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“I've Got a Theory Paper---Do You?”: Conceptual, Empirical, and Theoretical Contributions to Knowledge in the Organizational Sciences

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  • Zur Shapira

    (Department of Management, Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, New York 10012)

Abstract

Is “the field of management's devotion to theory too much of a good thing?” [Hambrick, D. C. 2007. The field of management's devotion to theory: Too much of a good thing? Acad. Management J. 50 (6) 1346--1352]. In his paper, Hambrick criticizes the practice employed by many journals in the management field that requires that papers submitted for publication make a strong theoretical contribution. I argue that part of the problem is caused by the misunderstanding and misuse of the term “theory.” To clarify the status of theory, I review three modes of research formulation in the organizational sciences: theories, models, and conceptual frameworks. Language plays an important role in scientific research. I therefore discuss two research languages that are used in research in management that appear to be the farthest apart: mathematics, which is the language of precision; and narratives, which is the language that provides rich data. I provide a discussion of the use of mathematics in theory development and the use of narratives in research development. The two languages and three modes of research formulation are needed for contribution to knowledge, which should be the main goal of research in organization science.

Suggested Citation

  • Zur Shapira, 2011. "“I've Got a Theory Paper---Do You?”: Conceptual, Empirical, and Theoretical Contributions to Knowledge in the Organizational Sciences," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1312-1321, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:22:y:2011:i:5:p:1312-1321
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1100.0636
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Pär Mårtensson & Uno Fors & Emelie Fröberg & Udo Zander & Gunnar H Nilsson, 2019. "Quality of Research Practice – An interdisciplinary face validity evaluation of a quality model," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Alessandro Fergnani & Thomas J. Chermack, 2021. "The resistance to scientific theory in futures and foresight, and what to do about it," Futures & Foresight Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 3(3-4), September.
    4. Choudrie, Jyoti & Junior, Chike-Obuekwe & McKenna, Brad & Richter, Shahper, 2018. "Understanding and conceptualising the adoption, use and diffusion of mobile banking in older adults: A research agenda and conceptual framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 449-465.

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