Facet Theory in Organizational Research

Book excerpt: The complexities and multiple levels of analysis involved in studying organizational phenomena require clarity in conceptualization and appropriate measurement methods to capture these dynamics. The facet approach can integrate diverse perspectives and address challenges posed by interdisciplinary organizational research. Facet Theory, a methodology conceived by Professor Louis E. Guttman, is a comprehensive research strategy. Based on set theory, it brings to the social sciences a discipline similar to mathematics and the natural sciences. It offers a formal approach to define the universe of content by uniquely addressing construct clarity and empirical verification for management studies. Relying on qualitative data, it helps generate mathematically derived models that have common structures across different research domains. Thus, Facet Theory helps render objective and quantitative what had previously appeared to be subjective and qualitative. It offers unique procedures for studies characterized by multitudes of interacting variables, promotes the systematic study of configurations, and can help advance cumulative research on organizing in teams, enterprises, or markets. The chapters in this volume provide recent advances and applications of Facet Theory, demonstrating how it enhances rigor and new insights for organizational research. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of International Studies of Management & Organization.