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That's Interesting!: Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology
Abstract
QUESTION: How do theories which are generally considered interesting differ from theories which are generally considered non-interesting ? ANSWER: Interesting theories are those which deny certain assumptions of their audience, while noninteresting theories are those which arm certain assumptions of their audience. This answer was arrived at through the examination of a number of famous social, and especially sociological, theories. That examination also generated a systematic index of the variety of propositional forms which interesting and non-interesting theories may take. The fertility of this approach suggested a new field be established called the Sociology of the Interesting, which is intended to supplement the Sociology of Knowledge. This new field will be phenomenologically oriented in so far as it will focus on the movement of the audience's mind from one accepted theory to another. It will be sociologically oriented in so far as it will focus on the dissimilar base-line theories of the various sociological categories which compose the audience. In addition to its value in interpreting the social impact of theories, the Sociology of the Interesting can contribute to our understanding of both the common sense and scientific perspectives on reality.
... It allows any given theoretical element to take multiple roles in relation to the other elements in a system (e.g., an inhibitor in one arrangement and an enabler in another), which can also provide coherent theoretical explanations of contradictory findings (Ortiz de Guinea and Raymond 2020). Further, longitudinal thinking can also be incorporated to theorize about the dynamics of system states and their trajectories (Post et al. 2020), including temporal feedback loops (Daellenbach and McNickle 2005), lag effects, and nonlinear relationships. It forces thinking beyond the boundaries to visualize secondary and tertiary effects. ...
... Several manual techniques exist for incorporating and applying systems thinking, such as structural and process approaches (Daellenbach and McNickle 2005). The structural approach identifies and fits a known basic structure to a system, while no structural assumptions are made with a process approach (Daellenbach and McNickle 2005). ...
... Several manual techniques exist for incorporating and applying systems thinking, such as structural and process approaches (Daellenbach and McNickle 2005). The structural approach identifies and fits a known basic structure to a system, while no structural assumptions are made with a process approach (Daellenbach and McNickle 2005). Instead, the processes and relations observed between the various components of a system are used to find a suitable structure. ...
There is a proliferation of IS articles on techniques and methods for performing literature reviews, such as searching and synthesizing. However, there is little understanding of literature driven theorizing and how it is achieved. This commentary suggests practical and creative ways to theorize and improve conceptual thinking in literature reviews. The paper first acknowledges inherent difficulties in novel theorizing, particularly in reviews that include a synthesis of the literature, and then, based on exemplars and a recent IS exemplary review, it explains the dual necessity of critically evaluating the current status quo and thinking differently. A range of theorizing objectives to purposely pursue both goals is suggested. Moreover, manual and algorithmic techniques for each objective to help researchers initiate and carry out theorizing are provided. Concrete examples and visualizations illustrate how these methods can be employed. The paper concludes by explaining how the theorizing objectives and associated manual and algorithmic techniques can be applied in a complementary and iterative way. Researchers could use these ideas and associated practical techniques to advance IS theory and applied knowledge.
... Third, we distinguish which AAA capabilities are most prominent in enhancing resilience over the lifecycle of a disruption. In other words, we do not view resilience as a singular phenomenon (Davis 1971); rather, we "break it apart" and suggest individual AAA capabilities influence resilience differently across different disruption phases. Delineating under what conditions each AAA capability is most influential for resilience constitutes a theoretical contribution as it sharpens our understanding of boundary conditions, the levers that describe when our theory does (or does not) work (Makadok, Burton, and Barney 2018). ...
... We extend this research by proposing that the AAA capabilities influence each other and are interdependent. These findings constitute a theoretical contribution as they imply that AAA capabilities are not static but dynamic phenomena (Davis 1971;Makadok, Burton, and Barney 2018), and their interrelationships influence resilience dynamically. ...
Supply chain disruptions regularly interrupt the normal operations of organizations, impairing their financial, operational, and service performance. Therefore, organizations must develop capabilities to enhance their resilience–their ability to anticipate, overcome, and transform after disruptions. The literature proposes that agility, adaptability, and alignment (AAA capabilities) enhance long‐term organizational success but does not explicitly link these AAA capabilities to resilience. Motivated by conversations with senior supply chain leaders, our research explores how organizations utilize practices, behaviors, and structures to build AAA capabilities in their pursuit of resilience over different phases of disruption. We use a grounded theory approach, conducting in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with supply chain executives. Our findings contribute to the supply chain resilience literature by (a) highlighting how distinct practices, behaviors, and structures support the development of distinct AAA capabilities, (b) demonstrating which AAA capabilities are most influential in enhancing resilience during specific phases of a disruption, and (c) illustrating how the AAA capabilities operate in a feedback loop to synergistically improve resilience over the lifecycle of a disruption.
... Finally, we recommend that researchers clarify how context informs the unfolding theory, for example, by asking themselves: Could I have developed these insights without immersion in this context? In short, if interesting and impactful research is what matters (Bartunek et al., 2006;Davis, 1971), context is often what makes data interesting. ...
... Unsilencing practices can help researchers embrace and retain subjectivity and therein the unique capabilities of qualitative approaches in generating unique insights and interesting theories (Bartunek et al., 2006;Davis, 1971). Engaging in such practices may ensure that management research itself never becomes silenced. ...
... This approach is especially valuable for contextualizing research because unexpected findings are more likely to emerge in unique contexts like China, where distinct institutional and market conditions create environments that challenge theories developed in Western settings. Such findings are valuable for theory development because they force scholars to question takenfor-granted assumptions and develop more nuanced theoretical explanations (Bartunek, Rynes, & Ireland, 2006;Davis, 1971). The effectiveness of this approach depends on both identifying surprising relationships and providing compelling theoretical mechanisms to explain them, while using empirical evidence to challenge and extend theory. ...
