This essay explores how the concept of emergence derived from the complexity sciences, alongside contributions from neuroscience, can help conceptualize an holistic theory of commercial qualitative research--emergent inquiry--which embraces the role of emotion in judgement and decision making.

Organizational life has inevitably felt the knock-on effect of the economic downturn and the unease that has accompanied it. High unemployment, redundancy and fear for the future are commonplace. Studies repeatedly show that 'trust' in the workplace is critical to ensure a happy and productive workforce and yet trust in organizations and management is at an all-time low. As fear permeates organizations, from the top layers of management down to the ground floor, the knee-jerk reaction is often an attempt to impose control; hierarchical control supported by regulation, red tape and rigid...