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Seeing and studying China: Leveraging phenomenon-based research in China for theory advancement
Abstract
China plays a central role in the world economy, and it is important for management scholars to focus attention on the issues and challenges it faces. For this purpose, we argue, a phenomenon-based approach is required. We review the central tenets of phenomenon-based research (PBR), arguing that a clear focus on important phenomenon (rather than just testing a prior theories) enhances our understanding of the world, encourages different research methods, and - in the end - actually produces better theory as well. PBR on China helps us see, and study, the critical phenomena of generational value shifts, pollution, aging of the population, corruption, and mistrust of strangers. It also forces us to grapple with Chinese paradoxes, like the odd combination of hard work despite high belief in fate, and the ways in which our mainstream theories can and should be updated to address key Chinese phenomenon, like Guanxi. This special issue documents key phenomena in China that management scholars need to know about, and provides stimulus for advancing theory that not only is germane to China, but also informs and reshapes general management theory.
... Precisely because of the speed of superapps' evolution (as both a digital object and a FP-DPF) and its widely dispersed impact, that theorizing needs to be phenomenally grounded considering that "[n]o currently available theory has sufficient scope to account for the phenomenon or the relevant cause-and-effect relationships associated with it, and no research design or methodology is considered superior to others as a means of exploring [its] different aspects" (von Krogh et al., 2012, p. 279). Not only is the 'problem-centric' nature of phenomenon-focused research arguably more likely to reveal latent building blocks for novel theory building (Chen et al., 2017), it is also more likely to generate 'usable' scientific knowledge as measured not only by the fact that it is used by a wider group of stakeholders, but also that it is being generated by the users themselves (Talbot & Talbot, 2018). Which is to say that phenomenally grounded research is more likely to bridge the research-practise gap (Sharma & Bansal, 2020 As a multifaceted real-world phenomenon that had to date been largely studied by a wide range of disciplines (computer science, economics, human-computer interface, international business, law, management science, marketing, media, urban studies, to name a few) in disciplinary siloes, there is a need for interdisciplinary research to uncover new ways of seeing and understanding (Bednarek et al., 2021) that more accurately and insightfully elucidate the superapp phenomenon in ways that advance the greater good. ...
On account of superapps' novelty (as both a product and a form of organizing value), and the global impact of emblematic superapps such as WeChat and Alipay, this paper seeks to understand the superapp phenomenon as a meta organizing principle of value, and how its innovation trajectories may be curated such that its value architecting processes contribute to both private profit and societal well-being. Via an integrative literature review, this research proposes three conceptual linkages (complexity, interactivity, responsibility) that paradigmatically reframes the relationship between the superapp phenomenon, the corporate social innovation construct, and the value (co-)creation framework. Such a reframing affords (i) academics phenomenologically grounded entry points to more thoughtfully investigate various aspects of the superapp; (ii) practitioners tool to better facilitate more responsible means of harvesting the generative tensions inhered in the networked relationalities embedded within the superapp's ecosystem; and (iii) policy makers guidance vis-à-vis the creation of regulations that nurtures superapps' potential for the greater good.
... We provide a nuanced perspective and new evidence on the link between immigrant-owned SMEs' country-of-origin export intensity and their financial performance. In doing so, we answer increasing calls by management and IB scholars for more research that addresses specific problems, challenges, and phenomena in the business environment (Chen, Friedman, & McAllister, 2017;Doh, 2015). ...
Immigrants and sustained international migration are transforming developed Western countries at an unprecedented pace and scale. Sustained international migration is also further accentuating the already-dominant presence of immigrant entrepreneurs in the international business landscape. These immigrant entrepreneurs often operate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that primarily export to their country of origin.
However, conflicting findings suggest theoretical ambiguity in how the level of country-of-origin export intensity influences the SMEs’ financial performance. Adopting a contingent perspective, we theorize how and when socially embedded immigrant owners derive superior performance from high country-of-origin export intensity. Based on a sample of 2584 immigrant-owned SMEs and 6391 firm-year observations, we find that SMEs led by immigrant owners with longer stays in their country of residence and whose country of origin is geographically proximate to their country of residence generate superior financial performance from high country-of-origin export intensity. These findings are consistent with the view that immigrant entrepreneurs’ international financial success is a function of network- and cognition-based advantages linked to their level of concurrent embeddedness in their countries of residence and origin. We also provide actionable insights for immigrant entrepreneurs and for policy-makers tasked to design suitable export promotion programs.
