1. Understanding historical methods in organizational studies:
JoAnne Yates

2. The big picture: How does history fit in to organization studies?
On surface, seems most similar to qualitative work
but
Differences in expectations for qualitative and historical study of organizations
Sampling, access, and methods
Evidence: Varieties and preferences
Temporality
Confidentiality
Publication genres
Genre norms for articles

3. Sampling, access, and methods
Qualitative
Sampling
Often case study (possibly comparative)
Theoretical Sampling
Access: Open-ended access to people & site are critical to case choice
Methods: Explicit, may use qualitative analysis software (discussed in paper with canonical references)
Historical
Sampling
Often case study (possibly comparative)
Sampling on historically significant phenomena
Access: Survival of and access to documents critical to case choice
Methods: Typically more implicit (not discussed in paper)

4. Evidence: Varieties and preferences
Qualitative
Evidence:
Interviews, observation, images, numbers, documents
Preference for spoken and observed over written
Distrust of written because of assumed CYA motives
Historical
Evidence:
Documents, numbers, images, artifacts, interviews if possible
Preference for written at the time over spoken
Distrust of oral because of assumed retrospective bias

5. Temporality Qualitative Historical Cross sectional dominates
situation at particular moment
Nouns, concepts, categories, boxes
Longitudinal more rare
Typically months to few years
May reflect perspective of
Past—period preceding time of study
Future
Always reflects perspective of
Present—current time
Historical
Longitudinal dominates
Change over time
Typically decades to centuries
Verbs, actors and actions
Cross sectional virtually absent
Always reflects perspective of
Pasts—multiple pasts, including period preceding time of study and time of study
Present—how we view it today
May reflect perspective of
Future

6. Confidentiality Qualitative Historical Organization often disguised
Makes it seem more generalizable
Often necessary to gain access to organization and to publish
Individuals always disguised unless public figures
IRBs often require disguise
Historical
Organization never disguised
Historical embeddedness more important than generalizability
If organizational permission required and not given, no publication results
Individuals almost never disguised
More problematic for recent history

7. Primary scholarly publication genres
Qualitative
Journal articles (and, rarely, books)
Desirable attributes
Answers theoretical puzzle or fills theoretical gap
Sharp theorizing
Satisfying explanations
Rebuttal of alternative explanations
Historical
Books (and, to lesser extent, journal articles)
Desirable attributes
Answers question or explains puzzle
New historical material
Meaningful, insightful interpretation
Well-written reconstruction

8. Scholarly genre norms for articles
Qualitative
Introduction previewing findings and contributions
Theory section
Site and methods section—very explicit with canonical references
Findings (organized by interpretation)
Discussion—links to existing theory, building contribution
Conclusion typically focusing on theory, noting limitations
Historical
Introduction previewing theme/interpretation
Literature review in introduction and footnotes
No methods section
Body organized by chronology & interpretation
Conclusion typically focusing on interpretation of phenomenon, possibly subsequent developments

9. Recommendations for Org Scholars Historians
Include documentary availability in assessing access
Triangulate documents with oral, observational sources
Take advantage of perspective from future with historical data
Value book as genre of publication for historical and ethnographic work
Allows elaboration of complex details and interactions
Allows support of theory with adequate evidence
Historians
Make methods explicit and consider access for interviews
Triangulate interviews, observations with documents
Reflect future perspective
Consider confidentiality needs
When writing articles for management journals
Frame as theoretical or empirical
Make methods explicit
Provide theory section
Focus on theoretical contribution