Examine the Decision to Choose an Application Service Provider: Theory Testing or Theory Building

This paper discusses the role of theory and how the concept theory is perceived in different communities. It does so by discussing an ongoing research project analysing the decision-making concerning the choice of an application service provider (ASP) for the provision of information and communication technologies (ICT) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The initial question is whether examine the decision can be said to be theory testing or theory building. The answer is that it depends on what meanings are attributed to the word theory and in what context the research is presented.