Pragmatism as a Research Paradigm

Abstract

A paradigm is a worldview, a set of beliefs, values, traditions, and conventions that shape our understanding of how we know what we know and what knowing is. With this definition in mind, the purpose of this paper is to point out the added value of articulating the research paradigm of a mixed methods case study that examined the preparedness of university graduates for today’s job market. The paper intends to examine how the exploration of participants’ worldviews of the phenomena under inquiry lends itself to pragmatism, a paradigm that underpins the philosophical premise of mixed methods research (MMR). The discussion demonstrates (1) how pragmatism as a research paradigm informs the chosen mixed methods design, and (2) how the chosen research paradigm, pragmatism, values multiplicity of worldviews that enrich the development of viable solutions for the problem under inquiry. Articulating the research paradigm that informs the overall design of a study is oftentimes marginalized especially in case studies. This paper intends to explain the value for highlighting the philosophical paradigm of case studies.