Theory Development in Organizational Management

The development of theory in organizational management has evolved through cycles of conceptual refinement and empirical testing, bridging descriptive explanation and prescriptive guidance. Early phases emphasised deduction from established frameworks, whereas contemporary approaches increasingly adopt inductive, phenomenon-driven perspectives that uncover novel organisational dynamics. This process often begins with robust phenomena construction—careful definition of the object of study—followed by iterative engagement with empirical observations, dialectical interrogation of extant theory and creative synthesis. Alongside traditional hypothesis testing, scholars now employ meta-analytical and systematic review strategies to reveal paradoxes, anomalies and boundary conditions, prompting theoretical adaptation and extension. Prescriptive theorising has gained prominence as an explicit means to chart how organisations ought to respond to societal and ecological imperatives. Throughout this evolution, the miner-prospector continuum underscores the balance between reinforcing established domains and venturing beyond disciplinary silos. A global orientation has emerged, with theory development informed by diverse cultural contexts and digital transformation, enhancing practical applicability for leaders navigating complexity, uncertainty and grand challenges.

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Theory Development in Organizational Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in theory development in organizational management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Miner-prospector continuum: A framework distinguishing literature review approaches that either reinforce established domains or explore novel, boundary-crossing perspectives.

Dialectical interrogation: An iterative process of questioning and integrating empirical observations with existing theory to uncover anomalies and generate novel insights.

Phenomena construction: The creative and systematic definition of new research objects to guide empirical investigation and theoretical innovation.

Descriptive theorising: The formulation of explanations for how and why organisational phenomena occur, focusing on relationships and causality.

Prescriptive theorising: The articulation of normative and instrumental recommendations for how organisations should operate to achieve desired outcomes.

Theory adaptation: The process of modifying and extending existing theories to accommodate new contexts, boundary conditions or empirical findings.

References

1. Theorizing Through Literature Reviews: The Miner-Prospector Continuum. Organizational Research Methods (2020).
2. The Role of Dialectical Interrogation in Review Studies: Theorizing from What We See Rather Than What We Have Already Seen. Journal of Management Studies (2019).
3. The Art of Phenomena Construction: A Framework for Coming Up with Research Phenomena beyond ‘the Usual Suspects’. Journal of Management Studies (2023).
4. Prescriptive Theorizing in Management Research: A New Impetus for Addressing Grand Challenges. Journal of Management Studies (2024).
5. A guiding framework for theory adaptation in operations management studies. Cogent Business & Management (2023).