MIOPIAS DE UMA LENTE DE AUMENTO: AS LIMITAÇÕES DA ANÁLISE DE DOCUMENTOS NO ESTUDO DAS ORGANIZAÇÕES

Abstract

Brazilian publications in the area of Business Management are often supported by a case study, a methodological strategy used in feld research, which often relies on the triad: interview, observation and document analysis. From these three methods of data collection, this research focuses specifcally on document analysis, seeking to overcome the lack of rigor in this method of gathering information. Therefore, the purpose of this discussion is to identify the limitations of document analysis in the studies of organizations, and to make researchers aware of the risks of this method, to ensure that research carried out using this method maintains the necessary rigor. It is important to understand that the process of document analysis does not stand alone, but is complementary to, or complemented by other data collection methods. Hence, a document analysis with high levels of rigor requires prior activities on the part of the researcher. These activities involve reflections and understanding of the researcher about: (1) the social context; (2) the individual who wrote the document; (3) the way the document is written; (4) the reading of the text; (5) the reader; and (6) the document per se. Based on these factors, the researcher may come across the following problems: (a) the social context in which the document was written; (b) prior knowledge that the researcher may have to abstract greater information from the document; (c) pre-established content that can limit the researcher’s perception of the content of the document; (d) the rhetorical content of the document, which can bias the interpretation of the organizational reality; (e) the document as a single source of data, establishing that the document can be complemented by other data collection methods. The lack of preparation and attention in relation to all these elements can compromise the understanding of the structure of the document and, in particular, its content and discourse. With these precautions, we believe that researchers can raise more rigorously empirical information through document analysis.