Capturing emotions in qualitative strategic organization research

Abstract

This essay offers insight into methods for qualitatively capturing emotions in strategic organization research, a theme that has attracted increasing interest in the literature, but that raises methodological challenges. We review how researchers have examined emotions in the following three domains of strategic organization research—organizational processes, institutional processes, and strategizing activities. We discuss the ontological assumptions about emotion in each of these areas, and explain how researchers in each area examine particular aspects of the multi-dimensional phenomenon of emotion. We identify specific challenges in capturing emotions in each area, as well as the strategies that researchers use to address them. We outline a repertoire of coding resources and guidelines for the convenient use of future researchers. Finally, we evaluate the strengths and limits of each approach, and identify avenues for future research.