How Do I Structure My Argument? (3 of 5)

Speaker: Mikko Ketokivi (IE) Surprisingly enough, the structure of arguments remains under-researched and under-specified in many contexts, including scientific argumentation: What is the basic structure of an argument? What is the role of empirical data? How about assumptions? In organizational and management research, there are many competing paradigms that vary drastically in their approaches and underpinning assumptions; how is this evident in how arguments are structured? Are there choices associated with arguments? What are these choices, and where do we make them? In this session, we look at how arguments are made and how claims are justified. Material referenced in the lecture and recommended for further reading: 13) Toulmin, S. E., Rieke, R., & Janik, A. (1979). An Introduction to Reasoning. New York: Macmillan. 14) Toulmin, S. E. ([1958] 2003). The Uses of Argument. Updated ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 15) Ketokivi, M., & Mantere, S. (2021). What warrants our claims? A methodological evaluation of argument structure. Journal of Operations Management, 67, 755-776. 16) Ketokivi, M., Fosse, S., & Kawalek P. (2024). The ethical embeddedness of the economic inequality debate. Working paper under review.