This paper investigates the issue of qualitative research validity in various epistemological frameworks, including those of critical realism and pragmatic constructivism. It provides an overview of epistemological paradigms frequently mobilized in contemporary research in management and explains the epistemological reasons why certain kinds of qualitative research methods are adapted to carrying out research in certain epistemological frameworks, whereas they are not adapted for use with other frameworks. In addition, for each epistemological paradigm, we precisely discuss at least one kind of qualitative method adapted to doing research in this paradigm. The explanations provided about consistency between research methods and epistemological frameworks constitute useful landmarks for navigating among the various kinds of methods and numerous guidelines for doing rigorous qualitative research available in the literature. Precise clues are also offered for making sound methodological decisions from the start of a research project through to publication of research results.
