I'm currently in the third year of a four year doctorate and have been given a new supervisor as my previous supervisor took a job at a different university. I should say that I'm extremely happy with my new supervisor as they are quite attentive and efficient in their supervisor but also give the space to get on with my work. However, the problem is that although we both do social sciences and approach research in differing ways: they're quants and I'm quals.

With my original supervisor the phd was originally an inductive single case study my new supervisor now wants it to be a comparative deductive case study as they come from a quants background and to this end has presented me with an entirely new structure of the PhD that conforms to their interests. My new supervisor doesn't engage with the same literature that I do and isn't aware of the current debates in it so I am of the opinion this is shaping they rethinking regarding my PhD. Although I'm aware their suggestion comes from a good place its not the approach I want to take or have spent the previous two years working on and as a result feel as if my PhD is being taken away from me.

To this end I plan on presenting another PhD structure of my design to my new supervisor in order to take back my PhD so to speak. To clarify my supervisor is coming from a good place but that only means so much. Just wondering has anybody had this experience when changing supervisors and could offer some tips on how to go about this.

I think your plan to present your work in the structure you prefer sounds like a good one. If you explain it to them like you have written here, and show them the literature to back up your ideas, it should make a lot of sense and I can't see why they would have a problem with it, especially if they are attentive and efficient as you said. Just be honest, direct and diplomatic and I think you will be fine.

Whenever there is a change of supervisor, there should be agreement on the direction of the thesis right at the beginning. However, my new supervisor tried to change my focus of the thesis later which led to unhappiness... In a sense, much work done could be 'wasted'.

However, you may want to explore both qual and quan which may lead to more employment prospects.