The Relationship Between Epistemological Stance, Mode of Reasoning and Methodological Approach: Critical Realism as the Basis for Research into Supply Chain Resilience

Abstract

This article highlights the importance of ensuring coherence between the epistemological stance, the mode of reasoning, and the research methodology in scientific inquiry, particularly in the analysis of supply chain resilience.

In the face of the complexity of modern logistics systems, critical realism emerges as an appropriate paradigm, as it reconciles the causal explanation of positivism with the interpretive understanding of the social sciences. Supported by abductive reasoning, this approach enables the progressive construction of knowledge through continuous interaction between theory and empirical observation. Methodologically, the use of a mixed-methods approach—combining qualitative and quantitative tools—promotes a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon under study. Altogether, this framework provides a coherent basis for examining supply chain resilience in a manner that is both rigorous and context-sensitive.

Keywords: Supply chain resilience, critical realism, abductive reasoning, mixed methods.

Received Date: November 05, 2024

Accepted Date: November 26, 2024

Published Date: December 01, 2024

Available Online at https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/484