Analyzing Social Interaction in Organizations: A Roadmap for Reflexive Choice

Abstract

This article proposes a framework for reflexive choice in qualitative research, centering on social interaction. Interaction, fundamental to social and organizational life, has been studied extensively. Yet, researchers can get lost in the plethora of methodological tools, hampering reflexive choice. Our proposed framework consists of four dimensions of interaction (content, communication patterns, emotions, and roles), intersecting with five levels of analysis (individual, dyadic, group, organizational, and sociocultural), as well as three overarching analytic principles (following the dynamic, consequential, and contextual nature of interaction). For each intersection between dimension and level, we specify analytical questions, empirical markers, and references to exemplary works. The framework functions both as a compass, indicating potential directions for research design and data collection methods, and as a roadmap, illuminating pathways at the analysis stage. Our contributions are twofold: First, our framework fleshes out the broad spectrum of available methods for analyzing interaction, providing pragmatic tools for the researcher to reflexively choose from. Second, we highlight the broader relevance of maps, such as our own, for enhancing reflexive methodological choices.