W4: Substantive Theory and Its Role Within Research
This week you were exposed to an array of theories that should help to jump start your research. What theory have you chosen to help you answer your research question? Please take this opportunity to practice discussing your theory in detail by explaining why you think it’s a good fit for the research project, the level of analysis it operates at, the variables it acknowledges, whether it seeks to explain or understand, and if it supports prediction. Your discussion should demonstrate a reflection upon the peer reviewed literature.
Substantive Theory and Its Role in Research
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Substantive Theory and Its Role in Research
The substantive theory will help in answering the research question, and it is used in the identification of the similarities, patterns, and relationships that exist in case studies (Roman, Osinski & Erdmann, 2017). The theory is important in organizing the information from the literature. The theory has gained important application in the field of research, including the development of the themes, models, and formulation of other theories.
The theory will be of significant importance in the case studies since it will help in the classification and retrieval of information. Substantive theory classifies objects in terms of positivism and pragmatism (Hjørland & Nissen Pedersen, 2005). The classification ensures the objects are true whether the information gathered is important in the research. The classification of information is done for a specific purpose and dependent on the precision of the information. The classification of objects on the properties requires a prior understanding of the data used in a given research. For example, it will involve how to utilize both quantitative and qualitative technics for retrieval of information and establishing good research (Roman, Osinski & Erdmann, 2017). Therefore the theory operates at the level of classification and information retrieval from literature or databases. The theory utilizes several variables that help in the extraction of specific cases from data and conceptualization and hence can also be used for prediction.
In conclusion, the substantive theory will be of significant use in the research. The theory is used in the classification of the information, the generalization of ideas, and extracting concepts that are important in research development. Variables employed in theory are used in the synthesis of data and inclusion of other theories. The research question is developed from a problem statement, and hence the theory will help in guiding this process.
References
Hjørland, B., & Nissen Pedersen, K. (2005). A substantive theory of classification for information retrieval. Journal of Documentation, 61(5), 582-597. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410510625804
Roman, D. J., Osinski, M., & Erdmann, R. H. (2017). A substantive theory on the implementation process of operational performance improvement methods. Revista de Administração, 52(2), 148-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rausp.2016.12.005
