The power of co-problematization
Rethinking the design of research questions in collaborative qualitative management research
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19224290 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bilal Bourkha (0000-0002-0216-0724, Mohamed I University), Ikrame Kandili (Mohamed I University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-19 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-26 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Research Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1443-9883 • E-ISSN: 1448-0980 |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1108/qrj-11-2025-0397 |
| OpenAlex | W7162440765 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 36 |
Purpose This paper examines co-problematization as a core process in collaborative qualitative research. It explores how researchers and practitioners jointly define research questions through negotiation, compromise and mutual recognition, ensuring both scientific rigor and practical relevance. Design/methodology/approach Based on qualitative data from collaborative projects involving researchers, PhD students and practitioners, the study adopts an interpretive approach to analyze how tensions are managed and how shared understanding emerges during the formulation of research questions. Findings Results show that defining the research question is an analytical act of collaboration rather than a preliminary task. Co-problematization enables the reconciliation of academic and practical logics, while PhD students act as mediators translating concepts and feedback between both worlds. The process transforms abstract theoretical ideas into contextually grounded knowledge, fostering mutual learning and balanced power dynamics. Originality/value The paper introduces co-problematization as a key marker of quality in qualitative research. It argues that methodological rigor and relevance emerge from iterative negotiation and relational engagement rather than from procedural checklists, thus advancing the understanding of how collaborative inquiry produces credible and useful knowledge
Compromise · Negotiation · Power (physics) · Process (computing) · Qualitative research · Quality (philosophy) · Relevance (law) · Data Analysis and Archiving · Participatory Visual Research Methods · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
Engaged Scholarship
Neoliberal education? Confronting the slouching beast
Constructivist grounded theory
The Value and Challenges of Participatory Research
Care-fully
Collaborative Practical Theology
Foucault, Power, and Education
Participatory Action Research
Reflections on collaborative research
Narrating spaces of inclusion and exclusion in research collaboration – researcher-gatekeeper dialogue
Collaborative Research
Towards a collaborative, interactionist model of teacher change
Frontiers in Group Dynamics
Collaborative research
Co-operative inquiry
Challenging methodologies
Adapting participatory research methods for reflexive environmental management
Participatory research in and against time
Participatory action research and oral history as natural allies in mental health research
Considering quality in qualitative interviewing
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |