Evaluating Causal Explanations of Specific Events
Organization Studies · 2010 · Volume 31 · Issue 4
Abstract
Organizational life and research regularly involve having to explain specific events. This paper considers how such explanations might be evaluated. We outline a theory of causal explanations as answers to why-questions and introduce criteria to assess such explanations. The criteria are illustrated via an analysis of different explanations proposed for the remarkable success of Honda’s entry into the US motorcycle market.
Keywords
philosophy of social science, causal explanation, single cases
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