ABSTRACT
This chapter covers phenomenological research, which seeks to understand and describe the essence of experiences as perceived by individuals. It begins with the philosophical foundations of phenomenology (drawing on Husserl’s ideas of bracketing and lived experience and Heidegger’s emphasis on being-in-the-world), explaining how these inform qualitative inquiry. The methodological steps of phenomenological studies are outlined: identifying a phenomenon, gathering in-depth accounts (through interviews, written narratives, etc.), and conducting thematic analysis to distill the “essence” of the experience. Typical application areas are given, such as exploring employees’ lived experience of remote work or patients’ experiences of illness, to illustrate how phenomenology can reveal deep insights. The chapter also discusses practical techniques like epoché (bracketing assumptions) and horizontalization (treating all data points with equal value) to ensure rich, unbiased descriptions. Limitations (subjectivity and difficulty of bracketing) and contributions of phenomenological research in digital and organizational contexts are highlighted.
