CAPTURING CAUSAL COMPLEXITY: HEURISTICS FOR CONFIGURATIONAL THEORIZING

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Furnari, Santi; Crilly, Donal; Misangyi, Vilmos F.; Greckhamer, Thomas; Fiss, Peer C.; Aguilera, Ruth, V
• 署名单位: City St Georges, University of London; University of London; London Business School; Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE); Pennsylvania State University; Pennsylvania State University - University Park; Louisiana State University System; Louisiana State University; University of Southern California; Northeastern University; Universitat Ramon Llull; Escuela Superior de Administracion y Direccion de Empresas (ESADE)
• 刊物名称: ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0363-7425
• DOI: 10.5465/amr.2019.0298
• 发表日期: 2021
• 页码: 778-799
• 关键词: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE; ORGANIZATIONAL CONFIGURATIONS; GRAND CHALLENGES; strategy; fit; complementarities; EQUIFINALITY; perceptions; performance; GATEKEEPERS

摘要

Management scholars study phenomena marked by complex interdependencies among multiple explanatory factors that combine to bring about an outcome of interest. Yet, theorizing about causal complexity can prove challenging for the correlational theorizing that is predominant in the field of management, given its net effects thinking that emphasizes the unique contribution of individual explanatory factors. In contrast, configurational theories and thinking are well suited to explaining causally complex phenomena. In this article, we seek to advance configurational theorizing by providing a model of the configurational theorizing process, which consists of three iterative stages scoping, linking and naming. In each stage, we develop and offer several heuristics aimed at stimulating configurational theorizing. That is, these theorizing heuristics are intended to help scholars discover configurations of explanatory factors, probe the connections among these factors, and articulate the orchestrating themes that underpin their coherence. We conclude with a discussion of how configurational theorizing advances theory development in the field of management and organizations, and beyond.