Process skeletons and functions

Abstract

The advantages of process models are many. Behavior in groups and organizations is inherently processual in their nature. Group and organizational processes can be converted into process skeletons. Process skeletons can be converted into process functions. These process functions are amendable to more stringent empirical testing. They have advantages over the usual variant models which presume that the processes are independent of the path in a process framework. Conditions for a “hit” or a “miss” in validating a group and organizational theory favor the use of process skeletons.