BNIM & RTA: A Novel Approach to Understanding Lived Experiences in Organisation Studies and Management

This paper argues for the application of the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method (BNIM) in the management and organisational domain as a novel, experimentally sound approach. Although this methodology is well-established across disciplines within the social sciences, it remains limited in the management literature. Its value lies in its capacity to authentically and ethically trace the lived experiences of participants. Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) employs a systematic approach to coding and identifying themes based on the raw data. Within the BNIM interview process, the value and utility of ‘sensemaking’ (Weick, 1995) are explored. The theoretical framework of Acker’s gendered organisation and the ‘ideal’ worker as gendered is linked to the integration of BNIM with RTA. Conclusions are drawn regarding the implications of linking BNIM with RTA in the management and organisational domains at the micro, meso, and macro levels.