Typologies and Taxonomies - An Introduction to Classification Techniques

How do we group different subjects on a variety of variables? Should we use a classification procedure in which only the concepts are classified (typology), one in which only empirical entities are classified (taxonomy), or a combination of both?

Kenneth D Bailey addresses these questions and shows how classification methods can be used to improve research. Beginning with an exploration of the advantages and disadvantages of classification procedures, the book covers topics such as: clustering procedures including agglomerative and divisive methods; the relationship among various classification techniques; how clustering methods compare with related statistical techniques; classification resources; and software packages for use in clustering techniques.

List of contents

Typologies and Taxonomies in Social Science
Classical Typology Construction (Pre-Computer)
Numerical Taxonomy and Cluster Analysis
Relations among Techniques
Summary and Conclusions

About the author

Subfield

Research methods, theory, demography and ecology.
Selected Publications

Methods of Social Research. Fourth Edition. 1994.

Sociology and the New Systems Theory. 1994.

"Structure, Structuration, and Autopoiesis." Current Perspectives in Social Theory, 1998.

"Systems Theory" in Jonathan Turner (ed.), Handbook of Sociological Theory, 2001.

Product details

• Authors: Kenneth D. Bailey, Kenneth D. D. Bailey, Bailey Kenneth D.
• Assisted by: Kenneth D. Bailey (Editor)
• Publisher: Sage Publications
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 04.08.1994
• EAN: 9780803952591
• ISBN: 978-0-8039-5259-1
• No. of pages: 96
• Weight: 400 g
• Series: Quantitative Applications in t; Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences; Quantitative Applications in t
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Dictionaries, reference works > Dictionaries, encyclopaedias; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; Social Theory, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Research, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Statistics, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / Social Theory, Social research & statistics, Social research and statistics