JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT
SPECIAL ISSUE CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Walking New Avenues in Management Research Methods and Theories:
Bridging Micro and Macro Domains
Guest Editors: Herman Aguinis, Brian Boyd, Chuck Pierce, and Jeremy Short
The Journal of Management publishes research in all areas of the field.
However, increasingly,
specialization in the field of management has led to a noticeable divide
between what some term
“macro” and “micro” management research domains. Researchers usually
specialize in either the
micro (e.g., organizational behavior, human resource management) or macro
(e.g., business
policy and strategy, entrepreneurship, and organizational theory) domains.
This is somewhat
surprising when considering how similar these areas tend to be. For
example, while a Strategic
Management scholar may study CEO decisions and top management teams with an
eye towards
understanding the determinants of organizational survival and performance,
and organizations as
a whole, any introductory Organizational Behavior textbook states in the
first chapter that OB
covers the individual, group, and organizational levels and a rich history
concerning individual
decision-making and group and team dynamics is also reflected in
Organizational Behavior
research. Evidence of a divide between these domains is reflected by the
sometimes divergent
theories and methods used across these domains. This increasing
specialization may result in
negative consequences if important organizational issues are addressed from
a single perspective.
By focusing on theories and research methods which are best practices in
all areas of
management research, regardless of where they have traditionally been
studied, we hope to
stimulate greater integration of management research. Thus, the Journal of
Management would
like to invite authors to submit proposals for a special issue on Walking
New Avenues in
Management Research Methods and Theories: Bridging Micro and Macro Domains.
For the purposes of this special issue we define “methods” broadly and we
welcome work that
examines specific empirical techniques as well as contributions reviewing
or otherwise
highlighting theoretical approaches that facilitate empirical work.
Papers that address, but are not necessarily restricted to, the following
topics are most welcome:
�� Best practices for research design, measurement, and data-analytic
approaches that have
the potential to bridge micro and macro research domains (For example,
survival analysis
has been an important approach to many disparate research streams in
management.)
�� Epistemological approaches for integrating management research domains
�� Illustrations of how particular methodological approaches can be used
effectively to
bridge management research domains
�� Literature reviews pointing to gaps and addressing needs in terms of
bridging
management research domains
�� Examination of key theories that have the potential to bridge management
research areas
but have not seen such integration in the existing literature
�� Novel or unique methods for construct measurement that span a wide
spectrum of
management research
�� Integration of qualitative and quantitative (or inductive and deductive)
approaches with
the potential to bridge management research domains
Proposals should be submitted via
http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jom and
selecting “Special
Issue Proposal: Management Research Methods and Theories” as the paper
type. Proposals
should include contact information for all authors on the first page and
consist of no more than
seven double-spaced pages. References, tables, and appendices do not count
against the
aforementioned page limit, but they should be used only as needed.
Proposals will be reviewed
by the guest editors and used only to ensure that the focus and scope of
each paper is appropriate
for the special issue. Authors of accepted proposals will be asked to
provide full papers. Papers
will undergo the usual double-blind, developmental review, and the final
acceptance of approved
papers will be contingent on incorporating reviewers’ feedback to the
satisfaction of the editors.
Submissions will be evaluated with respect to the following criteria:
(a) Relevance. The proposed manuscript should make a contribution towards
bridging the
management domain
(b) Viability. The proposal should represent an achievable project within
the tight time
constraints required. More detail on the timeline is provided below.
(c) Scope of Interest. Papers of broad interest to scholars in a variety of
specialty areas are
greatly preferred.
(d) Organization and Coherence. The proposal should follow a logical
structure, read
clearly, and thoroughly represent the available research.
(e) Insight for Future Work. The proposal should convey important
implications for future
management scholars particularly regarding the integration of diverse
management
research domains.
The Guest Editors for this Special Issue are Herman Aguinis, U. of Colorado
Denver
(
Herman.Aguinis@ucdenver.edu), Brian Boyd, Arizona State U.
(
briankboyd@asu.edu), Chuck
Pierce, U. of Memphis (
capierce@memphis.edu), and Jeremy Short, Texas Tech
U.
(
Jeremy.Short@ttu.edu). All four will be attending the AOM meetings in
Anaheim and will
welcome any questions or queries about possible submissions.
Please note that due to editorial constraints, it is vital for authors to
adhere to the following strict
timeline. We will not be able to accept late submissions. Relevant dates
are as follows:
�� November 15-December 31, 2008: Proposals due (to be submitted at
http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jom by selecting “Special Issue: New
Avenues in
Management Research Methods and Theories” as the Paper Type
�� July 31, 2009: First draft of full-length paper due.