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Peer C. FissManagement and Organization (MOR) |
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University of Southern California
Office Hours: By appointment |
Set-theoretic methods (STMs) such as Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) are a tool for analyzing situations of complex causality. Much of current management and strategy research—from contingency theory and configurational approaches to complementarities theory and the resource-based view—conceives of organizations as complex systems of interdependent factors. Yet, conventional statistical methods are frequently less adept at teasing apart these complex interdependencies. For example, standard linear methods such as regression analysis treat variables as competing in explaining variation in the outcome, rather than focusing on the ways in which causes may combine to create outcomes. In contrast, set-theoretic methods explicitly conceptualize cases as combinations of attributes, that is, as configurations. The researcher then uses Boolean algebra—the algebra of sets and logics—to examine which combinations of attributes lead to the outcome in question. This allows for a sophisticated analysis of complex causal relations, particularly suitable for situations where causality is difficult to examine using standard statistical methods. For more information on STMs and QCA, navigate the links below or see my research page.
Template for the Creation of Configuration Charts: The Excel template below can be used to create configuration charts such as those shown in Fiss (AMJ 2010 in press) or Ragin & Fiss (2008). It uses fonts from the SPSS marker font also posted below. To install the font in windows, copy it into the font directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\Fonts). Academy of Management 2010 Professional Development Workshop on QCA (presentations posted below)
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