Of course, hypothetico-deductive em

Of course, hypothetico-deductive empirical articles
can also build theory, though typically in a
different fashion. Early tests of a theory are typically
concentrated on establishing the validity of
the theory’s core propositions. In subsequent tests,
researchers begin exploring the mediators that explain
those core relationships or the moderators
that reflect the theory’s boundary conditions. Eventually,
in yet further tests they begin expanding the
theory by incorporating antecedents or consequences
that were not part of the original formulation.
Weick (1995) described how empirical articles
can provide “interim struggles” that can help inch
scholars forward toward stronger theories. In this
way, the findings, hypotheses, and diagrams found
in a given empirical article might not comprise true
theory (Sutton & Staw, 1995), but they may move
the theorizing in a literature toward maturity
(Weick, 1995). Over time, a stream of such studies
can provide the inputs for more comprehensive
theorizing. For example, the first full explication of
goal setting theory was based on 22 years of empir
empirical
studies (Locke & Latham, 2004).