... We addressed this point by contextualizing our theoretical arguments and applying them to empirical data sets obtained from two emerging markets: Ecuador and China. In doing so, we addressed the need to develop theories that corroborate or dispute established findings in this specific contexts (Aguinis et al., 2020;Chatterjee and Sahasranamam, 2018;Chen et al., 2017;Nielsen et al., 2018). We elaborate on the implications of our study below. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of social capital on organizational ambidexterity in the context of emerging economies. Moreover, this paper aims to study the moderating influence of absorptive capacity on the relationship between social capital and organizational ambidexterity.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted two studies using survey data collected from 97 Ecuadorian and 100 Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Findings
The authors found that social capital, the extent to which organizational members interact, collaborate and share knowledge with one another and with external actors, has a positive effect on the simultaneous implementation of exploratory and exploitative innovations (i.e. organizational ambidexterity). Moreover, the authors found that absorptive capacity positively strengthens the impact of social capital on organizational ambidexterity.
Originality/value
Drawing on the knowledge-based view and the innovation literature, the authors theoretically argue the importance of social capital and absorptive capacity for SMEs to develop and manage exploratory and exploitative innovations simultaneously in emerging economies of different cultures. The authors empirically test proposed hypotheses in Ecuador and China, two emerging markets with important cultural differences, and show the relevance of social capital in multiple settings.
... Corruption has been linked with employee loyalty and the willingness to benefit the collective (Hildreth et al., 2016;Wiltermuth, 2011;Nguyen, 2016). Accounting practices can be significantly influenced when there is lack of government enforcement (Chen et al., 2017;Halter et al., 2009) and an openly accepting culture of unethical behavior (Davis and Ruhe, 2003;Halter et al., 2009;Triandis et al., 2001). In examining the institutional relationships unfolding in developing Vietnamese business culture, Nguyen and Rose (2009) found that the formal epistemic community of regulators and policy enforcement was weak in comparison to the strong personal networks that were being developed. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the institutionally driven changes impacting organizational accounting manipulation in Vietnam’s emerging transitional economy. Specifically, this study explore how Vietnamese accountants and regulators explain questionable accounting transactions and their rationalization for those practices, especially during the period of accounting system transition from Vietnamese accounting standards to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses interview-based methods involving 22 Vietnamese accountants, financial managers, audit partners and regulators.
Findings
This study have found dysfunctional approaches to revenue and expense recognition underpinned by institutional theory. At play is a combination of opportunities relating to weak accounting standards and organizational controls; management pressure; and a desire to avoid unwanted scrutiny from Vietnamese regulators.
Research limitations/implications
This study does not include the views of non-financial managers or other accounting users. Future research could focus more on the perceptions of these other stakeholder groups.
Practical implications
Accounting manipulation can be collusive, therefore, regulators should have a stricter view and broader examination in the monitoring process.
Originality/value
This study examine accounting manipulation through the lens of New Institutional Sociology and also share the views of the accountants and regulators. This study argue that weak accounting standards are not the only factors contributing to accounting manipulation. When evaluating the existence of accounting manipulation, this paper find a combination of factors including: opportunities for manipulation, pressure from management and the rationale behind the conduct. These factors should be interpreted in context.
... Such paradoxical phenomena are often attributed to institutional factors rather than cultural perspectives (Chen, Friedman, & McAllister, 2017;Child & Marinova, 2014;Leung, 2014). Although indigenous Chinese management research has drawn increasing attention (Leung, 2012a), studies have failed to completely explain the disconnection between established cultural dimensions and Chinese managerial behaviors (Redding, 2014). ...
We explore the meaning of parochialism (xiao nong yi shi, 小农意识) to explain certain paradoxical Chinese managerial behaviors. We discuss how cultural, political, and economic traditions in China formed a salient context to cultivate parochialism. Qualitative data from Chinese and American managers reveal that the conceptual framework of parochialism includes a cognitive dimension of closed-mindedness, a behavioral dimension of self-protection, and a relational dimension of in-group focused social relationship. Parochialism hampers effective globalization of Chinese firms because it negatively impacts key facets of organizational culture: employee development, communication, customer orientation, social responsibility, strategic planning, and innovation. The study offers theoretical and practical implications for Chinese management research and the development of global competence.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanism and boundary condition of the effect of managers' negotiable fate belief (NFB) on enterprise incremental and radical innovation based on social cognition theory and social network theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used Mplus and SPSS (Statistical Product and Service Solutions) to test the proposed model with data from 278 enterprises that have established national or municipal enterprise technology centers. In this study, questionnaires were collected through commission and field investigation.
