What’s your theoretical contribution?” Unpacking, problematizing, and rethinking theoretical contributions

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ABRI Lunch Seminar Jörgen Sandberg - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Abstract

While making a ‘theoretical contribution’ is widely regarded as the core purpose of management and organization studies, what it actually means remains highly ambiguous, causing continuous confusion and frustration for authors, reviewers, and editors. Moreover, despite decades of growth in published management articles, there is a persistent shortage—and even a decline—of impactful theoretical contributions. In this paper I (a) further unpack, articulate, and problematize what constitutes a theoretical contribution according to conventional views, and (b) explore why many theoretical contributions are perceived as offering limited theoretical and practical value, even when published in “top-tier” journals. The paper makes three key contributions. First, we explain why ambiguity around the definition of a theoretical contribution persists, by offering a more comprehensive and precise understanding of its components. Second, we identify and problematize two key assumptions underlying the conventional understanding of theoretical contributions, showing how they hinder researchers from developing more original and impactful work—ultimately contributing to the shortage of such contributions. Third, we propose two strategies that reimagine what constitutes a theoretical contribution—particularly novel and impactful ones—while also equipping researchers with concrete intellectual tools to generate more original and valuable contributions.