Descriptive refers to the quality describing. A description of something, a description of what ""is.""
In management science this is the realm of case studies, anecdotes, and narratives of actual events, situations, methods of solving problems, and means of understanding opportunities. 'Description' is heavily relied upon to provide 'prescription, what 'ought to be' vs. what 'is.' Prescription often follows from description with little or no rigor - without clear identification of the relevant cause and effect in the in the case of what 'is', little guidance to insure the same cause and effect is at work in the prescription of 'ought', little examination of contextual factors, and so forth. Nearly all prescriptions, actions, result in an effect. Without understanding the true cause and effect, along with the contextual implications, all prescriptions are suspect.
See is-ought problem.
