In Search of an Intermediate Paradigmatic Ground: Critical Realism-Post-Positivism in Understanding Tourists' Motivation and Experiences in Asian Spas

Panchal, Jenny H.

Abstract

There is a plethora of challenges that new researchers face. As a PhD student, I was confronted with two research paradigm-related issues at two levels: having no research perspective to identify myself with and choosing a paradigm to identify myself with as a researcher. The meshing of two paradigms, which I refer to as ‘intermediate paradigmatic’ ground (Hollinshead, 2004; Gale & Botterill, 2005) was the best applicable option in understanding the motivation and experiences of spa-going tourists in Southeast Asia. I coined this term to reflect a middle ground or a mediating position between two opposing sides based on Stockmaan’s (1983) work. This chapter informs how the blending of post-positivist and critical realist perspectives were applied in the PhD in terms of ontological stance, epistemological, methodological, and axiological bases. It aims to emphasise the importance of paradigms and encourage research students to explore hybrid paradigms.

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Research Paradigm Considerations for Emerging Scholars

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978-1-84541-827-4

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Publisher

Channel View Publications

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Publisher Location

Bristol, UK

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DOI

10.21832/9781845418281-015