We analysed substantive normative and empirical research articles, focusing upon the degree to which the works explained causality— the ‘why’ that is required of good theory. We sought a classificatory approach that focused upon the depth of theorising (and explanation), that is, upon ontology and epistemology, rather than allocation to a given school of thought and its assumptions. Hence, we sought meta-the- ory from other disciplines that offers explanations of human social process.
Consequently, we adapted Van de Ven and Poole’s (2005) typology of approaches to studying organizational change, to tourist decision- making (see Table 1). This was because of its extensive citation in the management literature, and its focus on the key concepts of ideas, people, transactions, context (all material causes), and outcomes (final cause); all key concepts in tourists’ decision-making research. The typology allocates studies to one of four approaches: