Test Flashcards
Generalisability
Applicable to general phenomena (all companies)
Controllable
Repeatable and transparent
Objectivity
Independent conception of truth (Not subjective of peers)
Method of research
Valid and agreed upon research methods
Parsimony
Explain phenomena in clear and simple language
Descriptive
Describing how things are
Prescriptive
how things should be
Normative
designating some actions or outcomes as good or desirable
Good reason model of truth
Something is true if more reasons are in favor than against the claim
Ontological
Branch of philosophy dealing with being, reality, and existence
Homo economicus (the economical human)
A person who strives after his/her self interest in a rational way
without taking into consideration the well-being of others.
Idealism
objects and phenomena only exist as long as they are observed or experienced
Idealism
objects and phenomena only exist as long as they are observed or experienced
Realism
reality is observed in a pre-formed method through culture, nurture, and experience
Kantian Idealism
Reality not in our mind but pre-shaped by our mind, ordered in two experiences - time and space
Sophism
The goal is to win a debate no matter the means or to find the truth
Truth preservation
In a logically valid argument, true premises lead to true conclusions
Invalid argument
You cannot make a conclusion based on the premises
Valid Argument: Modus ponens
All A are B
X is A
Therefore: X is B
Valid Argument: Modus Tollens
If A, then B
B is false
Therefore: A is false
Invalid Argument: Affirming the consequent
If A, then B
B is true
Therefore, A is true
(the form is correct, but logically invalid)
Invalid Argument: Denying the antecedent
If A, then B
A is false
Therefore: B is false
Positivism
Science should be solely based on observations and experience (empericism)
Logical Positivism
There are only two sources of knowledge: Logical reasoning and empirical observations
Deduction
Deduces reasoning from general claims or laws
Induction
induce reasoning about general laws or claims from observations
The correspondence model
A claim is true if it corresponds with reality
Observational concept
concept which can be observed through the senses
Theoretical concept
A concept that cannot be observed empirically, but requires additional concepts to be observed (eg. economic recession)
What makes a good theoretical concept
- Robustness - useable in more contexts
- Fitness - Fit into a more general theory
- Predictability - the ability to make trustworthy predictions
Coherence model of truth
Explanation of the core concepts in relation to the claim in addition of empirical observations.
Epistemology
the philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge
Analytic
Logical analysis of concepts (By definition)
Synthetic
What must be observed (By observation)
Demarcation
Distinction between science and pseudo-science
Intensional definition
Conditions a phenomena has to meet to be counted as an instance of the concept (Definition)
Extensional definition
The collection of instances to which the concept refers (examples)
Karl Popper’s Critical Rationalism
Scientists should not focus on confirmation of claims, but instead on falsification. If a theory can withstand falsification than true knowledge is gained.
Paradigm theory - Thomas Kuhn
How science works, through scientific revolutions
Paradigm
The structure within which scientists work together; assumptions, basic
theories, methods, and norms
Popper’s model
Reject the theory not the observation
Duhem’s criticism
Are scientists always going to reject the theory and not doubt their observation
Incommensurability
Cannot be measured/compared together, no paradigm is the best
Methodological individualism
Only individuals and individual action exist, without the existence of supra-individual entities, such as companies
Methodological collectivism
Supra-individual factors decide individual actions (eg. company culture)
Causality
Assesses events before a phenomenon (How come …?)
Functionality
Assesses the goal a phenomenon serves (Why does a bird sing?)
Teleologically metaphysical
To assess the goal of a phenomenon as the explanation for the phenomenon’s existence.
Causally metaphysical
To assess preceding causes as the explanation for the emergence of a phenomenon
Symbolic interactionism
People’s behavior is largely determined by norms within a group. (eg. fashion)
Normativity presupposes fallibility
Normativity (rule-following behavior) creates the tendency to make mistakes or be wrong (fallibility)
Intentional explanations
The intention behind behavior
Explanans
Explanation
Explanandum
The question
Industrial organization
Profitability is explained by the industry (eg. market share)
Resource-based view
Profitability is explained by the resources of a company (eg. patent, brand image, or staff)
Organizational ecology
The analysis of the survival, growth and death of companies
Hermeneutics
the attempt to unveil meaningful explanations for a phenomenon by understanding underlying meanings
Rational choice theory
assumes that all individuals act as perfectly rational beings
Nash equilibrium
A combination of choices of which no choice can be changed to
the benefit of any of the players (Confess-Confess)
Pareto optimal
A situation where no individual or preference criterion can be better off without making at least one individual or preference criterion worse off or without any loss thereof.
Agency problem
An agent is someone who has to do something on behalf of someone else (ice cream parlor)
Solutions to agency problem
- A promise
- Control and threat to fire
- A share of profits
Bounded rationality
There are so many decisions to make- so you cannot rationally decide every decision all the time