Findings
The results indicate that managers' NFB has a significant positive impact on local and cross-border knowledge search and on the incremental and radical innovation of enterprises. Knowledge search is positively correlated with enterprise innovation and can play a mediating role between the managers' NFB and enterprise innovation. Network capability can positively moderate the relationship between managers' NFB and cross-border knowledge search but has no significant impact on the relationship between managers' NFB and local knowledge search.
Originality/value
Although there have been many studies of managers' cognition, little is known about how managers' NFB influences enterprise behavior and enterprise innovation. This study incorporates managers' NFB and knowledge search into the research model and examines the moderating effect of network capability between managers' NFB and knowledge search from an interactive perspective. By verifying the research model, this study offers original views on whether and how managers' NFB and knowledge search affect enterprise innovation.
In this perspective article, I draw on transition research that has been developed to account for the transitions in many socio-technical systems within human society, such as energy, water, and food. I argue that many ideas developed in transition research can be applied to the ecosystem of contemporary business schools in China for its transformation. Using the multi-level perspective (MLP) from transition research as an analytic framework, I examine the socio-technical system of business schools in China for understanding the main forces that may shape a potential transition of the sector. I also draw on transition management theory and insights from research on the politics of transitions for important conditions that are required to enable a transition in this specific context.
Purpose
Although domestic research on Chinese management is emerging, a suitable domestic theory is still needed to support and explain Chinese management practice. Given that, this paper aims to extract ideas of cultivation from Confucianism and propose a theoretical framework of self-cultivation with a purpose to provide new explanations for domestic (nondomestic as well) management practice.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing from pre-Qin cultivation discourse and management practice, this paper develops a theoretical framework of self-cultivation and discusses its implications.
Findings
This paper argues that self-cultivation emphasizes self-consciousness, initiative and selflessness. It also includes self-reflection, self-discipline, self-study and self-improvement, as well as self-dedication, all of which reflect the ideal realm of “self-cultivation.” This “realm” refers to the process of pursuing an ideal personality and high moral standards.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by identifying various potential applications of self-cultivation theory to domestic research on organizational behavior in China.
A műhelytanulmány azzal a céllal készült, hogy összefoglaljon a jelenségalapú kutatás területén megjelent cikkeket, és hogy megvizsgálja lehet-e az operations menedzsment területén releváns ez a kutatási módszer. Strukturálisan a tanulmány elején feldolgoztuk az irodalmat, amely több tudományterületet felölelő cikkekben foglalkoznak a jelenségalapú kutatással. Ezután a jelenségalapú kutatás, mint önálló módszer kerül összehasonlításra az operations menedzsment kutatása során leggyakrabban alkalmazott módszerekkel. ----- This working paper is aiming to summarize why phenomenon-based research can be relevant in the field of operations management. Structurally, the paper starts with covering the literature dealing with phenomenon-based research in multiple disciplines. Then phenomenon-based research as a research method is compared and linked to the most common methods used in researching operations management.
A limitation of the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) literature is that theory and empirical evidence suggest that some employees define OCBs as part of their job. A theoretical framework that addresses this problem is tested in this article. The framework focuses on 2 effects: a role enlargement effect (i.e., employees with more favorable attitudes define OCB as inrole behavior, which, in turn, results in greater citizenship) and a role discretion effect (i.e., the relationship between employees' attitudes and their citizenship will be stronger among eriployees who define OCB as extrarole behavior). In tests of this framework with 2 independent samples of supervisor-subordinate dyads, role definitions were found to moderate several relationships between procedural justice and OCB, providing support for the role discretion effect. Implications for OCB theory and research are discussed.
This research explores how group- and organizational-level factors affect errors in administering drugs to hospitalized patients. Findings from patient care groups in two hospitals show systematic differences not just in the frequency of errors, but also in the likelihood that errors will be detected and learned from by group members. Implications for learning in and by work teams in general are discussed.
