Simulation modelling: bridging the gap between positivism and interpretivism

摘要

Positivism and interpretivism are based on different epistemological stances. There are many views in the literature regarding the relationship these epistemological stances as to whether or not they are mutually exclusive. It is, however, widely believed that the two stances are different inasmuch as they have opposing stances with regard to the elicitation of information and its resultant structure. Fundamentally, their use in research is dependent on the nature of the research question. The authors' proffer that discrete event simulation modelling (DES) can be used as a technique that can combine qualitative and quantitative data to provide effective research results. With this in mind, the paper describes how DES can be used to generate intangible information from a modelled system and therefore improve our understanding of particular phenomena. The concepts and objectives (which include understanding; planning and design, and performance measurement) associated with adopting DES as a research strategy are described and discussed in the context of the positivistism and interpretivistism. A structure for applying DES as a qualitative and quantitative in a single study is presented.