Abduction 101: Reasoning Processes To Aid Discovery
Abstract
We propose that the process of abduction is a useful tool for how management scholars can better develop new explanatory hypotheses and theories. In doing so, we differentiate abduction from the more commonly studied methods of deduction and induction. We briefly explain the various research streams on abductive reasoning and propose a version that is focused more on the process of abductive reasoning and less on the outcomes. We argue that by using contrastive reasoning and by recognizing different triggers of abduction, this process can help guide researchers to the types of causal explanations that are interesting. We conclude with some examples of abduction in the history of management research and a discussion of features of the reasoning processes involved.
Publication Date
6-1-2017
Publication Title
Human Resource Management Review
Volume
27
Issue
2
Number of Pages
306-315
Document Type
Article
Personal Identifier
scopus
DOI Link
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2016.08.007
Copyright Status
Unknown
Socpus ID
84994169067 (Scopus)
Source API URL
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84994169067
STARS Citation
Folger, Robert and Stein, Christopher, "Abduction 101: Reasoning Processes To Aid Discovery" (2017). Scopus Export 2015-2019. 5689.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scopus2015/5689