This editorial essay introduces three approaches for advancing management research through contextualization in Chinese management research. While the Chinese context of-fers fertile ground for theoretical contributions, scholars often struggle to effectively lever-age contextual elements to extend existing theories. I address this gap by presenting three approaches: the counter-intuitive approach, which challenges established assumptions by identifying relationships that contradict conventional wisdom; the tension-setting approach, which unpacks complex interactions that demonstrate varying effects under different condi-tions; and the theory integration approach, which combines different theoretical perspec-tives to create richer understanding of organizational phenomena. Using published works on guanxi and social networks as examples, I demonstrate how these approaches help scholars articulate why the Chinese context matters theoretically. These approaches provide re-searchers with tools to move beyond simply testing Western theories in China toward mak-ing substantive theoretical contributions that extend and enrich existing management theo-ries through contextualization.
... The publication process in scientific research often prioritizes novel and intriguing findings, incentivizing researchers to produce results that stand out. This emphasis on novelty can be traced back to Davis (1971) encouraging generations of researchers to focus on findings that are "interesting and different" (Kilduff, 2006:253); without such qualities, "no value was added" (Eden & Rynes, 2003:680). This bias toward surprising, positive results can push researchers toward practices that make findings appear groundbreaking, even if it involves selectively reporting data or, in extreme cases, committing fraud. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an incisive commentary on the role of replication in advancing knowledge accumulation in organizational science. For research to be credible, it must be replicable. However, replication studies are seldom published in high-quality management research journals. Drawing on insights from other disciplines, this essay offers a critical analysis of the replication process. The central conclusion of the essay is that replication should be firmly integrated into the scientific process within management and related fields. Doing so will not only advance robust and reliable theories but also yield valuable lessons for managerial practice and inform sound policymaking.
Design/methodology/approach
To structure the argument that replication ensures the validation of theories, refinement of methodologies and greater applicability of research findings, this essay uses Simon Sinek’s Why, How and What framework to highlight the essential role of replication research in advancing management studies. By addressing why replication is critical, how it can be effectively conducted and what the authors can do to promote replication research in organizational studies, the essay underscores its importance in building a reliable and credible foundation for knowledge.
Findings
Replication serves as a cornerstone of academic rigor, promoting the cumulative growth of knowledge. This essay outlines the essential steps for conducting robust replications of prior research through three approaches: literal, operational and constructive replication. Furthermore, it proposes actionable strategies for individual, doctoral programs and institutions (i.e. journals and conferences) to enhance transparency and accountability in management research by leveraging replication as a critical tool.
Originality/value
The originality of this essay lies in addressing the underrepresentation of replication research in management, despite its critical role in ensuring scientific rigor. Drawing insights from different disciplines, it provides a framework for conducting replication studies, emphasizing their value in validating theories and bridging the gap between research and practice. By proposing actionable steps for fostering a culture of replication, the essay advocates for increased transparency and accountability in management research. Its main contribution lies in highlighting the necessity of replication as a foundation for robust theory-building, practical insights and evidence-based policymaking, enhancing the credibility of the field.
... However, we tried and successfully found new conclusions that differed from intuitive judgments. In other words, what seems to be X is in reality non-X, or what is accepted as X is actually non-X (Davis, 1971). Exploring and verifying theories that are inconsistent with expected results helps broaden current perspectives and supports knowledge development (Wang, 2022). ...
With the development and improvement of technology, live streaming systems have emerged in people's daily lives, providing new channels for agricultural product sales. This study aims to understand how to scientifically design live streaming systems for agricultural product sales based on user perceptions and preferences. We conducted an online survey, and Study 1 obtained 569 valid samples. We established a structural equation model and applied fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to identify necessary conditions and configurations. In Study 2, two survey stages obtained 61 and 228 valid samples, respectively, and exploratory factor analysis was used for dimensionality reduction. The results showed that information quality and perceived interactivity can reduce social anxiety in female and male users, respectively. Information quality and perceived playfulness positively affect purchase intention. Furthermore, we identified four positive factors, including natural quality, support for domestic agriculture, transportation services, and information attractiveness, and three negative factors, including fulfillment risk, decision pressure, and inefficient consumption experience that may influence users' purchase intention. The findings provide validated design insights for live streaming systems, playing a positive role in enhancing design effectiveness and promoting agricultural product sales.
... sociology [87,107], education [98], and healthcare [297], highlighting the importance of continued research in phenomenological studies. ...
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
... Primarily, it provided an opportunity to gain familiarity with the art of writing articles, a nuanced skill set governed by several unwritten rules and complexities. Writing good and compelling articles with, e.g., interesting contributions (Davis, 1971) is a craft, a skill impossible to teach and with no guarantee of success (Barley, 2006). Despite the inherent difficulty and lack of guaranteed achievements, this approach offers a unique avenue for creating new knowledge, establishing relevance, and finding a voice within the research community. ...
... Although some progress has been made to address this inequality via the United Nations Human Development initiatives, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and other government initiatives (O'Sullivan et al. 2021;United Nations Development Programme 2024;World Economic Forum 2023), the digital divide and the inequality it sustains remain a persistent problem. One approach to such intractable problems is to reframe or problematize them to provide new perspectives on the phenomena and open new avenues for research (Alvesson and Sandberg 2014; Davis 1971). Thus, to address this ongoing concern this research asks: ...
