Qualitative Inquiry as a Method to Extract Personal Narratives: Approach to Research into Organizational Climate Change Mitigation

Authors

Jeff Birchall, University of CanterburyFollow

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that qualitative inquiry is highly effective at facilitating the extraction of personal narratives of senior managers in the New Zealand (NZ) public sector. Specifically, in this article I lay out the method used to develop theme-based narratives from semi-structured interviews with senior managers responsible for the delivery of the Communities for Climate Protection and the Carbon Neutral Public Service programs in NZ. In doing so, I demonstrate why qualitative inquiry is the ideal methodological approach for this kind of research program. Further, in demonstrating the research approach, this article may provide policy makers with insight into how to explore the cognitions of senior managers involved with carbon mitigation initiatives, and/ or the nuances of the initiatives themselves. This in turn may provide insight into how to weave climate and carbon management policies with other national strategic policies.

Keywords

Qualitative Inquiry, Narrative Analysis, Climate Change, Carbon Management, Carbon Neutral, Public Sector, Organizations, Senior Managers

Acknowledgements

The research was conducted at: Department of Accounting and Information Systems, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand, Phone: +64 3 364 2613 (general department).

Publication Date

9-22-2014

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2014.1003

Recommended APA Citation

Birchall, J. (2014). Qualitative Inquiry as a Method to Extract Personal Narratives: Approach to Research into Organizational Climate Change Mitigation. The Qualitative Report, 19(38), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2014.1003