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Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaa given type should include all possible relevant characteristics that areassociated, in a single classification (exhaustiveness). In addition, thedifferent types that comprise the typology should, as far as possible, bemutually exclusive — any overlap between categories ought to beeliminated through a process of further refinement.In his detailed discussion on the construction of typologies McKinney (in Dobyet. al., 1954) summarizes it in the following manner:(1) The constructed type is not a homogeneous universe as that concept isordinarily understood. The type certainly has classificatory significancebut it cannot be equated with “class” because it has a configurationalsignificance totally lacking in the “class” as homogeneous universe.(2) The constructed type does not refer to the most common form of aphenomenon, but to the most significantly representative form, forinstance, it makes sense to talk about the “economic man” despite the factthat it is doubtful that the “rationality” imputed to him is the mostcommon form of economic behavior.(3) The constructed type is not a stereotype in that the stereotype often lacksan empirical referent, and is an unplanned, affectual exaggeration that isnot empirically “useful” because of a lack of explicit criteria that make itcomparable to concrete cases (1954: 147).Typologies fulfil different functions in different types of research. As Joubertindicated in his article (Appendix 2), the construction of a typology of valueorientations was regarded as the first step in a process that would ultimatelyculminate in the systematic collection of data. Typologies, as is the case withall conceptual frameworks, therefore serve as a frame of reference forobservation and data collection. This function involves not only that the datacollection process is guided by it, but also that the eventual data analysisprocedure is facilitated. As far as the latter is concerned, it offers a frameworkfor analysis because possible commonalities between phenomena have alreadybeen systematized in the typology. Typologies can also serve a limitedheuristic function when they result in the formulation of new hypotheses. Themodel is, however, the primary conceptual framework that has a heuristicfunction.ModelsThe term model is probably one of the most ambiguous in the vocabulary ofthe social scientist. A variety of factors have led to the situation where modeland theory are frequently used as synonyms. The discussions in the literature ofthe philosophy of science about the differences between models in the physicaland social sciences have unfortunately merely confused the issue.It is generally accepted that theories and models bear a number of importantsimilarities (compare Achinstein, 1968, and Gorrell, 1981). Both these authors138