A fundamental question confronting anyone doing social research is for them to construct a philosophical position and orientation towards their enquiry. Unlike many domains which have established practices, construction management is a relatively new field which draws from both the natural and social sciences. As such, many different theories of knowledge or paradigms compete for methodological primacy. Researchers draw from both traditions when designing their research projects in a way which remains sensitive to the theoretical and philosophical foundations upon which their enquiry is based. However, the extent to which this has resulted in a plurality of methodological perspectives is questionable. For many years positivism and quantitative methods have been in the ascendancy in construction management research (Fellows and Liu, 1997: 78- 79). This has promoted an orthodoxy of the application of ‘natural science’ methods to study social phenomena and an attendant focus on explaining human behaviour. In contrast, proponents of interpretivism, as an alternative paradigm, espouse the importance of understanding human behaviour (Bryman and Bell, 2003: 15). This has an emphasis on the empathetic comprehension of human action rather than the forces which shape it (ibid. 16). This perspective arguably has the potential to provide complementary insights, enriching understanding of the perspectives of those who work in the sector.