ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we describe five research approaches to multimodal phenomena, building on the classification of Meyer, Höllerer, Jancsary, and van Leeuwen (2013). Each approach can be understood as representing a different angle towards multimodality in and around organizations. They are distinct from each other, particularly in the specific roles that they assign to multimodal artefacts. However, we also clarify that the boundaries between approaches are primarily analytical and somewhat blurry in actual research practice. In particular, we suggest that previous research can be assigned to either an archaeological approach, which understands multimodal artefacts as manifestations of culture, a practice approach focusing on the performative effects of multimodality in use, a strategic approach understanding multimodality as a stimulus for sensemaking, a dialogical approach utilizing multimodal artefacts as prompts for interactions between researchers and field actors, and a documenting approach outlining the benefits of multimodal artefacts for the research process itself.
