The DOI matches its Crossref record; 37 of the 38 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Constructing conceptual frameworks in social science research
Open accessAbstract
Research in the social sciences is concerned with complex social behaviour, group dynamics and unique human settings. Researchers have different patterns of thought and modes of thinking. As such, they often use different words to explain phenomena, thereby causing conceptual confusion. This article explains how conceptual frameworks can help overcome such confusion by serving as visual organising tools and mental maps to direct and guide research. By using a descriptive approach, the article aims firstly to outline the necessity, purpose, nature and scope of conceptual frameworks in social science research and, secondly, to provide a ‘how-to’ guide on the design of such a framework by exploring a practical example. The results illustrate conclusively the significant contribution that conceptual frameworks can and should make in social science research.
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“The relationships between effective cash management, inventory management, accounts receivable management, accounts payable management, cash conversion cycle, and profitability are expected to be moderated by macroeconomic factors, microeconomic factors, and governance policies (Van der Waldt 2020).”
From Working capital management impact on Zimbabwe’s listed consumer services firms’ profitability and the influence of external factors via governance policy (2025) · cites this paper as Van der Waldt 2020
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Research works printed but not linked: 5
- Maree, 2012, Complete your thesis or dissertation successfully: Practical guidelines
- Ravitch, 2017, Reason and rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research
- Thomas, 2003, Spotlight on social research
- Torraco, 1997, Human resource development handbook: Linking research and practice, 114
- Van der Waldt, 2017, African Journal of Public Affairs, 9, 183
Cited by
A Model for Selecting Theoretical Framework through Epistemology of Research Paradigms
Omodan, B. I. (2022) · African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies · doi:10.51415/ajims.v4i1.1022 · Cited by 45
The actualization of maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah in Islamic finance: a conceptual framework
Monawer, A. T. M., Rahman, N. N. A., Al-Nahari, A. A. A. Q., Abdullah, L. H., Ali, A. K., & Achour, M. (2021) · International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management · doi:10.1108/imefm-06-2020-0293 · Cited by 17
Mamma, A., & Ismael, K. (2023) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14970 · Cited by 14
Akartuna, E. A., Johnson, S. D., & Thornton, A. E. (2024) · Journal of Experimental Criminology · doi:10.1007/s11292-024-09623-y · Cited by 14
Shompa, Z. A., Akbar, M. A., & Mohadis, H. M. (2024) · International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management · doi:10.1108/imefm-02-2024-0061 · Cited by 13
Metadata
- Authors
- van der Waldt, G.
- Venue
- The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa
- Publisher
- AOSIS
- Published
- 2020-02-26
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 1817-4434 (ISSN-L)
- 2415-2005
- OpenAlex
- W3006823172
- Cited by
- 75
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6
- FWCI
- 17.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Boloka Institutional Repository (North-west University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › General Social Sciences › Social Science and Policy Research
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Business Strategies and Management Research
- Social Sciences › Education › Diverse Academic Research Areas
- Keywords
- conceptual framework, conceptual confusion, research design, cognitive maps, social science methodology, conceptual clarity
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Bibliographic data: Semantic Scholar, OpenAlex, Crossref.
Contains information from the Semantic Scholar Academic Graph Datasets, made available under the ODC Attribution License (ODC-BY 1.0).
Semantic Scholar’s data is described in: Kinney, R., et al. (2023). The Semantic Scholar Open Data Platform. arXiv:2301.10140.
