Elaboration on the Systemic Abductive Method: Practical Recommendations and Methodological Foundations

Abstract

Recently, the Systemic Abductive Method was introduced to help scholars with redefining controversial concepts in managerial, social, and behavioral sciences. This paper elaborates on the Method and its logic in relation to different schools of scientific thought and argues why the Method is pluralistic. Moreover, we suggest a set of practical recommendations based on a case study. Our contributions to theory-building include: 1) Arguing why researchers should use the terms concept, construct, and variable interchangeably. 2) Juxtaposing different approaches to conceptualizing abstraction levels. 3) Arguing systems thinking and abduction help theory building at the intersections of different schools of thought.

Keywords: Systemic Abductive Method, Systems Thinking, Abduction, Concept, Construct Clarity