As a scholarly field matures, theories emerge that guide paradigms and shape consensus in academic discourse. Management theories reflect a shared consensus on how individual behaviors or organizational actions result in a certain set of outcomes and under specific conditions. Clearly, theory is paramount to guiding whether models of potential relationships bear out and how and why we would expect a relationship or specific outcome. Yet much of this theory is derived from cumulative empirical evidence from a ‘context’ that has remained a silent partner in our quest for a theoretical contribution. A growing number of papers emphasize the theoretical contribution as disembodied from the context in which the empirical evidence of a causal relationship was gleaned. As an applied field, the emphasis on theory with disregard to the context of management practice presents a challenge for progress both as a scholarly domain and for credibility in what we teach and how we consult, or how we effect positive social change. This guest editorial joins a chorus of recent editorials in this journal (e.g., Tsui, 2013) and elsewhere (e.g., George, 2014) that suggest we rethink management scholarship, rejuvenate our ideas for research, and embed a nugget of practice in scholarly discourse.
Management scholarship has grown tremendously over the past 60 years. Most of our paradigms originated from North America in the 1950s to the 1980s, inspired by the empirical phenomena and cultural, philosophical, and research traditions of the time. Here following, we highlight the contextual differences between the East and the West in terms of institutions, philosophies, and cultural values and how they are manifest in contemporary management practices. Inspired by theory development in management studies over time, we offer insights into the conditions facilitating new theories, and how these might apply to emergent theories from the East. We discuss the contributions of the six papers included in this special research forum as exemplars of integrating Eastern concepts and contexts to enrich existing management theories. We highlight the difficulty with testing Eastern constructs as distinct from Western ones by discussing the properties of equivalence, salience, and infusion in constructs. We provide directions for future research and encourage an agentic view to creating new theories and paradigms.
Examining a sample of journal articles, we develop a grounded theory of contribution that shows how organization studies theorists textually construct opportunities for making contributions to the field. The analyses reveal two major processes and the associated rhetorical practices that texts invoke in establishing opportunities for contribution. The study's findings point to the richness of contribution by illuminating how uniqueness claims are textually produced and legitimated in the context of science. The construction of contribution in organization studies is more complicated than has been assumed.
Editor's Note: This editorial continues a seven-part series, "Publishing in AMJ," in which the editors give suggestions and advice for improving the quality of submissions to the Journal. The series offers "bumper to bumper" coverage, with installments ranging from topic choice to crafting a Discussion section. The series will continue in December with "Part 4: Grounding Hypotheses." -J.A.C. Ten times. If this were AMJ Jeopardy, the category would be "introductions," and "ten" would be the answer. What's the question? You might be thinking of one, but this is actually the correct answer to two questions: (1) On average, how many times do winners of the AMJ Best Article Award rewrite the introduc-tions to their work? (2) How many times did we rewrite this introduc-tion? (Disclaimer: we're still not satisfied.) We all know that articles are like dates: first impressions matter. Although it is typically the shortest section of an article, the introduction (i.e., the opening few pages, before the literature review) determines whether or not readers will continue reading. The introduction provides the interpretive frame that shapes how reviewers read a manuscript during the review process. If reviewers are in-trigued by the research question, appreciate its im-portance, and understand how the study advances understanding of the topic, they are more likely to look for reasons to recommend revision. If review-ers are not excited after reading the introduction, they are more inclined to look for reasons to reject. Despite the importance of introductions, surpris-ingly little explicit guidance exists on presenting the essentials of your study in a way that captures reader interest, identifies the "conversation" (Huff, 1999) you are joining, explains what your study contributes, and articulates how you will accom-plish your goals. To identify tacit knowledge and make it more explicit, we surveyed 22 winners of the AMJ Best Article Award about how they de-velop their introductions. We also surveyed 20 of the most recent recipients of the AMJ Outstanding Reviewer Award. What we learned surprised us, and it may surprise you too. But let's begin with the basics. Our aim is to discuss how to write an introduction that "sets the hook" and helps readers fully recognize and appre-ciate what your research has to offer and intrigues them enough to read further. We'll start with the product: What does an effective introduction en-tail? Then, we'll unpack the process. How do emi-nent scholars develop their introductions, and what are best practices and pitfalls?
