Pragmatic Apparatus – Theory building is neither an art nor a science. It is a craft

Cited by Lee Sonogan

Theory Building: Neither an Art nor a Science, But a Craft* | SpringerLink

Abstract by Suzanne Rivard

Researchers often hold a romantic view of theory, which they feel should be a complete, flawless, deep, and exhaustive explanation of a phenomenon. They also often hold a romantic view of theory building, which they envision either as emerging from trancelike writing or as the product of a straightforward deductive process. The perspective I offer is more realistic and pragmatic. I espouse the view that the outcomes of a researcher’s theorizing efforts are often incomplete explanations of a phenomenon, which, given a chance, may develop into rich theories. I propose a highly iterative spiral model that portrays theory building as a craft, which calls for care and ingenuity, and requires patience and perseverance. I also propose design principles that can contribute to the quality of the outcome of theorizing.

Publication: Journal of Information Technology (Peer-Reviewed Journal)

Pub Date: May 5, 2020 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0268396220911938

Keywords: Theory-building process, trends in information systems/IT, theory assumptions, construct definition, theory type, theory

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0268396220911938 (Plenty more sections and references in this research article)

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