Theory Building in Applied Disciplines

4Conceptualize Phase

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT is a common starting point for theory building in applied disciplines. Thus, much more has been written about this phase compared to the others. The purpose of this chapter is to describe specific approaches to the Conceptualize phase of theory building in applied disciplines (Figure 4.1). Specifically, this chapter will

• define and describe the Conceptualize phase,

• describe the general inputs to the this phase,

• summarize the pros and cons of four approaches to the Conceptualize phase,

• describe the outputs of the Conceptualize phase, and

• propose a set of quality indicators for Conceptualize phase outcomes.

WHAT IS CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT?

Conceptual development is the specification of the key ...