Using Content Analysis to Elaborate Adolescent Theories of Organization

This article shows how content analysis of textual archival data facilitates elaboration of adolescent theories. Drawing on the framework of a well-developed theory offered by Bacharach, the authors explain how specific protocols in content analysis can facilitate elaboration of three theoretical elements underdeveloped in adolescent theories: scientific robustness, relationship identification, and boundary establishment. Using an empirical example from a health care study, they illustrate the use of content analysis protocols to elaborate some theoretical elements of the attention-based view of the firm. The article contributes to content analysis and more generally to research methodology by specifying closer linkages between theory elaboration and content analysis.

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