As suites of new digital technologies are being implemented at an increasing rate across the world, their impact on individuals, organizations and societies continues to expand. Yet, the benefits of these technologies are not equally distributed, particularly in the low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Through a selected review of a broad literature, we observe that despite the plethora of initiatives undertaken to overcome these digital inequalities, the anticipated outcomes have not been generated and this disparity remains a persistent issue. We argue for a contextual understanding of technology that neither bridges nor overcomes this chasm between technologically advanced societies and low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Instead, we offer a reconceptualization of the goal of digital equality as human development by reframing the problem as a contextualized translation of an Information Systems (IS) artifact. The implications of this reframing are illustrated with an ongoing case of continuing medical education in LMICs which exposes avenues for IS researchers to explore in the future.
... To determine whether ideas (or aspects of them) violate the interestingness criterion, we checked whether they were irrelevant, obvious, or absurd (Davis 1971). Ideas that are not helpful for making transparency artifacts useful with respect to consumers' context-dependent privacy expectations were rejected as irrelevant. ...
The rising diffusion of information systems (IS) throughout society poses an increasingly serious threat to privacy as a social value. One approach to alleviating this threat is to establish transparency of information privacy practices (TIPP) so that consumers can better understand how their information is processed. However, the design of transparency artifacts (eg, privacy notices) has clearly not followed this approach, given the ever-increasing volume of information processing. Hence, consumers face a situation where they cannot see the 'forest for the trees' when aiming to ascertain whether information processing meets their privacy expectations. A key problem is that overly comprehensive information presentation results in information overload and is thus counterproductive for establishing TIPP. We depart from the extant design logic of transparency artifacts and develop a theoretical foundation (TIPP theory) for transparency artifact designs useful for establishing TIPP from the perspective of privacy as a social value. We present TIPP theory in two parts to capture the sociotechnical interplay. The first part translates abstract knowledge on the IS artifact and privacy into a description of social subsystems of transparency artifacts, and the second part conveys prescriptive design knowledge in form of a corresponding IS design theory. TIPP theory establishes a bridge from the complexity of the privacy concept to a metadesign for transparency artifacts that is useful to establish TIPP in any IS. In essence, transparency artifacts must accomplish more than offering comprehensive information; they must also be adaptive to the current information needs of consumers.
... Our overall ambition was to look in the empirical material for what we believed to be new and interesting (cf. Davis, 1971). In a classical article, Weick (1999) stressed that it is a sign of quality when research can be judged as interesting or moving. ...
Purpose
This study aims to propose a novel theoretical model that connects leadership and followership styles. The primary objective is to develop and validate an instrument capable of measuring these constructs. The study then applies factor and correlation analyses to investigate the relationships among leadership and followership styles across diverse cultural contexts, represented by respondents from Armenia, Denmark, Germany and the United States of America.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a mixed-method approach, beginning with the development and validation of an instrument to measure leadership and followership styles. Following instrument development, factor and correlation analyses are conducted on data collected from 271 respondents from four different countries. This methodology allows for the identification of distinct leadership (autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire) and followership (compliant, collaborating and initiating) styles as well as the examination of their interrelationships.
Findings
Factor analysis reveals three distinct leadership and followership styles. Autocratic leadership positively correlates with compliant followership, while democratic leadership shows a positive association with collaborating followership. However, no significant correlation is found between laissez-faire leadership and initiating followership. Notably, collaborative followership demonstrates a positive association with all three leadership styles. These findings provide insights into the complex dynamics between leadership and followership styles across different cultural contexts.
Originality/value
This study offers a contribution by introducing a comprehensive theoretical model that illustrates the relationship between leadership and followership styles. Its innovative approach includes the development and validation of a unique instrument to measure these constructs across diverse cultural backgrounds. By uncovering distinct leadership and followership styles and their correlations, this study provides valuable insights for both academics and practitioners.
... Are the implications for the IS field adequately discussed? Above all, the prime question is whether the theoretical framework is interesting and thus has the potential to advance the IS field (Davis, 1971). ...
... We cannot offer a universal definition of what is sufficiently profound, because the requirements vary by topic domain, methodological orientation, and across essays, conceptual, review, and empirical papers. However, one useful way to think about a contribution is to ask whether it will surprise and excite others in the conversation that you are joining (Davis, 1971). A contribution that is profound enough for AMLE will challenge current ways of understanding the phenomenon and have the potential to change our thinking about it. ...
... First, the theoretical foundation of both is "That's Interesting" by Davis (1971), which is intended for scholars (i.e., academic impact). Second, they suggest adopting foreign practices that do not address immediate pressing demands affecting Africans (i.e., ontological demands). ...
The Nachum et al. (J Int Bus Stud 54(5):938–955, 2023) Point article and the Kamoche and Wood (J Int Bus Stud 54(5):956–967, 2023) Counterpoint article each use interesting theory to argue that people-centric mechanisms and indigenous theories of Africa, respectively, offer opportunities for international business (IB) research. Although interesting theory is centered on academic impact, there are other impacts—societal, practical, policy, and educational—that matter to IB scholars of Africa. Focusing on those impacts, and using moving theory, I integrate positivity, history, and impact “turns” into a functional framework that shows how IB scholars interested in Africa can conduct research that addresses the immediate pressing requirements of being—inclusive development, capabilities, and maintenance—that matter to African societies, organizations, and individuals. The expansive framework draws in scholars of the cognate fields of IB to conduct research that prompts change and recognition, is restorative and reformative, and realigns and remodels the practices, knowledge systems, and behaviors of individuals, organizations, and societies. These functions are essential for creating impacts that appeal to leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and educators. As such, the framework aligns with the strategic aim of JIBS to foster research that helps build a better world.