In this article we review research on Chinese guanxi and social networking in the past twenty years and identify the major perspectives, theories, and methodologies used in guanxi research at micro and macro levels. We summarize the main findings of over 200 journal articles on guanxi research in terms of its conceptual definitions and measurements, its antecedents and consequences, and its dynamics and processes. Furthermore, we identify the gaps between different levels of guanxi research and discuss future directions to advance our understanding of the complex and intricate guanxi phenomenon.
本文综合回顾了过去二十年来中外文献中有关中国人关系和社会网络的研究，对微观及宏观层次上关系研究的主要视角、理论、及研究方法进行了区分，并对关系研究在概念定义、测量、前因后果、动态变化和过程等方面的主要实证研究结果进行了总结。此外，本文论述了不同层次关系研究之间的空白并指出了未来研究方向, 以便更深入全面地探讨和了解关系现象的错综复杂性。
This research explores how group- and organizational-level factors affect errors in administering drugs to hospitalized patients. Findings from patient care groups in two hospitals show systematic differences not just in the frequency of errors, but also in the likelihood that errors will be detected and learned from by group members. Implications for learning in and by work teams in general are discussed.
In developing a new scale, this article makes theoretical and measurement distinctions between vertical and horizontal individualism and collectivism. Vertical collectivism includes perceiving the selfas a part (or an aspect) of a collective and accepting inequalities within the collective. Horizontal collectivism includes perceiving the self as a part of the collective, but seeing all members of the collective as the same; thus equality is stressed. Vertical individualism includes the conception of an autonomous individual and acceptance of inequality. Horizontal individualism includes the conception of an autonomous individual and emphasis on equality. Measurement of these constructs is preferable theoretically and empirically (better internal consistency) to either of the more general constructs of individualism and collectivism or the constituent elements of these constructs, such as self-reliance, hedonism, family integrity, and so on. The usefulness of these theoretical distinctions is demonstrated and their implications are discussed.
The ownership restructuring of Chinese state-owned enterprises, launched in 1992, has been one of the most radical and far-reaching market-oriented reforms in the Chinese economy. We studied the effects of ownership reform and individuals' collectivist values on rewards-allocation preferences of employees in Chinese state-owned enterprises, and how these relationships were mediated by employees' productivity goal orientation. We predicted the effects of ownership reform and collectivism on rewards-allocation preferences based on the model of allocation goal priority and the conceptual distinctions of vertical and horizontal collectivism. With data from four pairs of public state-owned enterprises (i.e., listed on the stock market) versus pure state-owned enterprises, we found the following results. First, employees of enterprises that had experienced a greater degree of ownership reform expressed stronger preferences for differential allocation rules (e.g., job position and performance) but weaker preferences for equalitarian allocation rules (e.g., group and individual equality). Second, vertical collectivism was positively related to preferences for differential allocation rules, but horizontal collectivism was positively related to preferences for equalitarian allocation rules. Third, the effects of both ownership reform and vertical collectivism on differential allocation preferences were mediated by productivity goal orientation. Research and practical implications for ownership reform and vertical-horizontal collectivism are discussed.
We attempt to provide a definition and a typology of indigenous research on Chinese management as well as outline the general methodological approaches for this type of research. We also present an integrative summary of the four articles included in this special issue and show how they illustrate our definition and typology of indigenous research on Chinese management, as well as the various methodological approaches we advocate. Further, we introduce a commentary on the four articles from the perspective of engaged scholarship, and also three additional articles included in this issue. Finally, we conclude with our suggestions for future indigenous research.
The Academy of Management (AOM) was founded to help meet society’s social and economic objectives and in so doing, serve the public interest. However, scholarship in our field has pursued society’s economic objectives much more than it has its social ones. Surveying the supply and demand for all of the empirical research published by the AOM between 1958 and 2000 and all of the research published between 1972 and 2001 that attempts to link a firm’s social and economic performance, we provide evidence for this claim. We then propose reasons for why this research imbalance exists and conclude by foreshadowing a research agenda that honors our field’s historic social values.
