CHAPTE 5
R
Theoretical framework and
hypothesis development
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing Chapter 5, you should be able to:
Discuss the need for a theoretical framework in deductive research.
Describe four main types of variables and identify and label variables associated with any given sit
Develop a theoretical framework that includes all the relevant components.
Develop a set of hypotheses to be tested.
Demonstrate awareness of the role of the manager in the development of a theoretical framework.
INTRODUCTION
After a critical review of the literature you may be ready to develop a theoretical
framework. A theoretical frame-work is the foundation of hypothetico‐deductive research
as it is the basis of the hypotheses that you will develop. Indeed, the development of a
theoretical framework is crucial in deductive, theory‐testing, causal research (but not in
exploratory or descriptive research where one does not develop a theoretical
framework to develop and test hypotheses).
This chapter highlights the importance of theory development in deductive research and
explains how the-ory is developed. The chapter starts with a definition of a theoretical
framework followed by a discussion on the need for a theoretical framework. It explains that
a theoretical framework involves the identification of a network of relationships among
variables considered important to the problem. Different types of variables on hypotheses
development are reviewed at the end of this chapter.
As you proceed through this chapter, in various places you are instructed to work
through certain exercises. Doing them at that time, before reading further, will help you
in becoming adept at formulating theoretical frameworks in a logical manner without
getting confused.
,71
,1 research methods for business
THE NEED FOR A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A theoretical framework represents your beliefs on how certain phenomena (or variables or concepts) are
related to each other (a model) and an explanation of why you believe that these variables are
associated with each other (a theory). Both the model and the theory flow logically from the
documentation of previous research in the prob-lem area. Integrating your logical beliefs with
published research, taking into consideration the boundaries and constraints governing the situation, is
pivotal in developing a scientific basis for investigating the research problem.
The process of building a theoretical framework includes:
1 Introducing definitions of the concepts or variables in your model.
2 Developing a conceptual model that provides a descriptive representation of your
theory.
3 Coming up with a theory that provides an explanation for relationships
between the variables in your model.
From the theoretical framework, then, testable hypotheses can be developed to examine
whether your theory is valid or not. The hypothesized relationships can thereafter be tested
through appropriate statistical analyses. Hence, the entire deductive research project rests on the
basis of the theoretical framework. Even if testable hypotheses are not necessarily generated (as
in some applied research projects), developing a good theoretical framework is central to
examining the problem under investigation.
Since a theoretical framework involves the identification of the network of
relationships among the variables considered important to the study of any given
problem situation, it is essential to understand what a variable means and what the
different types of variables are.
VARIABLES
A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values. The values can differ
at various times for the same object or person, or at the same time for different objects
or persons. Examples of variables are production units, absenteeism, and motivation.
EXAMPLE Absenteeism: Today, three members in the sales
department may be absent; tomorrow, six members
Production units: One worker in the
may not show up for work; the day after, there may
manufacturing department may produce one
be no one absent. The value can thus theoretically
widget per minute, a second might produce
range
two per minute, a third might produce five
per minute. It is also possible that the same
member might produce one widget the first
min-ute and five the next minute. In both
cases, the number of widgets produced has
taken on different values, and is therefore a
variable.
, from “zero” to “all” being absent, on
the absentee-ism variable.
Motivation: The levels of motivation of
members to learn in the class or in a work
team might take on varying values ranging
from “very low” to “very high.” An
individual’s motivation to learn from different
classes or in different work teams might also
take on differing values. Now, how one
measures the level of motivation is an entirely
different matter. The factor called motivation
has to be reduced from its level of
abstraction and operationalized in such a
way that it becomes measurable. We will
discuss this in Chapter 11.
R
Theoretical framework and
hypothesis development
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing Chapter 5, you should be able to:
Discuss the need for a theoretical framework in deductive research.
Describe four main types of variables and identify and label variables associated with any given sit
Develop a theoretical framework that includes all the relevant components.
Develop a set of hypotheses to be tested.
Demonstrate awareness of the role of the manager in the development of a theoretical framework.
INTRODUCTION
After a critical review of the literature you may be ready to develop a theoretical
framework. A theoretical frame-work is the foundation of hypothetico‐deductive research
as it is the basis of the hypotheses that you will develop. Indeed, the development of a
theoretical framework is crucial in deductive, theory‐testing, causal research (but not in
exploratory or descriptive research where one does not develop a theoretical
framework to develop and test hypotheses).
This chapter highlights the importance of theory development in deductive research and
explains how the-ory is developed. The chapter starts with a definition of a theoretical
framework followed by a discussion on the need for a theoretical framework. It explains that
a theoretical framework involves the identification of a network of relationships among
variables considered important to the problem. Different types of variables on hypotheses
development are reviewed at the end of this chapter.
As you proceed through this chapter, in various places you are instructed to work
through certain exercises. Doing them at that time, before reading further, will help you
in becoming adept at formulating theoretical frameworks in a logical manner without
getting confused.
,71
,1 research methods for business
THE NEED FOR A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A theoretical framework represents your beliefs on how certain phenomena (or variables or concepts) are
related to each other (a model) and an explanation of why you believe that these variables are
associated with each other (a theory). Both the model and the theory flow logically from the
documentation of previous research in the prob-lem area. Integrating your logical beliefs with
published research, taking into consideration the boundaries and constraints governing the situation, is
pivotal in developing a scientific basis for investigating the research problem.
The process of building a theoretical framework includes:
1 Introducing definitions of the concepts or variables in your model.
2 Developing a conceptual model that provides a descriptive representation of your
theory.
3 Coming up with a theory that provides an explanation for relationships
between the variables in your model.
From the theoretical framework, then, testable hypotheses can be developed to examine
whether your theory is valid or not. The hypothesized relationships can thereafter be tested
through appropriate statistical analyses. Hence, the entire deductive research project rests on the
basis of the theoretical framework. Even if testable hypotheses are not necessarily generated (as
in some applied research projects), developing a good theoretical framework is central to
examining the problem under investigation.
Since a theoretical framework involves the identification of the network of
relationships among the variables considered important to the study of any given
problem situation, it is essential to understand what a variable means and what the
different types of variables are.
VARIABLES
A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values. The values can differ
at various times for the same object or person, or at the same time for different objects
or persons. Examples of variables are production units, absenteeism, and motivation.
EXAMPLE Absenteeism: Today, three members in the sales
department may be absent; tomorrow, six members
Production units: One worker in the
may not show up for work; the day after, there may
manufacturing department may produce one
be no one absent. The value can thus theoretically
widget per minute, a second might produce
range
two per minute, a third might produce five
per minute. It is also possible that the same
member might produce one widget the first
min-ute and five the next minute. In both
cases, the number of widgets produced has
taken on different values, and is therefore a
variable.
, from “zero” to “all” being absent, on
the absentee-ism variable.
Motivation: The levels of motivation of
members to learn in the class or in a work
team might take on varying values ranging
from “very low” to “very high.” An
individual’s motivation to learn from different
classes or in different work teams might also
take on differing values. Now, how one
measures the level of motivation is an entirely
different matter. The factor called motivation
has to be reduced from its level of
abstraction and operationalized in such a
way that it becomes measurable. We will
discuss this in Chapter 11.
