Theoretical framework 1,2 is the structure that supports and describes a theory. A theory is a set of interrelated concepts and definitions that present a systematic view of phenomena by describing the relationship among the variables for explaining these phenomena. A theory is developed after a long research process and explains the existence of a research problem in a study. A theoretical framework guides the research process like a roadmap for the research study and helps researchers clearly interpret their findings by providing a structure for organizing data and developing conclusions.
A theoretical framework in research is an important part of a manuscript and should be presented in the first section. It shows an understanding of the theories and concepts relevant to the research and helps limit the scope of the research.
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A theoretical framework in research can be defined as a set of concepts, theories, ideas, and assumptions that help you understand a specific phenomenon or problem. It can be considered a blueprint that is borrowed by researchers to develop their own research inquiry. A theoretical framework in research helps researchers design and conduct their research and analyze and interpret their findings. It explains the relationship between variables, identifies gaps in existing knowledge, and guides the development of research questions, hypotheses, and methodologies to address that gap.
Now that you know the answer to ‘ What is a theoretical framework? ’, check the following table that lists the different types of theoretical frameworks in research: 3
| Type | Definition |
| Conceptual | Defines key concepts and relationships |
| Deductive | Starts with a general hypothesis and then uses data to test it; used in quantitative research |
| Inductive | Starts with data and then develops a hypothesis; used in qualitative research |
| Empirical | Focuses on the collection and analysis of empirical data; used in scientific research |
| Normative | Defines a set of norms that guide behavior; used in ethics and social sciences |
| Explanatory | Explains causes of particular behavior; used in psychology and social sciences |
Developing a theoretical framework in research can help in the following situations: 4
The purpose of theoretical framework s is to support you in the following ways during the research process: 2
While a theoretical framework covers the theoretical aspect of your study, that is, the various theories that can guide your research, a conceptual framework defines the variables for your study and presents how they relate to each other. The conceptual framework is developed before collecting the data. However, both frameworks help in understanding the research problem and guide the development, collection, and analysis of the research.
The following table lists some differences between conceptual and theoretical frameworks . 5
| Theoretical framework | Conceptual framework |
| Based on existing theories that have been tested and validated by others | Based on concepts that are the main variables in the study |
| Used to create a foundation of the theory on which your study will be developed | Visualizes the relationships between the concepts and variables based on the existing literature |
| Used to test theories, to predict and control the situations within the context of a research inquiry | Helps the development of a theory that would be useful to practitioners |
| Provides a general set of ideas within which a study belongs | Refers to specific ideas that researchers utilize in their study |
| Offers a focal point for approaching unknown research in a specific field of inquiry | Shows logically how the research inquiry should be undertaken |
| Works deductively | Works inductively |
| Used in quantitative studies | Used in qualitative studies |
The following general steps can help those wondering how to write a theoretical framework: 2
Here are two examples of a theoretical framework. 6,7
An insurance company is facing a challenge cross-selling its products. The sales department indicates that most customers have just one policy, although the company offers over 10 unique policies. The company would want its customers to purchase more than one policy since most customers are purchasing policies from other companies.
Objective : To sell more insurance products to existing customers.
Problem : Many customers are purchasing additional policies from other companies.
Research question : How can customer product awareness be improved to increase cross-selling of insurance products?
Sub-questions: What is the relationship between product awareness and sales? Which factors determine product awareness?
Since “product awareness” is the main focus in this study, the theoretical framework should analyze this concept and study previous literature on this subject and propose theories that discuss the relationship between product awareness and its improvement in sales of other products.
A company is facing a continued decline in its sales and profitability. The main reason for the decline in the profitability is poor services, which have resulted in a high level of dissatisfaction among customers and consequently a decline in customer loyalty. The management is planning to concentrate on clients’ satisfaction and customer loyalty.
Objective: To provide better service to customers and increase customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Problem: Continued decrease in sales and profitability.
Research question: How can customer satisfaction help in increasing sales and profitability?
Sub-questions: What is the relationship between customer loyalty and sales? Which factors influence the level of satisfaction gained by customers?
Since customer satisfaction, loyalty, profitability, and sales are the important topics in this example, the theoretical framework should focus on these concepts.
There are several benefits of a theoretical framework in research: 2
Q1. How do I develop a theoretical framework ? 7
A1. The following steps can be used for developing a theoretical framework :
Q2. How do I know if I have developed a good theoretical framework or not? 8
A2. The following checklist could help you answer this question:
Q3. Can I use multiple theoretical frameworks in a single study?
A3. Using multiple theoretical frameworks in a single study is acceptable as long as each theory is clearly defined and related to the study. Each theory should also be discussed individually. This approach may, however, be tedious and effort intensive. Therefore, multiple theoretical frameworks should be used only if absolutely necessary for the study.
Q4. Is it necessary to include a theoretical framework in every research study?
A4. The theoretical framework connects researchers to existing knowledge. So, including a theoretical framework would help researchers get a clear idea about the research process and help structure their study effectively by clearly defining an objective, a research problem, and a research question.
Q5. Can a theoretical framework be developed for qualitative research?
A5. Yes, a theoretical framework can be developed for qualitative research. However, qualitative research methods may or may not involve a theory developed beforehand. In these studies, a theoretical framework can guide the study and help develop a theory during the data analysis phase. This resulting framework uses inductive reasoning. The outcome of this inductive approach can be referred to as an emergent theoretical framework . This method helps researchers develop a theory inductively, which explains a phenomenon without a guiding framework at the outset.
Q6. What is the main difference between a literature review and a theoretical framework ?
A6. A literature review explores already existing studies about a specific topic in order to highlight a gap, which becomes the focus of the current research study. A theoretical framework can be considered the next step in the process, in which the researcher plans a specific conceptual and analytical approach to address the identified gap in the research.
Theoretical frameworks are thus important components of the research process and researchers should therefore devote ample amount of time to develop a solid theoretical framework so that it can effectively guide their research in a suitable direction. We hope this article has provided a good insight into the concept of theoretical frameworks in research and their benefits.
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