The document discusses the role of theory in management research. It begins by defining key concepts like theory, methodology, and method. It then discusses how theories can help make sense of the world, understand causation, predict outcomes, and guide research. Theories are developed and tested through empirical research, with adjustments made based on findings. Good theories are parsimonious, broad, accurate, and falsifiable. The document emphasizes that theories are approximations rather than proven truths.

1. Role of theory in
management research
Dr Yasser Bhatti
PhD Oxon, FHEA, MSc, MoT, MSc, BEng USA
Lecturer in Innovation and Strategy, Queen Mary University of London
Lecturer in Management, New College, University of Oxford
Honorary Lecturer, Imperial College London
26 November, 2018

2. PhD
Mphil
Masters
Bachelors
Vocational
Vocabulary of knowledge
Adapted from Ramirez, van der Heijden, Wilkinson (2013)
EDUCATION
ONTOLOGY
EPISTEMOLOGY
THEORY
METHODOLOGY
METHOD
TECHNIQUE
TOOL
TRAINING
principles
investigation
explanation
tactical ‘how’ skills}
}
}

3. Vocabulary of research
• Enquire (seek information by questioning)
• Examine (look at or actively observe)
• Explore (seek the unknown)
• Explain (discover cause and effect)
Adapted from QMUL, MSc Dissertation Module (2018)

4. Research questions as puzzles, or problems
Research design = how you plan your dissertation
... & also the logical structure of the plan and its adequacy for the research objectives
• Developmental Puzzle
• How much of Y exists?
• Why did X develop?
• Mechanical Puzzle
• How does X work?
• Correlational Puzzle
• What (if any) relationship is there between variable X and variable Y?
• Causal Puzzle
• Why does X cause (or strongly influence) Y?
• Essence Puzzle
• Why is X assumed?
Adapted from QMUL, MSc Dissertation Module (2018)

5. Research questions as puzzles, or problems
• Developmental Puzzle – how many women do we have on boards? Why do we
have the glass ceiling?
• Mechanical Puzzle – how does the glass ceiling work?
• Correlational Puzzle – is there a link between less women on board and poor
corporate performance?
• Causal Puzzle – why does the existence of male-dominated boards affect the
chances of aspiring female leaders
• Essence Puzzle – why is it assumed that women are less effective leaders than
men?
• Which theories might be useful for you to investigate the above?
Adapted from QMUL, MSc Dissertation Module (2018)

6. Theories
• Every time you try to learn from your experience, you are developing
a theory that helps to explain what you see
• A theory is a statement of what causes something
• Something you try to falsify, not prove

7. Phenomena
Observe
Describe (Constructs)
Measure
Correlate (Categorize, link)
Explain (Cause and effect)

8. Parsons, T., 1938. The role of theory in social research. American Sociological Review, 3(1), pp.13-20.

9. Theories help us to
1. Make sense of the world
• Can organize the subject matter
• Put them into abstract constructs and concepts
2. Understand how and why something happens
• Based on core assumptions
• Develop relationships
3. Predict future occurrences
• Forecast trends
• Hypothesize outcomes
4. Guide and focus research
• What are related problems
• What are appropriate methods for investigation
Adapted from White. ___Theories in Social Research. https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~jpiliavi/357/theory.white.pdf

10. https://mycourses.aalto.fi/pluginfile.php/166195/mod_resource/content/2/Christensen%20and%20Raynor%202003.pdf

11. Example
• Feathers are what make you fly
• but ostriches don't fly and bats do
• => it is not because of feathers
• Wings are what make you fly
• But squirrels can glide
• => it is not because of wings
• Hollow bones are what make you fly
• But insects don’t have bones
• => it is not because of bone structure or weight
• Bernoulli: It is rather shape and interaction with air
Image source: http://sped2work.tripod.com/davinci.html and http://www.aviation-history.com/theory/airfoil.htm

12. Theories change frequently
1. Theories are developed
2. Tested empirically, by the derivation of hypotheses and carrying out
of research
3. Some hypotheses are confirmed, others are not
4. The theory is adjusted to take account of these findings

13. Popper’s Falsifiability
• The process of building theory is one of progressive approximations to
“truth” but no theory is ever true. They are only more or less useful.
Image source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2154839/Black-swan-stands-gatecrashing-group-600-white-ones-ancient-swannery.html
1934

15. Clayton Christensen: The process of research, 19 June 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJzYTxXH7R0

16. Good Theories are
1. Parsimonius: Able to explain in simple and few terms
2. Broad: Able to explain several phenomena
3. Accurate: Able to predict new instances of phenomena
4. Falsifiable: Able to be revised in the face of anomalies
Adapted from White. ___Theories in Social Research. https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~jpiliavi/357/theory.white.pdf

17. Sample thesis I recently marked
• What mark would you give? Why?
• What are the strengths?
• What are the weaknesses?

