Positivism Research Philosophy
It has to be acknowledged that it is difficult to explain positivism research philosophy in a precise and succinct manner. This is because there are vast differences between settings in which positivism is used by researchers. The number variations in explaining positivism may be equal to the number of authors who addressed the area of research philosophy.
Positivism has its roots in the works of nineteenth-century philosophers such as Auguste Comte, who argued that scientific knowledge should be based on observable and measurable facts rather than metaphysical speculation. Comte believed that social sciences should adopt the same rigorous methods used in natural sciences in order to identify patterns and causal relationships in social phenomena. Later scholars expanded these ideas and applied positivist principles to disciplines such as economics, sociology, and management studies.
Nevertheless, in its essence, positivism is based on the idea that science is the only way to learn about the truth. The text below explains positivism research philosophy with the focus on business studies in particular.
Positivism: Introduction
As a philosophy, positivism adheres to the view that only “factual” knowledge gained through observation (the senses), including measurement, is trustworthy. In positivism studies the role of the researcher is limited to data collection and interpretation in an objective way. In other words, the researcher is an objective analyst and she distances herself from personal values in conducting the study. In these types of studies research findings are usually observable and quantifiable.
Positivism depends on quantifiable observations that lead to statistical analyses. It has been a dominant form of research in business and management disciplines for decades. It has been noted that “as a philosophy, positivism is in accordance with the empiricist view that knowledge stems from human experience. It has an atomistic, ontological view of the world as comprising discrete, observable elements and events that interact in an observable, determined and regular manner”[1].
Moreover, in positivism studies the researcher is independent form the study and there are no provisions for human interests within the study. Crowther and Lancaster (2008)[2] argue that as a general rule, positivist studies usually adopt deductive approach, whereas inductive research approach is usually associated with a phenomenology philosophy. Moreover, positivism relates to the viewpoint that researcher needs to concentrate on facts, whereas phenomenology concentrates on the meaning and has provision for human interest.
A central goal of positivist research is generalisation. Researchers attempt to draw conclusions that extend beyond the specific sample studied and apply to a wider population. This is usually achieved through large sample sizes, standardized measurement instruments, and statistical testing. Generalisation allows researchers to develop broader theoretical insights and predictive models.
Researchers warn that “if you assume a positivist approach to your study, then it is your belief that you are independent of your research and your research can be purely objective. Independent means that you maintain minimal interaction with your research participants when carrying out your research.”[3] In other words, studies with positivist paradigm are based purely on facts and consider the world to be external and objective.
The five main principles of positivism research philosophy can be summarized as the following:
- There are no differences in the logic of inquiry across sciences.
- The research should aim to explain and predict.
- Research should be empirically observable via human senses. Inductive reasoning should be used to develop statements (hypotheses) to be tested during the research process.
- Science is not the same as the common sense. The common sense should not be allowed to bias the research findings.
- Science must be value-free and it should be judged only by logic.
The following are a few examples for studies that adhere to positivism research philosophy:
- A study examining the impact of artificial intelligence–powered customer service systems on customer satisfaction levels in the e-commerce industry in North America.
- An analysis of effects of foreign direct investment in information technology industry on GDP growth in
- A study of relationship between diffusion of innovation of mobile applications and saturation of applications in
The following Table 1 illustrates ontology, epistemology, axiology and typical research methods associated with positivism research philosophy:
| Ontology | Epistemology | Axiology | Typical methods |
| Real, external, independent
One true reality (universalism)
Granular (things)
Ordered |
Scientific method
Observable and measurable facts
Law-like generalizations Numbers
Causal explanation and prediction as contribution |
Value-free research
Researcher is detached, neutral and independent of what is researched
Researcher maintains objective stance |
Typically deductive, highly structured, large samples, measurement, typically quantitative method of analysis, but a range of data can be analysed |
Table 1 Ontology, epistemology, axiology and typical research methods associated with positivism research philosophy
Science as an Underlying Ground for Positivism
Positivism often involves the use of existing theory to develop hypotheses to be tested during the research process. Positivist researchers tend to use highly structured research methodology in order to allow the replication of the same study in the future. Science can be specified as a cornerstone in positivism research philosophy. Specifically, positivism relies on the following aspects of science.
