Tag: Theory Development

Explaining your model to a colleague helps you think more clearly about your theory and find possible gaps or
errors. Theory development, like most other aspects of organizational decision making, is a team effort.
To prepare:
Review Chapters 8 and 9 of your course text, focusing on theory development.
Review the Discussion and Assignment from Week 6.
Think about the model you developed and your colleagues’ responses in this week’s Discussion.
In 2–3 pages:
Explain the model you developed. Be sure to explain the variables and their relationships.
Identify where you have incorporated, or decided not to incorporate, your colleague’s suggestions in your
model.
Justify your reasoning.

Complete the Theory Development Exercise:
Using only your knowledge and experience, identify a pattern or relationship that is important in your field of business. Explain whether you are using
deductive or inductive reasoning.
Define the constructs and relationships in this pattern you have observed or expect to see.
Define the relationships between the constructs. Which one(s) influence which others, and in which direction(s) does the influence flow?
Derive at least one testable hypothesis from your theory.
Explain how you could use business research to test your hypothesis/hypotheses.
Explain why this theory, if supported by your research, would be useful in your business.