Reflection/Commentary on a Past Article: “Considerations of Quality in Phenomenographic Research”

How Did It Fit Into Your Career Path?

The article was published at about the time of higher education reform in Australia, as such, universities have prioritized higher education research by way of funding related research projects and promoting postgraduate research degrees in higher education. I have led a number of research projects for learning and teaching that were phenomenographic studies.

How Did It Impact Your Work?

I am from the Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance in the Faculty of Business and Economics at Macquarie University. Research in the business and accounting disciplines are mainly survey studies. This publication has brought to light the potential application of the phenomenographic method in business and accounting research. I have a few research students who have used phenomenography in their research.

How Did It Impact Your Field?

Each year, CPA Australia supports financially research projects through its Global Perspectives Research Program. The program is opened to all its members internationally and is extremely competitive. Successful projects are widely advertised. In 2014, I was successful in getting a substantial grant for researching accountants’ and business executives’ conceptions of Chinese Direct Investments in Australia. The final research report was published widely in the community. In my view, this has widely promoted the relevance, applicability, and impact of phenomenographic research in mainstream accounting and business research. Acceptance of qualitative research, in this case, phenomenography, in accounting and business research was also evident.

Were There Any Surprises That Came From This Publication?

Yes, in a very short period of time, this article has become the most cited of my publications. I am very pleased that it has been relevant to and used by other researchers in this field.

What Is the One Thing That You Think Has Changed the Most in This Area Since You Published This Manuscript?

I have observed that researchers in other disciplines beyond educational research have applied phenomenography. At the time when the article was written, there was still debate over methodological issues. Phenomenography, in my view, has matured.