Two studies, with 224 American and 240 Chinese university students, tested the idea that the collectivism of a culture leads to different styles of reward allocation with in- and out-group members. The 1st study used an out-group situation, in which Ss were led to believe that they worked with a partner whom they would not meet, to obtain a group reward. The collectivistic Chinese Ss were found to follow the equity norm more closely in dividing the group reward than the individualistic American Ss when pressure of social evaluation was removed. In the 2nd study, Ss read a scenario in which an allocator worked with either an in- or out-group member. The allocator had either a low or high input and used either the equity or equality norm to divide a group reward. Compared with American Ss, Chinese Ss liked an allocator who divided the group reward equally with an in-group member more and regarded such an allocation as fairer. When Ss were asked to assume that they were the allocator and to hypothetically divide the reward, Chinese Ss followed the equity norm more closely than did American Ss when the recipient was an out-group member or when the Ss' input was low. However, when Ss' input was high and the recipient was an in-group member, Chinese Ss followed the equality norm more than did American Ss. Findings are discussed in terms of the desire for maintaining group solidarity in a collectivist culture. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The constructs of horizontal (H) and vertical (V) individualism (I) and collectivism (C) were theoretically defined and empirically supported. Study 1 confirmed, via factor analysis, that the 4 constructs, HI, V1, HC, and VC, which were previously found in the United States, which has an individualist culture, also were found in Korea which has a collectivist culture. Study 2 investigated multimethod-multitrait matrices measuring the constructs and generally supported their convergent and divergent validity. Study 3 showed how these 4 constructs relate to previously identified components by H. C. Triandis and colleagues. Study 4 showed the relationships of the measurement of the 4 constructs to some of the measures used by other researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Phenomenon-driven research (PDR) is problem-oriented research that focuses on capturing, documenting, and conceptualizing an observed phenomenon of interest in order to facilitate knowledge creation and advancement. As an ideas-led and interpretive way of researching, and with an emphasis on exploring issues and challenges that bother those experiencing observed problems, PDR is an engaging way to develop new contributions to organizational change debates. Generating knowledge this way thereby allows for a variety of research paths and outcomes that may lead to a series of associated debates and research opportunities. Yet although it is widely acknowledged, this pathway to knowledge has not been properly described and documented, thus potentially leading to poor and fragmented understanding of what PDR is and how to pursue it. In order to understand better PDR, in this paper ? and through this special issue ? we showcase this orientation. Describing the core features of a PDR paper, demonstrated through examples, we show what published PDR looks like and describe how organizational change researchers can better accommodate this approach. With this focus on engagement with phenomena we aim to inspire researchers to return to or take up more PDR, specifically challenging organizational change scholars to develop and extend knowledge with this orientation.
Recently, at an Academy of Management meeting workshop, reflecting on the field, Warner Burke asked “where are the new models and theories of change?” This provocative question has been pondered within organization studies and specifically on organization theory for several decades. And yet it persists. Borrowing this debate, in this essay we reverse the question to consider whether theory might be the problem in change research. Specifically, we argue that theory has become a (figurative) straightjacket. Far from advancing debate as significantly as has regularly been assumed, an obsession with theory and a narrow understanding of what constitutes a contribution could be hampering the development of knowledge about change. The criteria for publishing organizational research are increasingly focused on adding to specific and already existing theory. As a challenge to the restrictions that have become convention, we decode what this theoretical straightjacket looks like, and query why change researchers have willingly gone down this path, shutting down other promising opportunities. In response, we present phenomenon-driven research as a possible solution. It is time for change researchers to reclaim our heritage and take off the theoretical straightjacket.
The constructs of horizontal (H) and vertical (V) individualism (I) and collectivism (C) were theoretically defined and emperically supported. Study 1 confirmed, via factor analysis, that the 4 constructs, HI, VI, HC, and VC, which were previously found in the United States, which has an individualist culture, also were found in Korea, which has a collectivist culture. Study 2 investigated multimethod-multitrait matrices measuring the constructs and generally supported their convergent and divergent validity. Study 3 showed how these 4 constructs relate to previously identified components by H. C. Triandis and colleagues. Study 4 showed the relationships of the measurement of the 4 constructs to some of the measures used by other researchers.
