Moving Forward: Developing Theoretical Contributions in Management Studies

Joep P. Cornelissen and Rodolphe Durand ()
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Rodolphe Durand: GREGH - Groupement de Recherche et d'Etudes en Gestion à HEC - HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: How do we, as management researchers, develop novel theoretical contributions and, thereby, potentially break new ground in management studies? To address this question, we review previous methodological work on theorizing and advance a typology of the reasoning processes that underlie theoretical contributions and significant advances in management studies. This typology consists of various types of analogical and counterfactual reasoning, ranging from focused thought experiments aimed at prodding existing theory in the direction of alternative assumptions, constructs, and hypotheses to more expansive efforts for inducing new theoretical models and alternative explanations. Applying this typology, we detail the mechanisms behind the formation of novel theoretical contributions and illustrate the currency of our typology through a review of 24 major theoretical breakthroughs in management studies. We conclude the paper by discussing the implications of this typology for our collective efforts in building, elaborating, and expanding theory in management studies.

Keywords: analogy; counterfactuals; management research; theoretical contribution; theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-09
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

Published in Journal of Management Studies, 2014, 51 (6), pp.995-1022. ⟨10.1111/joms.12078⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01097568

DOI: 10.1111/joms.12078

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