Deductive Approach (Deductive Reasoning)

Deductive research approach explores a known theory or phenomenon and tests if that theory is valid in given circumstances. It has been noted that “the ... Search Adeductiveapproachisconcernedwith“developingahypothesis(orhypotheses)basedonexistingtheory,andthendesigningaresearchstrategytotestthehypothesis”[1] Ithasbeenstatedthat“deductivemeansreasoningfromtheparticulartothegeneral.Ifacausalrelationshiporlinkseemstobeimpliedbyaparticulartheoryorcaseexample,itmightbetrueinmanycases.Adeductivedesignmighttesttoseeifthisrelationshiporlinkdidobtainonmoregeneralcircumstances”[2]. Deductiveapproachcanbeexplainedbythemeansofhypotheses,whichcanbederivedfromthepropositionsofthetheory.Inotherwords,deductiveapproachisconcernedwithdeductingconclusionsfrompremisesorpropositions. Deductionbeginswithanexpectedpattern“thatistestedagainstobservations,whereasinductionbeginswithobservationsandseekstofindapatternwithinthem”[3]. AdvantagesofDeductiveApproach Deductiveapproachoffersthefollowingadvantages: Possibilitytoexplaincausalrelationshipsbetweenconceptsandvariables Possibilitytomeasureconceptsquantitatively Possibilitytogeneralizeresearchfindingstoacertainextent Alternativetodeductiveapproachis inductiveapproach. Thetablebelowguidesthechoiceofspecificapproachdependingoncircumstances:   Deductiveapproachpreferred Inductiveapproachpreferred Wealthofliterature Abundanceofsources Scarcityofsources Timeavailability Shorttimeavailabletocompletethestudy Thereisnoshortageoftimetocompetethestudy Risk Toavoidrisk Riskisaccepted,notheorymayemergeatall Choicebetweendeductiveandinductiveapproaches Deductiveresearchapproachexploresaknowntheoryorphenomenonandtestsifthattheoryisvalidingivencircumstances.Ithasbeennotedthat“thedeductiveapproachfollowsthepathoflogicmostclosely.Thereasoningstartswithatheoryandleadstoanewhypothesis.Thishypothesisisputtothetestbyconfrontingitwithobservationsthateitherleadtoaconfirmationorarejectionofthehypothesis”[4]. Moreover,deductivereasoningcanbeexplainedas“reasoningfromthegeneraltotheparticular”[5],whereasinductivereasoningistheopposite.Inotherwords,deductiveapproachinvolvesformulationofhypothesesandtheirsubjectiontotestingduringtheresearchprocess,whileinductivestudiesdonotdealwithhypothesesinanyways. ApplicationofDeductiveApproach(DeductiveReasoning)inBusinessResearch Instudieswithdeductiveapproach,theresearcherformulatesasetofhypothesesatthestartoftheresearch.Then,relevantresearchmethodsarechosenandappliedtotestthehypothesestoprovethemrightorwrong. Generally,studiesusingdeductiveapproachfollowthefollowingstages: Deducing hypothesisfromtheory. Formulating hypothesisinoperationaltermsandproposingrelationshipsbetweentwospecificvariables Testing hypothesiswiththeapplicationofrelevantmethod(s).Thesearequantitativemethodssuchasregressionandcorrelationanalysis,mean,modeandmedianandothers. Examining theoutcomeofthetest,andthusconfirmingorrejectingthetheory.Whenanalysingtheoutcomeoftests,itisimportanttocompareresearchfindingswiththeliteraturereviewfindings. Modifying theoryininstanceswhenhypothesisisnotconfirmed. Mye-book, TheUltimateGuidetoWritingaDissertationinBusinessStudies:astepbystepassistance containsdiscussionsoftheoryandapplicationofresearchapproaches.Thee-bookalsoexplainsallstagesofthe researchprocess startingfromthe selectionoftheresearcharea towritingpersonalreflection.Importantelementsofdissertationssuchas researchphilosophy, researchdesign, methodsofdatacollection, dataanalysis and sampling areexplainedinthise-bookinsimplewords. JohnDudovskiy [1]Wilson,J.(2010)“EssentialsofBusinessResearch:AGuidetoDoingYourResearchProject”SAGEPublications,p.7 [2]Gulati,PM,2009,ResearchManagement:FundamentalandAppliedResearch,GlobalIndiaPublications,p.42 [3]Babbie,E.R.(2010)“ThePracticeofSocialResearch”CengageLearning,p.52 [4]Snieder,R.&Larner,K.(2009)“TheArtofBeingaScientist:AGuideforGraduateStudentsandtheirMentors”,CambridgeUniversityPress,p.16 [5]Pelissier,R.(2008)“BusinessResearchMadeEasy”Juta&Co.,p.3 []