 153-170Open Access
    5. Identifying Values Through Discourse Analysis

      • Benedicte Maria Tveter Kivle, Gry Espedal
      Pages 171-187Open Access
    6. A Narrative Approach to Exploring Values in Organisations

      • Gry Espedal, Oddgeir Synnes
      Pages 189-204Open Access
    7. Researchers’ Role Reflexivity When Studying Values Work

      • Stephen Sirris
      Pages 205-224Open Access
  4. Researching Values Through Practical Cases

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 241-241
    2. The ‘Telos’ as a Lens That Illuminates Values in Practice

      • Nina Kurlberg
      Pages 243-261Open Access
    3. Values-Based Participatory Action Research in Development Ethics

      • Isaias Ezequiel Chachine
      Pages 279-297Open Access

About this book

This open access book presents new approaches for researching values as they are performed or materialized. Values have been an important topic in academic literature for a long time; they are at the core of institutional theories and are often connected to ideals in organisations or ways of valuing. The various values-constructs are typically highlighted to underpin discussions of identity, ethos, and the purposive institutional work of leaders and employees. However, there is a need for more research on how values link and sustain actions and institutions.

Contributors in this volume map and discuss useful methodological ways in which values and values work can be investigated and how research on values has been and can be applied. The chapters present different methods for collecting data, including interviews, observation and shadowing, as well as various methods for analyzing data, such as thematic, discourse and narrative analysis. Chapters also consider the role of the researcher and participant validation as a procedure to enhance the trustworthiness of the study. Finally, the book presents various empirical projects and issues related to and exemplifying values research.

This book is a  valuable guide for researchers and students who are looking for a practical understanding of how to research values and values work in organisations. The volume is a follow-up of the open access book, Understanding Values Work: Institutional Perspectives in Organisations and Leadership published by Palgrave Macmillan.

Keywords

  • Values work
  • research methods
  • qualitative research
  • organization studies
  • management
  • Open Access

Editors and Affiliations

  • VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway

    Gry Espedal, Beate Jelstad Løvaas, Stephen Sirris, Arild Wæraas

About the editors

Gry Espedal is Associate Professor at the master’s program in values-based leadership at VID Specialized University, Norway.

Beate Jelstad Løvaas is Associate Professor at the master´s program in values-based leadership at VID Specialized University, Norway.

Stephen Sirris is Professor of organisation and leadership at VID Specialized University, Norway.

Arild Wæraas is Professor of organisation and leadership at VID Specialized University, Norway.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Researching Values

  • Book Subtitle: Methodological Approaches for Understanding Values Work in Organisations and Leadership

  • Editors: Gry Espedal, Beate Jelstad Løvaas, Stephen Sirris, Arild Wæraas

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90769-3

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Business and Management, Business and Management (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2022

  • License: CC BY

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-90768-6Published: 16 February 2022

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-90771-6Published: 16 February 2022

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-90769-3Published: 15 February 2022

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIX, 309

  • Number of Illustrations: 9 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Organization, Business Strategy and Leadership

Buying options

Softcover Book USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-030-90771-6
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Free shipping worldwide
    See shipping information.
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Hardcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-030-90768-6
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Free shipping worldwide
    See shipping information.
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout