Methodological implications of critical realism for entrepreneurship research

ABSTRACT

Few papers have offered clear guidance for the application of critical realism (CR) to empirical studies, particularly in the research field of entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to critically review how the methodological principles used to conduct CR-based research can be applied in empirical studies and to develop a critical realist case study research design to guide empirical work in entrepreneurship. I demonstrate the value of a CR-informed approach in empirical studies by drawing on a qualitative case study that explains the reality of entrepreneurial opportunities. My inclusion of the three domains of reality and various data analysis techniques within the process of conceptual abstraction and retroduction contributes a distinctive methodological development in this field, which illustrates how CR can work in an applied setting to explain competing theories. Such a research design enables us to conduct empirical studies and provide comprehensive causal explanations of complex social events.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical realism
• abstraction
• retroduction
• case study research
• methodology
• entrepreneurship

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Xiaoti Hu is Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management at University of Portsmouth. He holds a Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship, and an M.Sc in International Management from Loughborough University. His current research interests include social entrepreneurship opportunities, decision-making in family businesses, and the empirical application of critical realism in entrepreneurship research.