Soft systems methodology and grounded theory combined – a knowledge management research approach ?

This paper suggests that a combined soft systems methodology and grounded theory approach is an appropriate research methodology to investigate a knowledge management question. Both methodologies have in common surfacing and exploring participants’ values and beliefs – in this sense they both share constructivist and interpretivist philosophical positions. The practical difference is that soft systems methodology values data from the perspective of the participant, while grounded theory develops theory from data interpretation by the researcher. Grounded theory and soft systems methodology share an anti-foundationalist ontology and a realist epistemology. Soft systems methodology has an applied axiology, while grounded theory has an Aristotelian axiology. Philosophical alignment between the methodologies and the researcher’s own beliefs is close. Given this close alignment, integrating the methodologies as a research strategy offers the advantage of a more holistic explanation, because data will be examined from both the participants’ and the researcher’s weltanschauung, and therefore should provide deep understanding of the research topic.