I passed for Organizational theory with an 8 and so can you! It is a ton of information to proces, so I hope that this summary will help you on your way. If there is anything you dont understand, feel free to send me a message. All papers, workshops and lectures are in this summary. So you dont hav...
- The main concepts and assumptions per week and papers
- Hypotheses and base arguments of the papers
- Basic standpoint and statements from the lectures
Toets
- 40 multiple choice and 12 open questions.
- Exam: 15-12-2021
Six main concepts of the course?
{IOT} Inter-organizational Theories
- Resource Dependence Theory {RDT}
- Transaction Cost Theory {TCT}
Dynamic Capabilities theory {DCT}
Legitimacy theory { LT}
Goals setting theory {GST}
Social Interdependence Theory {SIT}
All theories in a its core content
IOT RDT:
TCT:
Dynamic capabilities (DCT) DCT:
Legitimacy Theory (LT) LT:
Goals setting theory (GST) GST:
Social interdepended theory (SIT) SIT:
,Week 1.
Paper What Constitutes a theoretical contribution (whetten 1989)
The building blocks of a theory consists of building blocks: what, how, why and, the combination of those.
What and how describe essential elements (Comprehensiveness + Parsimony) and why explains those
elements. Good theory gives a description and explanation of certain relationships in our data. When, who
and where revere back to generalizability and logic is concepts.
You can add value to a theory by changing factors in a relationship between variables and how this new
variable affects our understanding of the phenomena, it must consist of multiple perspectives (fields of
knowledge), in a different setting a theorist should learn something new from it. Critics of theory should
apply to multiple elements of the theory and based on evidence and propose alternatives. There are
seven questions to judge the legitimacy of a paper.
Concepts of theory development:
- Building blocks of theory development:
What (describing) are essential elements of a theory: Comprehensiveness (all relevant factors included) +
Parsimony (all not relevant factors excluded).
How (describing) to know correlation between essential elements
- Arrows and boxes to look for causality (clarify the author thinking and increases the reader
comprehension). To see balans between comprehensiveness and parsimony.
Why (explained)
- The fundamental views provides a basis for judging the reasonableness of the proposed
conceptualisation.
- In the process logic replaces data as the basis for evaluation
- Theory = good for research if not been tested, if it has been empirically tested than it is ready for
the classroom.
Combined (What + HOW)
- Creates models that can be tested with propositions.
- What and how creates a framework for our interpretations of patterns.
- Propositions should be well grounded in the What, Hows and whys
Who, Where and, when.
- Generally derived from data testing the first (rudimentary) theoretical statement
- Who, where and, when are conditions that create limitations for the propositions and
generalizability. Contextual limits.
Definition
- Hypothesis: need measures, propositions: involving concepts.
- Contextualism perspective ( meaning is derived from context).
, .
Legitimate value adding contribution. (value adding to theory)
- Proposing a change in factors to affect the relationship between variables = good
- Theoretical insights come from showing how a new variable affects our understanding of the
phenomena.
Theories consists of other theories from different perspectives
- Feedback loop = new setting/generalizability. Aka: theorists need to learn something new
about the used theory as a result of working with it in different conditions. In such a way that
the it improves the theory.
- Critics should focus on multiple elements of the theory for better validity.
- Crisisme of theory should be based on evidence (theory not consistent or
empirical/epistemological findings).
- Critiques should propose remedies or alternatives.
Judging conceptual papers
- Factors: clarity of expression, impact of research, timeliness and relevance.
Seven questions
- Does the paper make a significant value-added to current thinking
o Scope: hoe much of the field is impacted
o Degree: different of current thinking (radicalness).
- Will it change the practise of organization science in this aread?
- Is it believable?
- Is the paper thorough? And what, how, why, when-where-who covered?
- Logical flow & enjoyable to read?
- Why now? stimulate new discutions?
- Who cares? who are interested?
, Paper (Robert I) What theory is not
5 Things that does not necessarily mean theory: References, data, variables, diagrams and
hypotheses are not theory
- They argue that journals should be more receptive to all papers that test part rather than all of a
theory and use illustrative rather than definitive data.
- Weak and strong theory
Inadequate theory
1. Reference is not theory: reference help build logic path, but does not mean that a new
theory is build. you need to make arguments with these theories , disscuion and, make
sure the link between the concepts and theory is strong and explained.
2. Data is not theory: empirical evidence is important to see patterns and connect that with
building theory. But results are not the same as causal reasoning. Something people do
wrong is that they take findings of others and assume that is the same as theory on which
they build there hypothesis. This is in quantative data, in qualitative data they must explain
why persisting have been observed if they wish to write papers that contain theory.
Mintzberg (1979: 584) summarized this distinction succinctly: "The data do not generate
theory-only researchers do that.
3. List of variables are not theory: Only variables are no theories, the connection between them
needs to be explained to create theory.
4. Diagrams are not theory: a diagram that shows are relationship between variables can help
to built theory, but it is no theory on it’s own. The logic needs to be spelled out.
5. Hypotheses and predictions are not theory: it is about what is expected not why, you still
need to explain the why or the correlation between the hypotheses and the found data.
Strong theory
- Small set of idea’s that are tested. One or two statements and build a logically built case.
Simplicity +interconnectedness.
- Theory about why phenomena occur and it is about causal relationships.
- A good theory explains, predicts and delights.
Case against theory & are we asking too much?
- Needed?
Recommendations
- They argue that is needed to create a better balance between theory and method, since
most journals pick papers with acceptable methods and undeveloped theory.
- Then theory is radical it needs to relax the testing and that some papers can be more
theoretical than methods (new ideas than).
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