Nomothetic and idiographic approach in management sciences

Abstract

This article covers the philosophy of science, particularly the philosophy of management sciences. Ultimately, this study aims to determine the nature of management sciences based on a division into nomothetic and idiographic sciences. A secondary aim is to formulate prerequisites for the recognition of scientific laws and to verify their existence in the management sciences. The methods used for this study include analysis and logical construction. Results demonstrated that the management sciences are a special type of praxeological sciences that are both nomothetic and idiographic. The main conclusions of the article have direct implications for both the theory and practice of management. Treating management sciences as nomothetic significantly broadens the fields of research exploration, particularly in their implementation of the classic functions of science (i.e., description, explanation, and prediction). The implementation of these functions may lead to the creation of new organizational models and new methods focused on the description, explanation, and prediction of management processes.