Matthew Jones makes a great contribution to the study of organizations with his new book. Researching Organizations wrestles with very important yet all too often neglected issues in the practice of fieldwork methodology. The book is based on meticulous scholarship yet entertaining to read; I wish I’d had this book when I started my PhD studies!
- Aleksi Aaltonen,
<p>It is worth noting the interdisciplinary nature of the book, which is reflected through the various examples and theories that Jones draws upon throughout the text, encompassing fields such as criminology and social anthropology...In sum, the text is well written, informative and accessible. It will likely be of use to researchers, both new to and with experience of this field, looking to develop a practice-based approach to organisational research.</p> <p> </p>
- Emma Smith,
The book contains a wealth of information which is targeted at graduate level researchers, and others who may wish to obtain a greater understanding of organizational research in practice...The practical nature of the book’s layout makes it a useful vade mecum for any researcher in the organisational field and the interdisciplinary nature of the text, drawing on, for example, such fields as criminology and social anthropology, provides a rich source of ideas. In short I can thoroughly recommend Jones’s ‘Researching Organizations’ to anyone contemplating or already engaged upon organizational research.
- Clive Simms,
This book does indeed shine a light and provides a compass for those ‘wandering in the dark’ of the practice of organizational fieldwork. As a practitioner, I found it a useful blend of underpinning theories, with a good array of practical tips and thought-provokers. It’s systematic, thorough and whilst primarily targeted at graduate-level researchers, it offers a lot to busy experienced practitioners in other disciplines for whom research is not their day job. It will make a relevant contribution to the action learning community as a compendium of practical tools and resources, with lots of useful ideas to stimulate thinking before wading into the practice of organizational fieldwork!
- Mandy Chivers,