Journal of Organizational Change Management: Volume 34 Issue 4

Theory as method: introduction to supertheoretical options for organization and management research

Steffen Roth, Albert Mills, Bill Lee, Dariusz Jemielniak

This article is devoted to conditions and examples of how theories may be applied as methods in the fields of management research and organization studies.

Integrating instrumental and normative stakeholder theories: a systems theory approach

Vladislav Valentinov, Anna Hajdu

The stakeholder theory encompasses instrumental and normative varieties whose mutual relationship remains unclear and exhibits a classic tension between rational self-interest and…

Draw your organization! A solution-focused theory-method for business school challenges and change

Steffen Roth

This study aims to present a solution-focused approach to current problems and criticisms faced by business schools.

Research methods as bridging devices: path and context mapping in governance

Kristof Van Assche, Raoul Beunen, Monica Gruezmacher, Martijn Duineveld, Leith Deacon, Robert Summers, Lars Hallstrom, Kevin Jones

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential, both analytically and practically, of understanding research methods as bridging devices. Methods can bridge theory and…

Functional differentiation of society as a middle-range theory: Semantic analysis of modern insurance in Germany during the nineteenth century

Kosuke Sakai

This paper aimed to analyze the ways in which Niklas Luhmann's theory of the functional differentiation of society can be applied to historical studies. To achieve this, a…

Social systems theory and engaged scholarship: co-designing a semantic reservoir in a polycentric network

Margit Neisig

The purpose is to investigate a position for engaged scholarship bridging the gulf between theorizing and practice in a social system perspective using Design Thinking for…

Bracketing: a phenomenological theory applied through transpersonal reflexivity

Viktor Dörfler, Marc Stierand

The purpose of this study is to improve our understanding of bracketing, one of the most central philosophical and theoretical constructs of phenomenology, as a theory of mind…

A theory of (research) practice makes sense in sensemaking: Applying Bourdieu’s critical social theory to the study of sensemaking change

Adriana van Hilten

The purpose of this paper is to introduce Bourdieu’s social theory, and its “thinking tools” of habitus, doxa, field and capital, as a sensemaking theory.

Creating institutional disruption: an alternative method to study institutions

Devon Gidley

This paper develops a new method to study institutions based on institutional work theory. Institutional disruption is intentionally utilized to explore the taken-for-granted…

New theories and organization research: from the eyes of change

Masoud Shadnam

In recent years, organization scholars have engaged in several conversations about the process of theory development, and offered many proposals for building new theories of…