From Imagination to Application: Making the Case for the General Method of Theory-Building Research in Applied Disciplines

A literature review on theory-building research exemplars was conducted in order to identify relevant theory-building research methods for HRD. The General Method of Theory Building Research in Applied Disciplines (Lynham, 2002a) is offered as one way to organize the myriad exemplars into one comprehensive theory-building research framework that begins with imagination and ends with continual application and refinement. This theory-building research framework encourages the development of multi-paradigm theory-building research and research design, and lays the foundation for an integrated perspective on the complementarity of the postpositive, qualitative and critical paradigms. Further, this framework accommodates realist, critical realist and post-structuralist ontologies and epistemologies. Finally, through this framework, sophisticated theory-building research skills are made explicit and thus can be nurtured and practised by HRD theorists.