The summarization of a large-scale qualitative survey in a thesis, book, or scientific article poses a number of specific problems. This article examines the general form of the text: how to construct the narrative or narratives that will convey the research. The choice of the data- and/or results-reporting structure is a much more open issue than in the case of a quantitative survey; moreover, the narrative strategy chosen is meaningful and must be designed according to the objective pursued. Solutions to this problem are proposed, not as formulas to be applied, but as possible sources of inspiration. Deliberately, these sources of inspiration were sought in fields far removed from management science, fields for which these questions of reproduction are crucial. Examples from literature, investigative journalism, documentary photography, and comics will be used, and possible transpositions or adaptations to studies in management science will be considered. These sources of inspiration, and the suggestions that are drawn from them, are intended to encourage authors to free themselves, at least partially, from the accepted standard of writing, so as to better value their research and its contributions.
Keywords
- qualitative research
- writing
- narrative