Research methods for a fragile world: A personal reflection and actionable recommendations

Abstract

There remains a dearth of knowledge on research approaches and methodologies that are well-suited for contexts of violence and fragility, specifically in management research. Well-intentioned researchers often fall into the same traps over and over again, where objectification, silencing of voices, and violence normalization may prevail ( Abdelnour and Abu Moghli, 2021), leading to inadvertently causing harm and perpetuating damaging power dynamics and stereotypes. In this piece, I reflect upon my autobiographical research journey and practical experiences to provide concrete examples and recommendations to other fellow scholars that may enable them to enhance the value of research in fragile environments for all those involved, particularly those most in need. I conclude with a simple guideline for research design, data acquisition, and result dissemination, that may serve as a reference and starting point when embarking on such endeavors.