18. Structure
Problem in the World
Lens
Methods
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
V. Important
Important
Appropriate
Adapted from Lawrence, Tom (2017), Paper writing workshop

19. Introduction – four components
Paragraph 1: An important problem in the world
Paragraph 2: A useful lens through which you can see, interpret and
understand that problem
Paragraph 3: An appropriate method/situation within which you can
employ that lens
Paragraph 4: Compelling contributions that emanate from the
intersection of the first three elements
Adapted from Lawrence, Tom (2017), Paper writing workshop

20. Problem-Focused Writing
A method through which to apply the lens
A lens through which to explore the problem
A problem in the world
Adapted from Lawrence, Tom (2017), Paper writing workshop

21. Worlds Vary and Worlds Matter
Worlds vary in size,
languages and politics
Writing about a problem
in a world requires a
fluency in the language
and a commitment to the
people
So, choose a world you
want to live in for a while
Adapted from Lawrence, Tom (2017), Paper writing workshop

22. Audience matters

23. My world: Innovation
• Sources (who, where)
• Who innovates?
• Where to find it?
• Process (how)
• How does it happen and diffuse?
• Outcomes (what).
• What does it do?
23

24. Choose Your World
Draw a big circle with a
heading in it that
describes the world
within which the
problem you will
address is located and
within which your
paper will be most
relevant and interesting
(or draw two if you are
not sure)
My world of innovation studies
World of social entrepreneurship
Adapted from Lawrence, Tom (2017), Paper writing workshop

25. http://www.cambridge.org/9781107188976

26. Social
Enterpreneurship
Global
Strategy
Design /
Engineering
Operations
Mgt /
Efficiency
Sustainability
Frugal
Innovation
My World

28. Why a Lens?
• We cannot “solve” problems in the world at a general level
• We can't fix problems without seeing through the right equipment
• Failing to explicitly articulate a lens will almost always result in a
broad but shallow contribution
• Key is SHARP FOCUS

29. Different lenses different things for the same object
https://petapixel.com/2015/05/27/this-telescope-uses-10-canon-lenses-worth-100000/

30. Literature Reviews – what use?
Problem in the world +
Useful Lens
• Establish foundations
• Leverage strengths
• Novelty is a byproduct of focus
Gap in the literature
• Reveal gaps
• Exploit weaknesses
• Novelty is the goal
Adapted from Lawrence, Tom (2017), Paper writing workshop

31. Figure 1.1: Identifying unexplored literature
Innovation Studies
Under Constraints
Mostly Resource Scarcity OR
Institutional Voids
Social Entrepreneurs
marked by Institutional Voids AND
Resource Scarcity
Function
Under Constraints
How conceptualise?
Literature Stream 1 Literature Stream 2
Common contingencies
GIVEN these
Bhatti, Y., Basu, R., Barron, D., & Ventresca, M. 2018. Frugal Innovation: Models, Means, Methods. Cambridge University Press.

32. Figure 1.2: Conceptual framework
(i) Capital, skills, labour
(iii) Contracts, rules, trust, legitimacy
(ii) Customers with low affordability
(iv) Distribution and supply chain for
access
Innovation by
Social
Entrepreneurs
Upstream Inputs Downstream Outputs
Resource Scarcity
Institutional Voids
Bhatti, Y., Basu, R., Barron, D., & Ventresca, M. 2018. Frugal Innovation: Models, Means, Methods. Cambridge University Press.

33. Definitions of Frugal Innovation from varying perspectives
Institutional perspective: Frugal innovation is viewed as
a purposeful systematic change on how development
can be best achieved within specific social contexts. This
contributes to it developing as a new field (field
formation).
Process-related perspective: Frugal innovation is
viewed as a set of tasks or actions to redesign products
and services and reconfigure value chains to improve
efficiency and create value for inclusive markets.
Functional perspective: Frugal innovation focuses on
how the outcomes are used and for what purpose. For
instance it may mean to satisfy unmet needs (user
driven), become more efficient (efficiency driven), solve
social problems (social driven), or solve wicked
problems for underserved markets (challenge driven).
Operational perspective: Frugal innovation
involves means and ends to do more with
less for many.
Bhatti © 2014

