Every science consists of certain research methods. The economy is no exception. All methods of economic research can be divided into the following groups:
· Universal (metaphysical and dialectical).
· General scientific (logical, historical, mathematical, statistical).
· Specific (selected for each branch of science).
From all this, two main methods of economic research should be distinguished: metaphysics and dialectics.
Metaphysics is a method that examines any phenomenon separately, in the so-called state of rest and immutability. First of all, it is necessary if you need to analyze some part of the system or, for example, to find out what the essence of the internal structure of economic relations is. A similar method will be used to classify the functions of money, forms of organization of the economy, types of ownership, forms of wages.
To more fully reflect reality, economic theory uses a method such as dialectics. By it is meant the doctrine of the general laws of development of all natural phenomena, as well as thinking and society. The creator of a systematic theory of dialectics, the German philosopher Georg Hegel, assigned the most important place in theory to contradiction, by which he understood the unity of mutually presupposing and mutually exclusive opposites. The dialectical method of contradiction reflects in their inextricable unity. Thanks to this, in practice, it is possible to avoid erroneous decisions, as well as to combine into a whole unconnected at first glance phenomena. Due to the contradictions in economic activity, forms arise with which you can come to a compromise (for example, an agreement between the parties, which is achieved through bilateral concessions.
An important role is played by general scientific methods of economic research. First of all, this concerns the historical method, with the help of which it is possible to find out how economic systems arose and how they develop. This method allows you to specifically study and visualize the features of any system, and depending on the stage of its historical development. Considering the general scientific methods of economic research, it is necessary to highlight the logical method by which the forms and laws of correct thinking are applied, due to which it is possible to achieve the truth of the stated conclusions and judgments. Thanks to the logical method, one can more deeply understand causal economic dependencies.
In order to study the qualitative characteristics, such methods of economic research as economic and mathematical modeling and the statistical method are used. Recently, mathematical modeling has been quite common, which is a description of reality in a simplified form, as well as an abstract generalization using graphs and equations that describe the relationship of economic variables. If we talk about economic statistics, with its help it is possible to obtain a more accurate measurement and description of quantitative processes that are characteristic of the mass phenomena of economic activity over a long period of time - 10-20 or more years.
Methods of studying economic phenomena in conjunction with other scientific methods solve such an important task as identifying elements and signs common to all systems studied, development patterns, as well as differences between the systems themselves. Economic methods today play an important role in the development of the modern economy and the state as a whole.