Analytic induction is a research strategy in sociology aimed at systematically developing causal explanations for types of phenomena.
[1] Analytic induction begins by studying a small number of cases of the phenomenon to be explained, searching for similarities that could point to common factors.
The approach was further refined and applied by Alfred Lindesmith in a study of opiate addiction[2][3] and Donald Cressey in an investigation of financial trust violation (embezzlement).
There are some similarities with, but also important differences from, other approaches, notably grounded theory and qualitative comparative analysis.
Perhaps analytic induction's most distinctive and important feature is recognition of the potential need to refine and develop the initial categorisation of what is to be explained in the course of producing explanations.