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.