An Idiographic Approach to Organizational Behavior Research: The Use of Single Case Experimental Designs and Direct Measures

Abstract

The underlying assumptions of the dominant nomothetic (group-centered, standardized, and controlled environmental contexts, and quantitative methodologies) and idiographic (individual-centered, naturalistic environmental contexts, and qualitative methodologies) research perspectives are examined. An interactive theoretic (i.e., real people interacting in real organizations) for organizational behavior is suggested—a theoretic assumption that lends itself to an idiographic approach. Intensive single-case experimental designs and direct observational measures are proposed as a potentially powerful methodology for idiographic research of organizational behavior.