The Impact of Phenomenological Methodology Development in Supply Chain Management Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the non-academic impact in supply chain management research through the application of three distinctive approaches to phenomenological methodology in different contexts. Design/methodology/approach - Evidence based examples from three case studies employing interpretivist, social constructivist and critical realist methodologies are presented. They reflect non-positivist approaches commonly used in phenomenological methodology and adopted in SCM investigative research. Findings - Different types of non-academic reach and significance from each research methodology are discussed to illustrate the non-academic impact benefits from each case. The three distinctive phenomenological approaches have been shown to contribute to innovative research methodology development on their own philosophical merit and produced novel contributions to supply chain management research in particular. Research limitations/implications - The non-academic impact examples have been shown to have wider influence and implication to business, the economy and society at large. Originality/value - The paper highlights the relevance of phenomenological research methodology for supply chain management. It also contributes to the development of the supply chain management subject area and will hope to encourage further reporting of non-academic impact supply chain research.