... As reviewers of research, we need to evaluate theory not (only) on whether it describes or explains an existing reality, but also on its potential to open up new paths of thought and action. Imaginative research which makes sense depends more on plausibility and plurality than accuracy (Weick, 1995) as it tries to provide something truly interesting and meaningful (Alvesson et al., 2017a, b;Davis, 1971). ...
... Medical and health research places a strong emphasis on relevance, aiming to address practical problems and have a direct impact on patient care and well-being. In contrast, management scholars (tend to) emphasize interestingness and novelty (Davis, 1971). Such an increasing preoccupation with 'interesting' and 'counterintuitive' theories can lead to nonreplicable findings, fragmented theories, and irrelevance (Pillutla & Thau, 2013;Tsang, 2022). ...
This essay reflects the journey of two business scholars, Stephen X. Zhang and Jiyao Chen, who ventured into mental health research during the COVID-19 pandemic. We experienced first-hand how health sciences have operated their publication systems in ways that uphold scientific standing while addressing real-world problems. In doing so, we found the publishing expectations and norms in health and medical sciences to be vastly different from those in management. This essay further discusses aspects such as the preference for evidence over theory, the relationship with basic sciences, diverse evaluation criteria, encouragement of exploration and replication, timeliness, and democratization and inclusivity of scholarship as concrete steps of responsible research.
... A story worth telling relies on a compelling narrative that captivates its audience and serves as a vehicle for acquiring fresh insights, challenging preconceptions, and fostering analytical contemplation. When relying on data to make their point, stories with explanations that oppose assumptions in a justified manner have a higher chance of capturing public attention (DAVIS 1971, MATEI & HUNTER 2021. In essence, data storytelling is a type of narrative that challenges established notions about causal relationships, offering new perspectives. ...
... Die hinreichende Regel bezöge sich dann auf den Umstand, dass der Begriff ein Denken erzwingen muss. Dieses wiederum könnte sich in Aha-Momenten der Rezipient*innen zeigen oder dann, wenn wir etwas interessant finden (Davis 1971 ...
Starting from an analysis of basic concepts – their potentialities and limits – the chapter proposes a new type of concept, the differential concept. This new type of concept 1) focuses on the process of concept creation and 2.) highlights the transformative character of concepts. To this end, 1) the central role of words and basic concepts is elaborated; 2) a systematic distinction is made between established basic concepts and differential concepts; 3) their different uses – the potentialities and limits – are illustrated by analysing the various forms of the concept of nomadism.
... Paradigm-shifting. It is interesting, as Murray Davis (1971) might say. And it is urgent. ...
... The fictitious and 'compelling' story authors have to put together is a consequence of the quest for 'interestingness' (Davis, 1971), which, as Tsang (2022) demonstrates, is not only a flawed conception of good science, but also a driver of flawed research. It is ethically problematic that an activity that has knowledge and truth as its raison d'être systemically generates fables and lies. ...
A huge amount of advice and guidance has been provided on how to craft articles for top-tier journals. Simultaneously, research publications themselves have been criticized as formulaic or even nonsensical by some scholars. Despite this heated debate, the structural aspects of scientific texts have received little attention. The typical structure that articles are expected to follow and the typical story they are supposed to recount are presented as mere conventions that bear no consequences. In this essay, I discuss these taken-for-granted assumptions and analyze the significant costs and burdens generated by these conventions. I then propose to simplify writing conventions by focusing on the basic ingredients of research rather than the imposition of a rigid structure and a standard story. I argue that more freedom should be given to authors in the way they organize their papers. Such a reform would be easy to implement and would have mostly positive implications for all stakeholders.
... This also allows for an exploration of alternative assumptions, which in turn, may provide new perspectives on the entity (Alvesson and Sköldberg, 2009;Alvesson and Sandberg, 2011). As Davis (1971) observed, "interesting theories are those which deny certain assumptions of their audience" (p. 1). Bacharach (1989) asserted that to be appropriately applied and tested, "(the entity's) implicit assumptions must be understood" (p. ...
Purpose
This paper aims to develop an alternative perspective on marketing informed by service scholarship to resolve marketing’s challenges as a discipline and practice.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is conceptual and builds on the ongoing debate regarding marketing’s challenges and on service research to develop a new alternative marketing perspective and model, which could contribute to reforming marketing.
Findings
An analysis of the current understanding of marketing showed that the discipline’s myopic focus on activities, which disregards what marketing is as a phenomenon, is the primary reason for the prevailing problems and failure to reform marketing. Based on research into service logic (SL), the paper demonstrates that a higher level view of service can be characterized as the provision of help to the users of goods and services to ensure that these goods and services deliver meaningful assistance in their lives and work. This suggests that the ultimate objective for marketing is to make firms meaningful to the users of their goods and services.
Research limitations/implications
To the best of the author’s knowledge, since this paper is the first to conceptually develop a perspective on marketing and a corresponding model informed by service scholarship, more conceptual and empirical research is necessary. Developing the new meaningfulness-based perspective and model for marketing brings a new approach to the process of resolving marketing’s current troubled situation.
Practical implications
The meaningfulness approach to marketing enables customer-centered marketing strategies to be implemented. Such strategies include both demand-stimulating and demand-satisfying programs.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to examine marketing’s troubled situation from a service research and SL perspective.
