ABSTRACT
Theory has come to mean different things to different people.[1] Kerlinger,[2] for example, views theory as a "set of interrelated constructs, definitions, and propositions that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomena." While Kaplan[3] viewed theory as an "explanation of something" through its "relationship with other elements" in such a way that it "formed a unified whole." Weick[4] offers another view of theory as an approximation of a phenomenon that begins as a "non-linear vision" and is converted into related constructs and propositions. He contends that a theory is never complete but always a work in progress.[1] Despite these different meanings, there does appear to be some commonality in the overall understanding of what is a theory. Therefore, based on some of the commonalities, a theory is defined as: An explanation of a phenomenon or phenomena through a set of interrelated constructs.