34. Example from my current paper in progress
• Opening statement: The problem I explore in this paper is how can business schools respond to recent calls to improve
their teaching and learning for greater and general impact beyond academia.
• (World:) Management education has had high expectations on it in terms of training decision makers to better deal with
real world managerial problems.
• (Problem: ) Business schools are under pressure to exhibit positive impact both in the classroom environment but also
outside of the classroom to help solve real works problems and conundrums. They have to provide value for money for
both the participants, the companies that hire these graduates and need to carry out research or projects that improve
business outcomes. This is an important problem because business school have faced much criticism in management
education for both the learning and the kind of business school graduates and future managers they produce. If this
criticism is not responded to adequately, business schools may lose legitimacy and consequently lose customers i.e.
students and sponsors.
• (Lens: ) In order to examine the problem, I use the lens of Van de Ven’s (2007) ‘Engaged Scholarship’ where he exhorted
action among academics to put their theories into practice, and managers to put their practice into theory. By engaged
scholarship, I mean reaching out to different stakeholders who would be engaged enough to take ownership of the
problem and therefore feedback into the process to improve the outcomes. One reason this is an important lens with
which to explore this problem is that engaged scholarship helps link theory with practice and therefore poses opportunity
for impact on decision makers.
• (Method: ) To explore the role of this lens in this problem, I use a case study method of an executive education
programme that uses live case method as a teaching tool. By live case method I mean inviting managers from a real world
organization into the classroom for them to share their current conundrum with the participants to solve. I show that the
executive education has helped resolved this problem of how can business schools respond to recent calls to improve their
teaching and learning for greater and general impact beyond academia.

35. Focused PhD: You show that you are THE expert
http://phdcomics.com/comics/archive_print.php?comicid=1056

36. Recommended Readings
• Christensen, C.M. and Raynor, M.E., 2003. Why hard-nosed executives should
care about management theory. Harvard business review, 81(9), pp.66-75.
• Coleman, J. 1990. Foundations of social theory. Cambridge, MA: Belknap.
• Smith, K.G. and Hitt, M.A. eds., 2005. Great minds in management: The process of
theory development. Oxford University Press on Demand.
• Tsoukas, H. and Knudsen, C. eds., 2005. The Oxford handbook of organization
theory. Oxford Handbooks.
• Parsons, T., 1938. The role of theory in social research. American Sociological
Review, 3(1), pp.13-20.

37. Thoughts? Questions ?

38. References
• Christensen, C.M. and Raynor, M.E., 2003. Why hard-nosed executives
should care about management theory. Harvard business review, 81(9),
pp.66-75.
• MSc Dissertation Module. 2018. Queen Mary University of London.
• Lawrence, T. 2017. Paper writing workshop. Said Business School, Oxford
University, 8-9 June.
• Parsons, T., 1938. The role of theory in social research. American
Sociological Review, 3(1), pp.13-20.
• Ramirez, R. van der Heijden, K. and Wilkinson, A. 2013. Opening lecture
slides. Oxford Scenarios Programme, Said Business School, Oxford
University, Sept.
• White. ___Theories in Social Research. University of Wisconsin. Available
at: https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~jpiliavi/357/theory.white.pdf

39. Background readings
• M. S. Davis, “That’s interesting!” in Philosophy of Social Science, 1:4 (1971) p.309.
• Ranjit Kumar, “The research process: a quick glance” in Research Methodology,
London: Sage, 2011, pp. 16-28.
• F. Machlup, “Are the social sciences really inferior?” The Southern Economic
Journal, 26:3, 173-184.
• John A. Sharp, John Peters, and Keith Howard, The management of a student
research project. Aldershot, Hants: Gower, 2007.
• M. Saunders, P. Lewis and A. Thornhill, “Formulating and Clarifying the Research
Topic” in Research Methods for Business Students, Harlow: Pearson, 2012, pp. 26-
69.
• Peter Manicas, “The social sciences since World War II: the rise and fall of
scientism” in W. Outhwaite and S. Turner (eds) The Sage Handbook of Social
Science Methodology, London: Sage, 2007.
• Michel Foucault, “Polemics, Politics and Problematizations” in Essential Works of
Foucault, edited by Paul Rabinow. Vol. 1 “Ethics”, The New Press, 1998.

40. Background readings
• M. Saunders, P. Lewis and A. Thornhill, “Formulating and Clarifying
the Research Topic” in Research Methods for Business Students,
Harlow: Pearson, 2012, pp. 26-69.
• R. B. Briner and Neil D. Walshe, “From Passively Received Wisdom to
Actively Constructed Knowledge: Teaching Systematic Review Skills As
a Foundation of Evidence-Based Management” Academy of
Management Learning & Education, 2014, Vol. 13, No. 3, 415–432.
• Alan Bryman and Emma Bell, “Getting started: reviewing the
literature” in Business Research Methods, Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2011, pp. 100-127.

41. Background readings
• Karl Popper, “A survey of some fundamental problems”, or “Scientific Method” in
The logic of scientific discovery, New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1965, pp.27-48.
• Gaston Bachelard, “The Obstacles of Quantitative Knowledge” in The Formation
of the Scientific Mind, Manchester: Clinamen Press, 2002 pp. 211-235.
• J. Hughes and W. Sharrock, “The Positivist Orthodoxy” in The Philosophy of Social
Research, London: Longman, 1997 pp. 42-53.
• John Dewey, How we think, New York: Dover Publications, 1997, pp. 79-100.
• Amartya Sen, “Description as choice” in Choice, welfare and measurement,
Oxford: Blackwell, 1982, pp. 432-448.