Methodology Case

The research process has flexibility following the suggestion of Saunders et al. (2003) which is an « onion» model. The Research Onion reflects the development of know and the nature of that knowledge. There are three approaches of thinking about the research process: epistemology, ontology and axiology. "In regards to epistemology this really focuses on how we can know about things, while ontology is focused on the nature of reality and looks at what we can really know. Lastly axiology is branch of philosophy which looks at the values about judgements" (Saunders, et al, 2011). The epistemology philosophy is used in qualitative research. In this study, the epistemology is the most adapted philosophy. It will allow to think about how we can know the things, the research process will be based on multitude of sources (primary and secondary data) and the approach will be qualitative. Indeed, in order to answer to the problem, it will be important to consider what are the different opinions and data and then determine a true. Furthermore, the research will be subjective, given the nature of sources, and the different opinions about the subject. The main goal is to be the most objective possible but the final theory will be based on interpretations, values and opinions. I will know describe in details the research onion characteristics for this study.

I/Structure of research method

To argue on my subject and made a way of investigate my subject I will expose my methodology, and what kind of method, what type of research, which strategy… that it seems to correspond to give an answer to my subject.

A/Realism

A paradigm is an overall theoretical structure within which a researcher may work. Furthermore, according to Guba and Lincoln (1994, p105) a paradigm can be explained as the "basic belief system or worldview that guides the investigator".

In research philosophy, there are three key paradigms: the positivism, the interpretivism and the realism. The realism research seems to be the best way to approach this subject.

"The realist researcher is enquiring into the mechanisms and structures that underlie institutional forms and practices, how these emerge over time, how they might empower and constrain social actors, and how such forms may be critiqued and changed" (Hatch and Cunliffe, 2006). To study the M&A in crisis, the analysis of the mechanism and structure of the deal will be useful to determinate what the financial crisis has changed. Furthermore the number of the deal have decrease over the time during the crisis, in 2007 the M&A operation

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