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OTHER TYPES OF RESEARCH 35

budget cuts, concern regarding the installation of the proposed information systems,
and the like.

Data Analysis
The VP then has the data analyzed to see if there are indeed significant correla-
tions between each of the different factors and slack in the budget (i.e., the
hypotheses are tested).

Deduction

If significant correlations are in fact found, the VP would deduce (or conclude)
that misperceptions about budget cuts and the proposed information system
did indeed have an influence on the managers padding their budgets. To solve
the problem, the VP may then clarify the real situation to the managers, allay
their fears, and educate them on how they would all benefit by proposing real-
istic budgets.

Review of the Hypothetico-Deductive Method
In summary, the hypothetico-deductive method involves the seven steps of
observation, preliminary data gathering, theory formulation, hypothesizing, sci-
entific data collection, data analysis, and deduction. Later chapters in this book
will discuss how hypothetico-deductive research might be conducted scientifi-
cally in organizations.

OTHER TYPES OF RESEARCH

Case studies and action research are sometimes used to study certain types of
issues. These will be briefly discussed now.

Case Studies
Case studies involve in-depth, contextual analyses of similar situations in other
organizations, where the nature and definition of the problem happen to be the
same as experienced in the current situation. As in the hypothetico-deductive
studies, hypotheses can be developed in case studies as well. However, if a par-
ticular hypothesis has not been substantiated in even a single other case study,
no support can be established for the alternate hypothesis developed.
Case study, as a problem-solving technique, is not often undertaken in organi-
zations because such studies dealing with problems similar to the one experienced
by a particular organization of a particular size and in a particular type of setting
are difficult to come by. Moreover, authentic case studies are difficult to find
because many companies prefer to guard them as proprietary data. However, by
carefully scrutinizing documented case studies, the manager is in a position to