The modern market-based economy generates great wealth, but it lags on well-being; it has mastered efficiency, but struggles with equity; it boasts size, but falls short on sustainability. In other words, our economy delivers performance but neglects progress (i.e., fairness, well-being, and sustainability). Many rightly call for tighter regulation, higher (“true”) prices, and longer-term incentives. Others appeal to corporate purpose, shared value, and stakeholder-centrism. Beyond smarter regulation and the reformed practice of business, we must attend as well to education and a reformed theory of business. In particular, we must look at core assumptions in the business paradigm. In an applied field such as business, where theory tends to be normative, flawed assumptions could act as a “wedge” cleaving apart performance and progress. In this volume, Subramanian Rangan brings together eminent social scientists, philosophers, and business leaders to explore and evaluate core assumptions in each of the major fields of business—including economics, strategy, marketing, operations, decision science, leadership, governance, technology, and finance. This structured field-by-field reflection aims to reveal and expand the bounds of our rationality. Core Assumptions in Business Theory proposes a revised profit function that integrates harm, outlines how economic actors may draw on moral philosophy to enact Pareto equity (and not just Pareto efficiency), suggests a two-stage rationality approach that can attend to well-being, and recasts marketing as consumer education and not merely demand promotion. With an emphasis on the education rather than the regulation of economic power, this volume argues that moral reasoning and moral roles can fruitfully supplement prudential reasoning and functional responsibilities. Such an evolution will enable our economy to be both modern and moral.
Plain English Summary
Trust in a Coopetition Partner Plays an Important Role in Motivation to Engage in Coopetition – The Simultaneous Collaboration with Competitors. Small businesses collaborate with competitors – coopetition – in pursuit of mutual benefits based on two types of motivation. Proactive motivation includes access to a competitor’s expertise, customer list, supply chain, etc. Reactive motivation is responses to threats, passive, or forced actions. As coopetition occurs between two businesses, trust in the coopetition partner may play an important role. We obtained data from 527 small businesses with one to 40 employees. We find that small businesses engage in coopetition for both proactive and reactive motivation. Importantly, we find that partner trust impacts these relationships for all the small businesses except when the top executive is not the business founder, when the small business is less the five years of age, or when restaurants are considered separately; then surprisingly, partner trust only impacts the relationship between proactive motivation and desire for mutual benefits. For practitioners, our findings emphasize that partner trust is a critical factor in coopetition for small businesses.
The growth of knowledge in strategic management hinges on developing novel research programs. However, the path from the discovery to the justification of research programs is fraught with hazards-most research directions that scholars pursue are unlikely to be fruitful. This paper introduces the logic of pursuit to strategy science to aid researchers in navigating these hazards and ascertaining whether they should continue working on a particular line of inquiry. Specifically, this paper considers theorizing as a problem-solving activity. It provides a five-phase trial-and-error approach that focuses on resolving doubt generated by anomalies and a lack of understanding of complex phenomena. At each phase of this journey, non-empirical indicators such as the economy of research guide scholars on whether to pursue their research program or to try alternative paths. Research programs that effectively address the problem they were devised are considered highly warranted and worthy of pursuit.
In the context of international alliance formation and stability, conflicts are traditionally represented as impediments, to be avoided or at least minimised. Motivated by earlier research and Positive Organisational Scholarship, we problematise the literature on conflicts and challenge such assumptions, coming up with a new research question: ‘How might conflicts be managed to build trust between international partners and ultimately support international strategic alliance formation and stability?’ We create a typology linking constructive conflict management procedures and trust. A better understanding of calculative trust, cognitive trust, and the progression from calculative to cognitive trust can facilitate the achievement of this goal. Well-managed conflicts can enhance trust-building between partners (prospective or current), supporting over time alliance formation and stability. Conflict can be changed from accustomed negative perceptions to a force for good, following a problematisation approach. In our typology, we explore the link of each procedure with calculative trust, cognitive trust, and the transition between calculative and cognitive trust. We create three meta-categories for these nine procedures and select examples from the literature that are connected to four established theoretical frameworks in the international strategic alliances area, i.e. transaction cost, institutional perspective, resource-based view, and organisational learning.
Purpose
Data quality assurance (DQA) is essential for enabling the sharing and reuse of research data, especially given the increasing focus on data transparency, reproducibility, credibility and validity in research. Although the literature on research data curation is vast, there remains a lack of theory-guided exploration of DQA modeling in research data repositories (RDRs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study addresses this gap by examining 12 distinct cases of DQA-related knowledge organization tools, including four metadata vocabularies, three metadata schemas, one ontology and four standards used to guide DQA work in RDRs.
Findings
The study analyzed the cases utilizing a theoretical framework based on activity theory and data quality literature and synthesized a model and a knowledge artifact, a DQA ontology (DQAO, Lee et al., 2024), that encodes a DQA theory for RDRs. The ontology includes 127 classes, 44 object properties, 7 data properties and 18 instances. The article also uses problem scenarios to illustrate how the DQAO can be integrated into the FAIR ecosystem.
Originality/value
The study provides valuable insights into DQA theory and practice in RDRs and offers a DQA ontology for designing, evaluating and integrating DQA workflows within RDRs.
I introduce variability in decision-making (VDM) as a construct that covers the extent to which entrepreneurs switch between analytic and intuitive decision-making over time. Drawing from self-regulation theories, I developed a model that explains how VDM is negatively related to taking charge behavior (TCB) and is driven by entrepreneurs’ regulatory focus strategies. This model is tested using a dataset covering 438 daily observations from 53 entrepreneurs and matched data from non-entrepreneurs. The results show that VDM leads to decreased TCB via decreased self-efficacy and optimism. Prevention but not promotion focus predicted VDM. These associations emerged for entrepreneurs but not for non-entrepreneurs.
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of entrepreneurial individual vision and entrepreneurial role models on perceived entrepreneurial opportunities resulting from the COVID-19 crisis while assessing the moderating role of entrepreneurial grit (passion and perseverance).
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopts an applied path analysis method using Hayes' PROCESS MACRO with SPSS. The statistical population consists of early-stage entrepreneurs participating in Iran’s 2020 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor international research program.
