Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification in Organizational Studies Book

About the Author vii

List of Figures xiii

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xix

1 An Introduction to Theory Building and This Book 1

A Brief Introduction to Theory 1

Why are Theory and Theory Building Required 5

Need for Theory-building Inputs: The Relevance of This Book 7

Focus and Approach of This Book 9

Focus on Organizational Studies Area 9

Focus on Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification 10

Focus on Logical Positivism 11

Source of Book Contents 12

Summary 12

2 Theory in the Broader Context of Reality, Knowledge, Science, and Research 14

Theory in the Context of Reality and Knowledge 14

Actual Reality 15

Knowledge 16

Presumed Reality 17

Theory in the Context of Science and Research 20

Science and Theory 20

Research and Theory 22

Paradigms, Actual Reality, and Theory 23

Summary 24

3 Theory: What It Is and Its Role in Research 25

What Is a Theory? 25

A Representation of Reality 25

A Set of Generalized Statements 26

A Set of Interrelated Statements 26

An Abstract Representation of Reality 27

A Few Definitions and Descriptions of a Theory 28

Role of Theory 30

Role of Theory in Simplifying and Ordering the Representation of Empirical World 30

Role of Theory in Facilitating Explanation and Prediction Goals of Science 30

Role of Theory in Bridging Conceptual and Empirical Research 32

Role of Theory in Facilitating Economy in Empirical Verification 33

Role of Theory in Pointing to the Areas for Advancement of Science 34

Summary 34

4 Units of Theory 36

Unit One of a Theory: Domain 36

Unit Two of a Theory: Concepts 40

First Category of Terms 42

Second Category of Terms 42

Third Category of Terms43

Fourth Category of Terms 43

Definitions and Descriptions of a Concept 44

Concepts and Constructs 45

Role of Concepts in Theory Building 46

Abstractness of a Concept and Its Implications 50

Unit Three of a Theory: Variables 51

Unit Four of a Theory: Definitional Statements 53

Unit Five of a Theory: Premises 54

Unit Six of a Theory: Propositions 56

Unit Seven of a Theory: Hypotheses 57

Summary 61

5 Some Aspects of the Process of Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification 64

Deciding on the Aspects of the Reality to be Represented and the Domain 64

Concept Specification and Specification of Definitional Statements 66

Other Approaches to Concept Specification 70

Typology as an Approach to Concept Specification 70

Ideal Types and Related Approaches to Concept Specification 73

Configurations as an Approach to Concept Specification 74

Specification of Premises in a Theory 75

Specification of Propositions and Hypotheses 78

Place of Logic and Reasoning in Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification 79

Logical Arguments 80

Additional Hypothetical Examples of Logical Reasoning for Hypothesis Specification 90

Summary 96

6 Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification: Observations and Examples from Published Research 97

A Few Observations about and Examples from Published Research 98

1 Simple Argument: Premises Mostly Based on Definitions and Assumptions 99

2 Simple Argument: Based on an Existing Model 100

3 Simple Argument: Based on Definitions, an Existing Model, and a General Law 101

4 Simple Argument: Based on the Existing Conceptual Literature and Empirical Findings 101

5 Complex Argument: Based on the Existing Conceptual Literature and Empirical Findings 103

6 Complex Argument: Based on Multiple Models 104

7 Complex Argument: Based on a Model and General Laws 104

Some Comments on the Observations 105

Summary 106

7 Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification: Some Extensions 109

Theory Building for Specifying More Complex Hypotheses: Mediation and Moderation 109

Theory Building for Specifying a Hypothesis Involving Mediation 109

Theory Building for Specifying a Hypothesis Involving Moderation 113

Extending Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification to Theory Building for Developing More Comprehensive Models 116

Extending Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification to Theory Building for Specifying Simple Theories 116

Some Other Inputs on and Approaches to Theory Building 118

Assessment of Goodness of Theory Building and Theories 120

Placing Theory Building for Hypothesis Specification in the Larger Process 121

Summary 122

References 123

Author lndex 127

Subject Index 129