I suspect that many members of our field, including those in leadership positions, believe that our hypercommitment to theory - and particularly the requirement that every article must contribute to theory - is somehow on the side of the angels. They may believe that this is a hallmark of a serious field. They may believe that theory is good and that the "mere" description of phenomena and generation of facts are bad. Worse yet, they may have given no thought to these matters, accepting our field's zeal about theory as simply part of the cosmos. My aim has been to promote a rethinking of these positions. Theory is critically important for our field, and we should remain committed to it. And, for sure, the greatest acclaim will always go to those who develop breakthrough theories. So there is plenty of incentive to keep working on theory. But it takes much more than theory for an academic field to advance. Indeed, various types of atheoretical or pretheoretical work can be instrumental in allowing theory to emerge or develop. Thus, our insistence in the field of management that all papers contribute to theory may actually have the unintended perverse effect of stymying the discovery of important theories. More broadly, this norm - or policy, really - is holding back our field.
This study explored situations in which current organizational goal priorities require rewards allocation logics that contradict traditional distributive norms and the natural characteristics of resources. Data from Chinese and U.S. business organizations showed that the Chinese employees were economically oriented and preferred to invoke differential rules (those that result in unequal distribution of rewards) for the allocation of both material and socioemotional rewards whereas their U.S. counterparts were humanistically oriented and preferred a performance rule for the allocation of material rewards but equality rules for socioemotional rewards. The results are discussed in the light of organizational goal priorities, cultural traditions, and other sociohistorical factors.
We introduce a taxonomy that reflects the theoretical contribution of empirical articles along two dimensions: theory building and theory testing. We used that taxonomy to track trends in the theoretical contributions offered by articles over the past five decades. Results based on data from a sample of 74 issues of the Academy of Management Journal reveal upward trends in theory building and testing over time. In addition, the levels of theory building and testing within articles are significant predictors of citation rates. In particular, articles rated moderate to high on both dimensions enjoyed the highest levels of citations.
This article argues that the important organizational values to study are organizational moral values. It identifies five moral values (honest communication, respect for property, respect for life, respect for religion, and justice), which allow parallel constructs at individual and organizational levels of analysis. It also identifies dimensions used in differentiating organizations' moral values. These are the act, actor, person affected, intention, and expected result. Finally, the article addresses measurement issues associated with organizational moral values, proposing that content analysis is the appropriate measurement technique to be used for an organization-level conception of moral values.
The Editors of JMS invited four leading scholars in research on management and organizations to have an open discussion on the current state and future prospects of management research. Our four contributors discuss, among other things, the growing influence of economics, psychology, and sociology on current management research, and the danger of an increasingly fetishistic and formulaic approach to management research that they believe may lead to stale and narrow contributions. Such an approach carries a risk in the long run of seriously dampening the intellectual vigour and impact of management research. Our contributors conclude their discussion with a number of recommendations for management researchers. These recommendations include asking bigger, better, and more challenging questions compared to the orthodoxy in our management research and engaging in modes of research that are not only intellectually challenging but that also have the potential of making a real impact on management practice. EDITORS' INTRODUCTION To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Journal of Management Studies and its contribution to the discipline of management studies, we felt it appropriate to take stock of the discipline and to explore future directions and challenges. As such, in this Special Issue devoted to the 50 years of publishing in the Journal of Management Studies, we introduce a unique format for inquiry. In this article, we have four leading scholars debate and provide deep insight into an issue we consider core to the future trajectories of research on management and organizations. Our motive for initiating this debate is rooted in a simple but important observation. Whilst management research [1] has grown in size and significance over the past couple of decades, in tandem with the growing size and significance of business education around
Recently, the editors of Long Range Planning called for more phenomenon-based research. Such research focuses on identifying and reporting on new or recent phenomena of interest and relevance to management and organisation science. In this article, we explore the nature of phenomenon-based research and develop a research strategy that provides guidelines for researchers seeking to make this type of scientific inquiry rigorous and relevant. Phenomenon-based research establishes and describes the empirical facts and constructs that enable scientific inquiry to proceed. An account of the study of open source software development illustrates the research strategy. Rigorous phenomenon-based research tackles problems that are relevant to management practice and fall outside the scope of available theories. Phenomenon-based research also bridges epistemological and disciplinary divides because it unites diverse scholars around their shared interest in the phenomenon and their joint engagement in the research activities: identification, exploration, design, theorising and synthesis.
