Process theory

<h2 id="process-theory-archetypes">Process theory archetypes</h2>
<p>Process theories come in four common <a href="/facts/Archetype/FsGNSHUo">archetypes</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Evolutionary process theories explain change in a population through variation, selection and retention—much like biological evolution. In a dialectic process theory, “stability and change are explained by reference to the balance of power between opposing entities” (p. 517). In a teleological process theory, an agent “constructs an envisioned end state, takes action to reach it and monitors the progress” (p. 518). In a lifecycle process theory, “the trajectory to the final end state is prefigured and requires a particular historical sequence of events” (p. 515); that is, change always conforms to the same series of activities, stages, phases, like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.
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<h2 id="applications-and-examples">Applications and examples</h2>
<p>Process theories are important in management and software engineering.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Process theories are used to explain how decisions are made <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> how software is designed<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> and how software processes are improved.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
</p><p>Motivation theories can be classified broadly into two different perspectives: Content and Process theories. 
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<ul><li><a href="/facts/Content_theories/1F7d58og">Content theories</a> deal with <i>“what”</i> motivates people and it is concerned with individual needs and goals. Maslow, Alderfer, Herzberg and McClelland studied motivation from a “content” perspective.</li>
<li>Process theories deal with the “process” of motivation and are concerned with <i>“how”</i> motivation occurs.  Vroom, Porter & Lawler, Adams and Locke  studied motivation from a “process” perspective.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></li></ul>
<p>Process theories are also used in education, psychology, geology and many other fields; however, they are not always called "process theories".
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Interactions_of_actors_theory/JmuGvLI0">Interactions of actors theory</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Process-oriented_psychology/cdfwsjBy">Process-oriented psychology</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Process_philosophy/5wDEIev2">Process philosophy</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Process_architecture/oxe07Tlt">Process architecture</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<ul><li><a href="http://ozgurzan.com/management/management-theories/theories-about-motivation/">A Brief Introduction to Motivation Theory</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Van de Ven, Andrew (2007). Engaged scholarship: a guide for organizational and social research. Oxford University Press. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Van De, A. H.; Poole, M. S. (1995). "Explaining development and change in organizations". Academy of Management Review. 20 (3): 510–540. doi:10.5465/AMR.1995.9508080329. S2CID 14720122. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Ralph, Paul (1 January 2015). Developing and Evaluating Software Engineering Process Theories. Icse '15. IEEE Press. pp. 20–31. ISBN 9781479919345. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help) <a href="9781479919345" target="_blank">9781479919345</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Poole, Marshall Scott; Roth, Jonelle (March 1989). "Decision Development in Small Groups IV A Typology of Group Decision Paths". Human Communication Research. 15 (3): 323–356. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1989.tb00188.x. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/Doi_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Ralph, Paul (April 2015). "The Sensemaking-Coevolution-Implementation Theory of software design". Science of Computer Programming. 101: 21–41. arXiv:1302.4061. doi:10.1016/j.scico.2014.11.007. S2CID 6154223. <a href="/wiki/ArXiv_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ArXiv_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Ralph, Paul (February 2016). "Software engineering process theory: A multi-method comparison of Sensemaking–Coevolution–Implementation Theory and Function–Behavior–Structure Theory". Information and Software Technology. 70: 232–250. arXiv:1307.1019. doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2015.06.010. S2CID 12104046. <a href="/wiki/ArXiv_(identifier)" target="_blank">/wiki/ArXiv_(identifier)</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Allison, I.; Merali, Y. (1 June 2007). "Software process improvement as emergent change: A structurational analysis" (PDF). Information and Software Technology. 49 (6): 668–681. doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2007.02.003. hdl:10059/220. <a href="http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2638/1/WRAP_THESIS_Allison_2004.pdf" target="_blank">http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2638/1/WRAP_THESIS_Allison_2004.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>"A Brief Introduction to Motivation Theory". 2011-02-26. <a href="http://ozgurzan.com/management/management-theories/theories-about-motivation/" target="_blank">http://ozgurzan.com/management/management-theories/theories-about-motivation/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Process theory open-in-new

Process theory