ARM Readings
Week 2:
Approaches to theory development
The extent to which you are clear about the theory at the beginning of your research raises an
important question concerning the design of your research project. This is often portrayed as
two contrasting approaches to the reasoning you adopt: deductive or inductive.
• Deductive reasoning occurs when the conclusion is derived logically from a
set of premises, the conclusion being true when all the premises are true.
• Inductive reasoning has a gap in the logic argument between the conclusion
and the premises observed, the conclusion being judged to be supported by the
observations made. Although the conclusion being supported by the observations,
there is no guarantee that it will be true.
• Abductive reasoning starts with a ‘surprising fact’ being observed. This
surprising fact is the conclusion rather than a premise. Based on this conclusion, a
set of possible premises is determined that is considered sufficient or nearly
sufficient to explain the conclusion. It is reasoned that, if this set of premises was
true, then the conclusion would be true as a matter of course.
When your research starts with theory, often developed from reading the academic literature,
and you design a research strategy to test the theory, you use a deductive approach.
If your research starts by collecting data to explore a phenomenon and you generate or build
theory (often in a conceptual framework), then you are using an inductive approach.
When you are collecting data to explore a phenomenon, identify themes and explain patterns,
to generate a new or modify an existing theory which you subsequently test through
additional data collection, you are using an abductive approach.
Deduction Induction Abduction
Logic In a deductive inference, when In an inductive inference, known In an abductive inference, known
the premises are true, the premises are used to generate premises are used to generate
conclusion must be true. untested conclusions. testable conclusions.
Generalisability Generalising from the general to Generalising from the specific to Generalising from the interactions
the specific. the general. between the specific and the
general.
Use of data Data collection is used to Data collection is used to explore Data collection is used to explore
evaluate propositions or a phenomenon, identify themes a phenomenon, identify themes,
hypotheses related to an and patterns and create a locate these in a conceptual
existing theory. conceptual framework. framework and test this through
subsequent data collection and so
forth.
Theory Theory falsification or Theory generation and building. Theory generation or
verification. modification; incorporating
existing theory where
appropriate, to build new theory
or modify existing theory.
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,Deduction
Six sequential steps through which a deductive approach will progress:
1. Put forward a tentative idea, a premise, a hypothesis (a testable proposition
about the relationship between two or more concepts or variables) or set of
hypotheses to form a theory.
2. By using existing literature, or by specifying the conditions under which
the theory is expected to hold, deduce a testable proposition or number of
propositions.
3. Examine the premises and the logic of the argument that produced them,
comparing this argument with existing theories to see if it offers an
advance in understanding. If it does, then continue.
4. Test the premises by collecting appropriate data to measure the concepts or
variables and analysing them.
5. If the results of the analysis are not consistent with the premises (the tests
fail!), the theory is false and must either be rejected or modified and the
process restarted.
6. If the results of the analysis are consistent with the premises, then the
theory is corroborated.
Characteristics of deduction:
- The search to explain causal relationships between concepts and variables.
- Concepts need to be operationalised in a way that enables facts to be measured, often
quantitatively.
- Generalisation: in order to be able to generalise it is necessary to select our sample
carefully and for it to be sufficient of size.
Alle mensen zijn sterfelijk. Ik ben een mens. Dus: ik ben sterfelijk. (=deductie)
Induction
- More useful for social sciences.
- Research using an inductive approach to reasoning is likely to be particularly concerned
with the context in which such events take place.
- Therefore, the study of a small sample of subjects might be more appropriate than a
large number as with the deductive approach.
- Researchers in this tradition are more likely to work with qualitative data and to use a
variety of methods to collect these data in order to establish different views of
phenomena.
Two out of three men is a bodybuilder. So then the third one is one too. (=inductie)
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, Abduction
- An abductive approach moves back and forth, in effect combining induction and
deduction.
- Abduction begins with the observation of a ‘surprising effect.
- It then works out a plausible theory of how this could have occurred.
- These surprises can occur at any stage in the research process, including even when
writing your report.
- Deduction and induction complement abduction as logics for testing plausible theories.
Which approach you use depends on the emphasis of the research and the nature of the
research topic:
- A topic on which there is wealth of literature from which you can define a theoretical
framework and a hypothesis lends itself for deduction.
- A new topic, exciting much debate and on which there is little existing literature is more
appropriate for induction.
- A topic about which there is a wealth of information in one context but far less in the
context in which you are researching, lends itself for abduction.
The time you have is an issue: deductive research can be quicker to complete since this data
collection is often ‘one take’. Abduction and mostly induction can be more prolonged.
Deduction can be a lower risk strategy, although there are risks, like non-return of
questionnaires. With induction and abduction you have to live with the fear that no useful
data patterns and theory will emerge.
Finally, there is the question of audience. Most managers are more familiar with deduction
and much more likely to put faith in the conclusions emanating from this approach.
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