A Creativity Support System Based on Causal Mapping
ABSTRACT Theory development is a very complex process that requires creativity and highly specialized analytical skills. This article presents a new algorithm, based on causal mapping, for assisting in the creation of qualitative theories. This algorithm is able to conjecture and prove new theorems, to test for consistency and completeness of the theory, and to derive meta-theorems comparing the different concepts in it. The use of the algorithm is exemplified in developing a theory to explain structural inertia in organizations.