“Methodology is the philosophical
framework within which the research is conducted or the foundation upon which the research is based”
- Brown RB, 2006, Doing Your Dissertation in Business and Management:
The Reality of Research and Writing, Sage Publications.
Placing your research in a wider philosophical framework helps the reader understand exactly where your enquiry sits and the set of beliefs, values and the assumptions about knowledge that underpin this. This transparency enables those who are accessing your research to decide whether the methods used are fit for purpose.
A range of methodological frameworks exist, each describing a different perspective and associated characteristics of the research approach (e.g., Are you making a meal out of research?)
