Sousa, Filipe J.2015-06-052015-06-052010Sousa, F. (2010), "Meta-theories in research: positivism, postmodernism, and critical realism" in Advances in Business Marketing and Purchasing: Organizational Culture, Business-to-Business Relationships, and Interfirm Networks, A. Woodside, ed. Bingley: Emerald.http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/823No scholar or researcher is able to provide robust evidence that counters the scant reflection on metatheory – mostly ontology and epistemology – underlying management studies in general, and industrial marketing and purchasing research in particular. This paper is a contribution to the indispensable discussion of metatheoretical alternatives in research, and most importantly, the strengths and shortcomings thereof, and respective implications on research questions, objectives, and findings.engBusiness researchMeta-theoryPositivismPost-modernismCritical realism.Centro de Ciências Sociaisbook part