Case Study $1\mathrm{.}3$ Isabelle$$s Research Dilemma Isabel was very considerate. There was a strange look on her face. The dilemma experienced by many students for research. Her research relates to managers and how they cope with stressors in the workplace. She especially wanted to explore the coping strategies they used. This requires consideration of theory and methodology and whether the research has practical relevance. After her initial reading around the subject, she decided that it was necessary to get involved in the world of theory and practice, and that the problems solved would evolve beyond the interaction between these two worlds. The theory in management can be seen as problematic, as some researchers do not have the discipline to manage it$.$ It is considered multi$-$disciplinary, with many early practitioners receiving their training in the social sciences $($Pettigrew $2001).$ Isabelle thinks it is advantageous to allow management research to gain new knowledge that cannot be obtained separately in several disciplines.

She felt that the content of stress and transformation can be understood in a number of levels of analysis, from the individual level to the structural level. In doing so$,$ she considers theoretical ideas and attempts to discern them in a practical way. This means looking at them again, which gives them imaginative and original insights into their dissertation. Isabel found that more traditional research on management focuses on positive attitudes, with an emphasis on scientific and rigor. Quantitative methods are often used in this approach, with emphasis on the use of measurement and one$-$factor analysis. The researchers hope that this will allow them to find a statistical correlation between the two variables and to demonstrate some relationship between the sources of stress and the possible physical, psychological or physical consequences if the competition strategy is not successful. Such research can be found in the work of Sudri and Marcoloides $(1997)$ and Whaleley $(2000).$ Isabelle decided that she would not use this approach. She felt that many student essays had already used this approach and wanted to overcome the pressure on managers to use statistical analysis and statistical approaches. She also thought that this traditional research ignored managers' biographies, which could be important in understanding how a manager works under pressure. The more traditional approach perceives the individual as passive and plays only a minor role in the design and construction of his or her reality. It is as if the researcher has already created the reality with the questions asked in the questionnaire. However, people who work in organisations have history, prospects and expectations and pursue their personal goals. For example, the long$-$term causes of a person's distress can be identified from work experience many years ago. To investigate this, Isabelle had to use a different approach. She chose to use in$-$depth interviews as primary sources to be able to examine significant turning points in her participants $$lives over a given period. This indicates why they made some decisions and what the consequences of those decisions were. In terms of methodology, Isabel decided that the approach she would take would be qualitative rather than quantitative. This includes the use of in$-$depth interviews. She also used life stories and family stories because this biographical approach was more holistic $($Miller $2007)$ This holistic view manifests itself in two ways. First, biographical information changes over time. Consequently, "a biographical approach is suggested, when the field of interest is either the effect of time change, historical events, because these events affect the person, or his movements on the path of his life." $($Miller $2007$: $74).$ Second, the biographical approach is a bridge between social formation and the individual. Social formation is a complex concept on which sociologists disagree. But it can be understood as a relatively stable system of social systems in a particular society, group or social organisation.

Thus, social structures can limit a person's behaviour and expectations. Discussing your geo means talking about the boundaries, opportunities and important points that have been available in the past, and how to deal with them. The biographical approach is based on the intersection of individual and social structures. In doing so$,$ Isabel knew she had to deal with the complex issues of the subject and the method she wanted to adopt. In this type of research, the relationship between the interviewer and the interviewer is central. She felt that she had the emotional maturity to handle the process. Most importantly, she believed that the research was thorough, organised, and related to workplace leaders.

Questions $1.$ How do you think Isabelle$$s understanding of theory and method changed in adopting the approach she chose?