The Phenomenographic Method in the Brazilian Administration Research Field: analysis and discussion on its use

Abstract

Phenomenography is a qualitative method of research that seeks to capture diverse conceptions about a phenomenon, given the assumption that individuals, based on their experiences, have different ways of experiencing reality. This article seeks to analyze the use, the challenges and the perspectives of use of this method in the context of research in Administration in Brazil. For doing so, it presents a theoretical review on phenomenography, as well as a systematic literature review of doctoral dissertations, master theses, and scientific articles that adopted the method, and analyze their contents. The results demonstrate that phenomenography has been used in the Brazilian Administration field since approximately 2008. Although the main restrictive aspect is its applicability, according to the analyzed literature, phenomenography can be considered a significant approach in the understanding of social phenomena in organizations, referring to a possible complementary strategy to other methods of research.