Qualitative Economics: The Science Needed in Economics

Michael Fast, Woodrow W Clark II

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter is about science from a book that on Qualitative Economics (Clark and Fast 2008), specifically building a science of economics, grounded in understanding of organizations and what is beneath the surface of structures and activities. Economics should be, as a science, concerned with its assumptions and how to develop and formulate theories of ideas and reality that produce descriptions of how to understand phenomenon that create experiences, hypotheses generation and replicable data which need to be connected to everyday business life. Economics has to start with a discussion of philosophy of science
There is a “disconnection” between economics which focuses on structures and universal laws from those that are in contrast with the everyday of life of business activity, which are processual and dynamic. This discussion is the central issue in the paper, and is discussed from the perspective of interactionism (Blumer 1969). It is a perspective developed from the Lifeworld philosophical traditions, such as symbolic interactionism and phenomenology, seeking to develop the thinking of economics through the use of linguistics (Clark and Fast 2008).
The argument is that economics first of all is about two things; it is about interaction and it is about construction. If we are not able to understand and describe how people interact and construct, we can not develop any theory of economics or understand human dynamics that is scientific.
Translated title of the contributionKvalitativ Økonomi: en videnskabelig nødvændighed i økonomien
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Next Economics : Global Cases in Energy, Environment, and Climate Change
EditorsWoodrow W. Clark II
Number of pages21
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media
Publication date2013
Pages71-91
Chapter4
ISBN (Print)978-1-4614-4971-3
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-4614-4972-0
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

Cite this