ABSTRACT
Research and theory are interrelated. They form a cycle that is part of the collective dialogue of the scientific enterprise. A theory is a unified explanation of observations, some of which may otherwise appear contradictory. Theories about behavior often start with common sense guesses, but research helps sort accurate guesses from inaccurate ones using empirical evidence and appropriate analysis of the data. Sometimes, research is used to test hypotheses derived from existing theories. This is a deductive approach. It can also be considered a "top-down" approach because the theory precedes the data collection. In an inductive approach, research provides a "ground-up" approach, using observations and conclusions to formulate a theory. Grounded theory is a methodological approach that closely links theory development and research through an iterative approach in which researchers alternate between theory development and research collection in an iterative fashion, so that each step influences the overall process.