Based on a review of the individualism-collectivism literature, a vertical dimension of collectivism is distinguished from a horizontal dimension. The vertical dimension concerns the relationship between the individual and the collective, and often includes subordination of the individual's goals to those of the collective. The horizontal dimension concerns the relationship of the individual to other individuals, and often includes conceptions of equality. A study of attitudes toward reforms to the egalitarian reward system in Chinese business enterprises found that vertical collectivists were supportive of the reform whereas horizontal collectivists were resistant to it. The study provides preliminary evidence for the validity and the usefulness of distinguishing individualism-collectivism on the vertical and the horizontal dimensions.
Although many observers assume that theoretical progress in sociology has been minimal, there in fact has been considerable growth. Most of the evidence, however, is hidden because sociologists generally (1) fail to differentiate kinds of theoretical activity, (2) focus almost exclusively on growth by means of increasing empirical support, and (3) ignore the variety of theoretical contexts within which growth can occur. Distinguishing among orienting strategies (i.e., metatheoretical frameworks), unit theories (individual theoretical arguments), and theoretical research programs (sets of interrelated theories) helps overcome these obstacles. A focus on programs reveals five types of relations among theories. Three types represent basic forms of theoretical growth; the other two are more specialized forms which usually emerge only in the context of programs based on one of the three basic types. These ideas are first explicated and then applied to several cases of ongoing theoretical activity in sociology. Such cases provide models or exemplars (in the Kuhnian sense) of theoretical growth. Detailed analysis of these exemplars should promote significant growth in other branches of sociology.
This paper examines the roles of theory, country context, and disciplinary knowledge in International Management (IM) studies. It is argued that the existing approach of conducting research that is theory-motivated and phenomenon-based, treats country-context as boundary conditions, and draws on knowledge from a single-discipline, has serious limitations and is impeding progress. It proposes a new path for IM research that is phenomenon-motivated and theory-based, treats country context as analytical variables, and draws on and integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines. This approach expands the domain of IM research and produces interdisciplinary theories that have greater explanatory and predictive power than the current practice.
Alexander Fleming might well have cursed the mysterious spore that had entered his lab and killed his bacterial cultures. His colleagues considered the agent a nuisance and source of delay. But Fleming thought it a possible godsend. At once, he abandoned his original research and research domain, and spent untold hours trying to isolate and culture the troublesome spore - penicillin. Mankind will be forever grateful. Sadly, the current institutional setting within which administrative studies develop has evolved to de-legitimize Fleming's type of research. Specifically, it degrades and discourages research that is non-paradigmatic or atheoretical. This essay demonstrates the dark side of that tendency and points to the salutary effects of atheoretical research, both in the natural sciences and within our own discipline.
This volume summarizes the results of a research project in industrial relations in which the Industrial Research Department of the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration cooperated with the Western Electric Company. 12 years of research bring the authors to a critical evaluation of the traditional view that workers, supervisors, or executives be considered apart from their social setting and treated as essentially "economic men." For example, "it became clear that the beneficial effects of rest pauses could be explained equally well in terms of the social function." The work involved was not heavy manual labor. Again, "the efficiency of a wage incentive is so dependent on its relation to other factors that it is impossible to separate it out as a thing in itself having an independent effect." The book, 26 chapters in length, is divided into 5 parts. There is a foreword by C. G. Stoll of Western Electric and a preface by Elton Mayo. 34 tables and 48 figures assist the reader in visualizing details. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
In light of G. Hofstede's (1980) dimension of individualism-collectivism, it was predicted that Chinese would be more moderate in their overt responses than Americans. 60 Chinese and American male undergraduates were presented with a scenario in which the target person (TP) either facilitated or hindered his group's completion of a class project. In their overt reactions to the TP, both cultural groups were rewarding to the helpful TP and punitive toward the unhelpful one. As predicted, the Chinese were less rewarding to the helpful TP and less punitive toward the unhelpful TP than were American Ss. It is suggested that this tendency toward moderation in the overt Chinese reaction supports group harmony and integrity. Future studies varying socioemotional as well as task inputs are discussed in relation to a pan-cultural model of equity in social exchange. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Presents an overview of the trends in previous justice research, including an analysis of 2 major theoretical inadequacies in current justice frameworks. Two alternative theoretical assumptions are outlined. To broaden the domain of the theory and research on justice, a typology of social accounts is presented, and the ramifications of the new framework are demonstrated in an analysis of 2 new justice-related issues that have heretofore been ignored by justice researchers. Moral issues raised by the use of social accounts are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)