Findings
The results indicate that regardless of gender, age and education of participants, the “entrepreneurial individual vision” of early-stage entrepreneurs has a direct positive impact on their perception of entrepreneurial opportunities arising from COVID-19. Moreover, due to the challenging circumstances during the crisis, the role model of successful entrepreneurs who began their ventures during the pandemic influences early-stage entrepreneurs. That is to say, the role model has an impact on the perceived entrepreneurial opportunities resulting from COVID-19.
Research limitations/implications
The study has focused exclusively on early-stage entrepreneurs. Hence, it is suggested that further research explores the influence of entrepreneurial vision characteristics among both early-stage and established entrepreneurs. Additionally, examining the interactions between their entrepreneurial role models, perseverance and types of entrepreneurial passion in relation to the perceived opportunities arising from the COVID-19 crisis would be valuable.
Practical implications
In critical situations, early-stage entrepreneurs persevere by maintaining a resilience spirit and stress management. As a result, they could identify new entrepreneurial opportunities in line with their entrepreneurial vision. Nevertheless, early-stage entrepreneurs should postpone exploiting those opportunities until a time close to the final stages of the crisis. Early-stage entrepreneurs should redefine a clear and effective entrepreneurial individual vision. Furthermore, they should firstly reinforce their growth mindset; secondly, apply a servant leadership style to their startups in order to enhance grit; and finally translate their vision into a shared vision in line with the expansion of their role models.
Social implications
During times of crisis, societies require early-stage entrepreneurs, who possess an individual entrepreneurial vision, have access to entrepreneurial role models and exhibit perseverance to identify and capitalize on entrepreneurial opportunities generated by the COVID-19 crisis.
Originality/value
Unlike normal situations, during the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurial grit (passion and perseverance) exhibits a mixed and paradoxical moderating effect; the entrepreneurial grit-passion dimension weakens the positive effect of “entrepreneurial vision” on “perceived entrepreneurial opportunities caused by COVID-19.” This is while the entrepreneurial grit-perseverance dimension normally strengthens this positive effect. Therefore, the Entrepreneurial Grit Paradox is the most important contribution of the study. In contrast with prevalent theoretical perspectives such as the views of Blank (2020) and Rise (2011), early-stage businesses begin with the entrepreneurial individual vision, grit-perseverance and their entrepreneurs' role models in crisis times.
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
The 100th anniversary of Erving Goffman's birth was in 2022. Drawing on his work, the Goffman archives, the secondary literature, and personal experiences with him and those in his university of Chicago cohort, I reflect on some implications of his work and life, and the inseparable issues of understanding society. This paper seeks to make some sense of the highly varied, often conflicting, characterizations of Goffman. He was the ultimate Rorschach test in a kaleidoscope, ever ready to be turned (or turning himself) to a different angle, which, even then, does not guarantee that observers will draw the same conclusions. I identify 14 contrasting characterizations of his work (e.g., map maker‐theorist/hypothesizer; structure functionalist‐symbolic interactionist; conservative‐liberal; outsider‐insider) and note ways of connecting, or at least making sense of, diverse perspectives. I explore two of the categories—politics and outsider‐insider—in detail and discuss an appendix on sociology of information issues involving privacy and publicity with respect to intellectual biography.
Body-Mind-Soul-Spirit Fluidity is a concept rooted in psychology and phenomenology, offering significant insights into human decision-making and well-being. Similarly, in social analysis and social sciences, frameworks such as PDCA, DMAIC, SWOT, and OODA have been established to enable structured evaluation and effective problem-solving. Furthermore, in phenomenology and social sciences, various logical systems have been developed to address specific objectives and practical applications. This paper extends these concepts using the Neutrosophic theory, revisiting their mathematical definitions and exploring their properties. The Neutrosophic Set, an extension of the Fuzzy Set, is a highly flexible framework that has been widely studied in fields such as social sciences. By incorporating Neutrosophic Sets, we aim to improve their suitability for programming and mathematical analysis, providing advanced methods to tackle complex, multi-dimensional problems. We hope that this research will inspire further studies and foster the development of practical applications across various related disciplines.
Celem książki jest przybliżenie najbardziej popularnych i najczęściej stosowanych teorii w obrębie krytycznych studiów nad mężczyznami i męskościami. Wybrane teorie zostały przybliżone, przeanalizowane i zobrazowane przykładami badań. W rozdziale pierwszym opisano rozwój studiów nad mężczyznami i męskościami w Polsce na tle kultury Zachodu. Ponadto wskazano perspektywy oraz teorie wykorzystywane w polskich socjologicznych studiach nad mężczyznami i męskościami. W kolejnych rozdziałach scharakteryzowano założenia kolejnych koncepcji, przedyskutowano i zniuansowano ich specyfikę, omówiono krytykę. Przybliżono: teorię męskości hegemonicznej, założenia męskości toksycznej, teorię męskości hybrydowych, męskości inkluzywnej, męskości opiekuńczych, kobiecych męskości i koncepcję „otwartych” i „zamkniętych” męskości.
Celem książki jest przybliżenie najbardziej popularnych i najczęściej stosowanych teorii w obrębie krytycznych studiów nad mężczyznami i męskościami. Wybrane teorie zostały przybliżone, przeanalizowane i zobrazowane przykładami badań. W rozdziale pierwszym opisano rozwój studiów nad mężczyznami i męskościami w Polsce na tle kultury Zachodu. Ponadto wskazano perspektywy oraz teorie wykorzystywane w polskich socjologicznych studiach nad mężczyznami i męskościami. W kolejnych rozdziałach scharakteryzowano założenia kolejnych koncepcji, przedyskutowano i zniuansowano ich specyfikę, omówiono krytykę. Przybliżono: teorię męskości hegemonicznej, założenia męskości toksycznej, teorię męskości hybrydowych, męskości inkluzywnej, męskości opiekuńczych, kobiecych męskości i koncepcję „otwartych” i „zamkniętych” męskości.
