What is theory? Discuss its role in analyzing and diagnosing organizational issues and problems.

Theory

The word theory has many meanings and connotations, not all of which are  positive. People often describe theory as abstract, boring, and not associated  with the real world. This book has a positive view of theory. As the late Kurt  Lewin, a noted social psychologist, said many years ago, “Nothing is as practical  as a good theory,” a view with which this book agrees. A simple working  definition is: “a theory is a plausible explanation of a phenomenon.” Theory  also describes relationships among its concepts. Of course, some theories are  stronger and better developed than others. This book describes each theory in  detail so that you can judge how useful it is in understanding behavior in  organizations.