Empirical studies in WOP in Brazil: A paradigmatic analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a paradigmatic analysis of the literature in Work and Organizational Psychology produced in Brazil, based on Burrell and Morgan’s model (1979). Five research themes were selected: learning, citizenship, justice, commitment, and socialization. In total, we analysed the paradigmatic orientations of 276 papers published in high-rank peer review Brazilian journals between 2004 and 2014. The functionalist or the interpretive paradigms predominate, but there are also inter-paradigmatic papers, which indicate the epistemological plurality in this field. More established themes show more paradigmatic diversity in comparison to recent themes. Burrell and Morgan’s model was applicable to paradigmatic analysis of empirical studies in WOP; nevertheless, findings corroborate criticism of the assumption of exclusivity between paradigms. Future studies could explore trends in paradigmatic orientations in other themes and investigate the implications of this multi-paradigmatic perspective on knowledge production in WOP.