Quasiexperimental Research in Organizations: A Critique and Proposed Typology

Abstract

The experiment has been the hallmark of empirical science. In recent years, the impracticality and sometimes impossibility of conducting ex-periments in real organizations has led to the increased use of quasiex-perimental research designs. This paper begins with a review of the ad-vantages and disadvantages of traditional experiments. Two major categories of quasiexperimental designs are then presented. Constructive techniques are evolutionary and make improvements on the basis of prior experience. Accommodative techniques adjust to the demands of the research situation. The paper is concluded with a method of classifying and selecting quasiexperimental designs on the basis of the purpose of the research.