Market studies is a newly emerging field dedicated to understanding the origins, core concepts, theories and methods currently being used and developed to examine markets in the making. Providing a unique overview that introduces, positions and develops this highly fertile area of research, Market Studies is the first book to consolidate its themes, tools and methods in a single, comprehensive volume. Topics covered include: market organization and design; performativity in and around markets; valuation; market places and spaces; methods that may be utilized in studying markets; the field's relation to adjacent disciplines; the future of markets. Deploying a sensitivity for the socio-material constitution of markets, the authors put market practices at the centre of inquiry and offer insights into the future and potential impact of market studies research. The contemporary, practical and interdisciplinary approach is strengthened by multiple examples of original empirical research into markets.
Market studies is a newly emerging field dedicated to understanding the origins, core concepts, theories and methods currently being used and developed to examine markets in the making. Providing a unique overview that introduces, positions and develops this highly fertile area of research, Market Studies is the first book to consolidate its themes, tools and methods in a single, comprehensive volume. Topics covered include: market organization and design; performativity in and around markets; valuation; market places and spaces; methods that may be utilized in studying markets; the field's relation to adjacent disciplines; the future of markets. Deploying a sensitivity for the socio-material constitution of markets, the authors put market practices at the centre of inquiry and offer insights into the future and potential impact of market studies research. The contemporary, practical and interdisciplinary approach is strengthened by multiple examples of original empirical research into markets.
This article discusses examples from an extended family of aphorisms, stories, and themes that have circulated widely in STS and remain associated with the formation and integration of the field. Drawing upon Harvey Sacks’s insightful remarks about features of everyday conversation, which he related to ancient practices in oral culture, we argue that familiar citation magnets in STS operate in many respects like proverbs, parables, and an extended family of neatly and memorably packaged viral articulations in ordinary language. After discussing the contingent production of proverbial truth, the article focuses on three well-known examples that combine memorable proverbs and themes with parables: Winner’s account of the low parkway bridges designed by city planner Robert Moses to show that technology has politics; Pinch and Bijker’s concise history of the bicycle to illustrate the social construction of technology, and Star and Griesemer’s viral two-word theme of ‘boundary objects’ as artifacts that sustain collaboration across organizational contexts. The discussion of these cases suggests that different elements of these examples become the focus of subsequent citations and applications, and that ambiguities about the origins and meanings of the cited items opens new avenues for critical reflection on practicing citational justice and the nature of STS as an affiliative discipline.
We explore how management and organization scholars theorize when undertaking research on extreme contexts, which are organizational settings where potential adverse events arise from risks, emergencies and disruptions. We propose that different ‘modes of engagement’ arise as researchers connect different aspects of the self to the extreme context; namely, personal self, professional self, moral self and vulnerable self. Each self-context connection plays out in different modes of engagement in the conduct of empirical research and enables different theorizing practices. We present these self-context connections as four ideal-typical modes of engagement. Adventuresome inquiry connects a personal self to the extreme context and theorizes by phenomenon-driven problematization. Instrumental scholarship expresses a professional self in the extreme context and theorizes by theory elaboration. Ideological improvement galvanizes a moral self in the extreme context and theorizes by change-driven abstraction. Reflexive labor exposes a vulnerable self and theorizes by dialectical interrogation. Our comprehensive framework of theorizing as mode of engagement contributes to extreme context research by elucidating how theorizing in and through such contexts is accomplished by researchers with multiple selves and by offering some guidance on how the four modes can be used dynamically to ensure generative theorizing. We also contribute to the broader literature on theorizing in management and organization studies by highlighting the need to consider the interplay between the researcher and the academic contributions they produce and by proposing a reflexive and dynamic framework of theorizing as modes of engagement.
Writing and publishing are critical components of an academic career. For many years however, my idealized notions of scholarly writing were demolished by painful and traumatic attempts to publish. The significant time and effort poured into crafting an academic article yielded desk rejection after desk rejection, at times unkind and unhelpful reviews, and a growing pile of unsent manuscripts gathering cyber dust in deliberately forgotten archived folders. I was both astounded and relieved at the discovery that I was not alone in my frustration. So, I turned my academic publishing failure into a subject of research. In this essay, I reflect on what it means to be a scholar and share the lessons I learned about the common blind spots that often lead to a failure to publish. Using management education scholarship as an example, I break down my writing process into stages, identify pitfalls at each stage, and describe the writing guardrails I put in place to keep my academic manuscript drafts on track. I share these lessons not from a place of exceptional success but from a place of failure, recognizing that lessons from many unsuccessful attempts offer equally important insights into what it means to succeed.
Many scholars are struggling to find their way in a reality characterised by a growing sense of urgency to solve pressing social problems and a diminishing faith in traditional institutions, such as universities, spreading through society. Some scholars respond by turning towards activism, which manifests in overtly ideological teaching, increasingly radical critical research agendas, and even public actions in the name of science. Others may feel attracted to enter into academia, perhaps as PhD students, primarily in search of a platform to advance deepfelt issues. In this chapter, we problematise the self-proclaimed role and practice of Homo academicus activistarum —i.e., the academic activist—within the scholarly fields of management and organisation. However, our suggested alternative is not the idealistic Homo academicus , devoted to knowledge but detached from managerial and organisational practice. Instead, we propose the role of Homo academicus imaginatus , or the imaginative scholar, who explores, illustrates, and communicates productive and thought-provoking alternatives to current states of affairs and practices. In the chapter, we outline how the imaginative scholar can engage in “imaginative performativity” as an approach to both teaching and research, promoting reflexivity and alternative thinking while simultaneously avoiding the pitfalls and perils of academic activism.
Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) are technologies that have recently transformed many industries. The construction industry has traditionally been a laggard industry in terms of digital-technology adoption. When leading firms in this industry have experimented with these technologies, many of these experiments have met resistance. In this paper we take an institutional lens to study why and particular social structures appears to have contributed to the resistance and paucity of success stories. Within institutional research, we focus on research with traces to cognitive science and psychology. We have carried out a qualitative embedded multiple-case study on resistance to new technologies and how to overcome such resistance. The study involves four use cases in the Finnish construction industry: (1) automation of a material-product subcontractor’s production planning; (2) business-model innovation by contractor on how to best work across multiple construction sites at once; (3) machine learning and automation of documentation by a software firm; and (4) promotion of a vision of information sharing across organizations by the above software firm. Based on within and cross-case analyses, preliminary empirical findings are that AI, ML and DL have in the Finnish construction industry challenged institutionalized forms of organizing and workflow established long since in the industry and, until about the time of this piece of research, taken for granted. Resistance was nonetheless beginning to be overcome at the time of writing this piece of research with small-group interaction across firms – such as those in this study - - in the industry ecosystem. Human-human mediation and face-to-face encounters were building trust in and across the organizations. The implication for practice and policy is that business transformation will not quickly and autonomously transform into “impersonal” or machine-machine exchange but, before that, requires human-human mediation. “ In the long-term, AI and analytics have boundless potential use cases in E&C [i.e. engineering and construction] . Machine learning is gaining some momentum as an overarching use case (that is, one applicable to the entire construction life cycle, from preconstruction through O&M 8i.e. operations and management ), particularly in reality capture (for example, in conjunction with computer vision) as well as for comparison of in situ field conditions with plans (for example, supporting twin models). Indeed, by applying machine learning to an ongoing project, schedules could be optimized to sequence tasks and hit target deadlines, and divergences from blueprints could be caught closer to real time and corrected using a variety of predetermined potential scenarios.” [1]
HRMJ is a business and management journal: we seek to publish excellent work that deals not simply with people and organisations, but with the management of people and the issues and tensions around the latter. As such, the journal is broadly multidisciplinary, the key focus being on advancing theory through empirical evidence, through consolidations and extensions of conceptual knowledge, through revisiting and extending existing theory, literature reviews, as well as the development of salient research methods. This extended editorial brings together a range of perspectives from and beyond the editorial team to advance understanding around developing work for publication. As such, it is intended not only to guide authors interested in publishing in HRMJ, but all with an interest in advancing their scholarly work.
Entrepreneurial alertness (EA) is pivotal in opportunity recognition, yet the origins and processes underlying EA remain elusive. Drawing upon key insights from the neuroscience and entrepreneurship streams of literature, our study classifies EA into intrinsic and phasic components to delve into the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition process. Intrinsic EA—a self-initiated top-down control mechanism—continuously processes information to generate unconstrained associations from entrepreneurial schemata. As gatekeepers, intrinsic EA pre-processes external stimuli and internal thoughts, aiming to produce novel insights that may manifest as potential opportunities or threats. This triggers phasic EA, a short-term, bottom-up process with a selective focus on the insights. Phasic EA employs experiments to assess the attractiveness of first-person opportunities, refining entrepreneurial schemata. Utilizing 52 video interviews of 11 mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, Singaporean, and Indian entrepreneurs, our research distinguishes between intrinsic and phasic EA, delves into their origins, and presents a unified framework to elucidate their respective roles in entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.
If an event happens in the woods, and nobody responds to it, is it a disruption? In this paper, we address a gap in the organizational sociology literature about how events are constructed as “institutional disruptions” in institutionally plural fields. We integrate the disconnected literatures of sensemaking/sensegiving and institutional pluralism to argue that institutional disruptions in institutionally plural fields are not coterminous with exogenous events, but rather are the result of a process of fieldwide sensemaking and sensegiving mediated by intermediary organizations. We use the American higher education community’s response to the Trump administration’s 2017 ‘travel ban’ as a paradigmatic example that illuminates these dynamics with some clarity. In particular, we illuminate the relationships between conditions of institutional pluralism, extra-field events, the social construction of meaning within fields, the role of intermediary organizations, and the nature of organizational actions in response. Emerging from our theoretical exploration, we offer implications and avenues for future research for organizational sociologists. Collectively, our theorizing opens the door for scholars to re-examine previously taken-for-granted assumptions about disruptions and better theorize the earliest moments of institutional change.
The significance of digital transformation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in the time of disruption, is frequently demonstrated by research. Nevertheless, not much consideration is placed on how digital transformation is experienced by SMEs. This study examines how SME digital transformation will be affected by CEOs’ digital literacy from a micro-foundation viewpoint. Utilizing survey data from 292 SMEs located in Indonesia, we evaluate a moderated mediation model. According to our research, CEOs’ digital literacy affects digital transformation through digital technology utilization. Additionally, CEOs’ gender further influence the association between CEOs’ digital literacy and digital technology utilization. Our work is among initial endeavors to assess the digital transformation among SMEs in an emerging nation such as Indonesia. Despite the urgent need for SMEs to digitally transform and the importance of CEOs’ digital capabilities in accelerating this process, none of the identified existing studies examines SME digital transformation from a micro-foundation perspective, specifically on the link between CEOs’ digital literacy and digital transformation and how digital technology utilization mediates this link, which makes this study unique.