Decision Making and ‘Messy’ Methodological Research Approaches

This article looks at the theories behind how organisations and individuals make decisions which impact on the environment in which they operate. The processes that are involved in making these decisions can be both linear and non-linear. It is argued that these differences need to be taken into accounted in any programme of research that is undertaken that looks at the social world. Traditional views of how a methodological framework for undertaking this type of research have emphasised the importance of standardised approaches which follow a linear format. To include the non-linear way in which individuals and organisations approach decision making a methodological framework needs to be flexible enough to be able to reflect this non-linear pattern. This would require the researcher to embrace a ‘messy’ approach to their programme of research which is more reflective of the social world that they are researching.