I would like to draw your attention to the AoM PDW on Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). This workshop offers a hands-on introduction to QCA and the eventual goal is to offer this workshop on a permanent basis, particularly for PhD students hoping to acquire the skills necessary for QCA and fs/QCA (the fuzzy set version of QCA). No registration is required, but those who register will have access to handouts and readings prior to the workshop. Details as below. Our apologies for cross-posting.
Program Session #: 229 | Submission: 10414 | Sponsor(s): (RM)
Scheduled: Saturday, Aug 4 2007 2:30PM - 6:00PM
at Philadelphia Marriott in Room 304
Professional Development Workshop: Qualitative Comparative Analysis
<http://meetings.aomonline.org/2007/maps/Philadelphia_Marriott.pdf>
Presenter: Peer C. Fiss; U. of Southern California; <mailto:
fiss@marshall.usc.edu>
Presenter: Ruth V. Aguilera; U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; <mailto:
ruth-agu@uiuc.edu>
Presenter: Thomas Greckhamer; Louisiana State U.; <mailto:
tgreck@lsu.edu>
Presenter: Gregory Jackson; U. of London; <mailto:
gregory.2.jackson@kcl.ac.uk>
Presenter: Rodney Lacey; U. of California, Irvine / U. of California, Davis / London School of Business; <mailto:
rlacey@uci.edu>
Much of current management and strategy research-from contingency theory and configurational approaches to complementarities theory and the resource-based view-conceives of organizations as complex systems of interdependent factors. Yet, conventional statistical methods are frequently less adept at teasing apart these complex interdependencies. For example, standard linear methods such as regression analysis treat variables as competing in explaining variation in the outcome, rather than focusing on the ways in which causes may combine to create outcomes. As a result, a growing number of organization researchers are turning to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to examine situations where causality is complex and equifinal, i.e. where there is more than one path to an outcome. Such set-theoretic methods as developed in the work of Charles Ragin (1987; 2000) and others are increasingly used in political science and sociology, inviting their application to management research. The promise of such methods is considerable. Set-theoretic methods explicitly conceptualize cases as combinations of attributes, that is, as configurations. The researcher then uses Boolean algebra-the algebra of sets and logics-to examine which combinations of attributes lead to the outcome in question. This allows for a sophisticated analysis of complex causal relations, particularly suitable for situations where causality is difficult to examine using standard statistical methods. In addition, such methods allow for the analysis of small-N datasets where conventional statistical approaches are not applicable. This ½ day professional development workshop builds on last year's successful PDW by offering again a practical introduction to working with set-theoretic methods, and particularly with the fs/QCA software package. Feedback from symposium and session audiences indicates that there is a real demand for more exposure to the practical issues of doing set-theoretic analysis; scholars and PhD students are willing to apply these methods, but frequently lack the training required to do so. This workshop thus brings together a number of international scholars who have extensive experience working with set-theoretic approaches to provide such exposure. Through presentations, demonstrations, and discussions, the participants will learn how QCA can be successfully applied to a variety of management and strategy topics, offering new and important insights. The eventual goal is to offer this workshop on a permanent basis, particularly for PhD students hoping to acquire the skills necessary for QCA. The objectives of this workshop are thus threefold: first, to introduce participants to a cutting edge methodology that is increasingly winning attention in management research; second, to offer practical advice for those already working with QCA; and third, to develop an agenda and community of researchers doing qualitative comparative analysis across a variety topics in organizations and strategy research.
We do not require pre-registration. Those who do so will have access to handouts and readings prior to the workshop. Please contact
fiss@marshall.usc.edu
Search Terms: Qualitative comparative analysis , QCA
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Peer C. Fiss
Assistant Professor of Strategy
USC-Marshall School of Business
3670 Trousdale Pkwy, Bridge Hall 303-B
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0808, USA
Phone 213-821-1471
Fax 213-740-3582
URL
http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~fiss/ <http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~fiss/>