1. Science is deterministic. Scientific approach is based on the assumption that X causes Y under certain circumstances. The role of researcher when following the scientific approach is to discover specific nature of cause and effect relationships.
2. Science is mechanistic. Mechanical nature of scientific approach can be explained in a way that researchers develop hypotheses to be proved or disproved via application of specific research methods. This leads to the fact that
3. Science uses method. Chosen methods are applied mechanically in order to operationalize theory or hypothesis. Application of methodology involves selection of sample, measurements, analysis and reaching conclusions about hypotheses.
4. Science deals with empiricism. In other words, science only deals with what can be seen or measured. From this perspective, science can be assessed as objective.
Differences between Positivism and Interpretivism
The key features of positivism and social constructionism philosophical approaches are presented in the following Table 2 by Ramanathan (2008)[4].
| Positivism | Social Constructionism | |
| The observer | Must be independent | Is part of what is being observed |
| Human interests | Should be irrelevant | Are the main drivers of science |
| Explanations | Must demonstrate causality | Aim to increase general understanding of the situation |
| Research progresses through | Hypotheses and deductions | Gather rich data from which ideas are induced |
| Concepts | Need to be operationalised so that they can be measured | Should incorporate stakeholder perspectives |
| Units of analysis | Should be reduced to simplest terms | May include the complexity of ‘whole’ situations |
| Generalisation through | Statistical probability | Theoretical abstraction |
| Sampling requires | Large numbers selected randomly | Small numbers of cases chosen for specific reasons |
Table 2 Differences between positivism and social constructionism
Alternatively, the differences between positivist and phenomenology paradigms are best illustrated by Easterby-Smith et al. (2008)[5] in the following manner:
| Positivist Paradigm | Phenomenology paradigm | |
|
Basic notions
|
The world is perceived as external and objective
Independency of the observer Value-free approach to science |
The world is perceived to be socially constructed and subjective
Observer is considered a part of the object of observation Human interests drives science |
|
Responsibilities of researcher
|
Focusing on facts
Causalities and fundamental laws are searched Phenomenon are reduced to the simplest elements Hypotheses formulation and testing them |
To be focusing on meanings
Aiming to understand the meaning of events Exploring the totality of each individual case Ideas are developed by induction from data |
| Most suitable research methods
|
Concepts have to be operationalized
|
Using several methods in order to different aspects of phenomena
|
|
Sampling |
Samples have to be large
|
Small samples are analyzed in a greater depth or over longer period of time
|
Table 3 Positivist and phenomenology paradigms
Shortcomings of Positivism
Positivism as an epistemology is associated with the following set of disadvantages:
Firstly, positivism relies on experience as a valid source of knowledge. However, a wide range of basic and important concepts such as cause, time and space are not based on experience. There might be many additional factors that have impacted research findings and positivism research philosophy fails to acknowledge the effect of these factors.
Secondly, positivism assumes that all types of processes can be perceived as a certain variation of actions of individuals or relationships between individuals.
Thirdly, adoption of positivism in business studies and other studies can be criticized for reliance on status quo. In other words, research findings in positivism studies are only descriptive, thus they lack insight into in-depth issues.
Overall, positivism remains one of the most widely used philosophical approaches in business and management research. Its emphasis on objectivity, measurement, and hypothesis testing makes it particularly suitable for studies aiming to identify causal relationships and produce generalizable findings. However, because business phenomena often involve complex human behavior and social interactions, positivism is frequently complemented by interpretivist or mixed-method approaches in contemporary research.
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[1] Collins, H. (2010) “Creative Research: The Theory and Practice of Research for the Creative Industries” AVA Publications, p.38
[2] Crowther, D. & Lancaster, G. (2008) “Research Methods: A Concise Introduction to Research in Management and Business Consultancy” Butterworth-Heinemann
[3] Wilson, J. (2010) “Essentials of Business Research: A Guide to Doing Your Research Project” SAGE Publications
[4] Ramanathan, R. (2008) “The Role of Organisational Change Management in Offshore Outsourcing of Information Technology Services” Universal Publishers
[5] Easterby-Smith, M, Thorpe, R. & Jackson, P. (2008) “Management Research” 3rd ed,SAGE Publications Ltd., London
John Dudovskiy