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Changing assumptions and progressive change in theories of strategic organization

Foss, Nicolai J. and Hallberg, Niklas Lars LU (2017) In Strategic Organization 15(3). p.410-422
Abstract
A commonly held view is that strategic organization theories progress as a result of a Popperian process of bold conjectures and systematic refutations. However, our field also witnesses vibrant debates or disputes about the specific assumptions that our theories rely on, and although these debates are often decoupled from the results of empirical testing, changes in assumptions seem closely intertwined with theoretical progress. Using the case of the resource-based view, we suggest that progressive change in theories of strategic organization may come about as a result of scholarly debate and dispute over what constitute proper assumptions—even in the absence of corroborating or falsifying empirical evidence. We also discuss how changing... (More)
A commonly held view is that strategic organization theories progress as a result of a Popperian process of bold conjectures and systematic refutations. However, our field also witnesses vibrant debates or disputes about the specific assumptions that our theories rely on, and although these debates are often decoupled from the results of empirical testing, changes in assumptions seem closely intertwined with theoretical progress. Using the case of the resource-based view, we suggest that progressive change in theories of strategic organization may come about as a result of scholarly debate and dispute over what constitute proper assumptions—even in the absence of corroborating or falsifying empirical evidence. We also discuss how changing assumptions may drive future progress in the resource-based view. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
capabilities, dynamic capabilities, firm performance, industrial economics, strategy content, resource-based view
in
Strategic Organization
volume
15
issue
3
pages
13 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85026634785
  • wos:000406623600005
ISSN
1476-1270
DOI
10.1177/1476127016671099
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4ee32093-041b-41ed-a380-3f133162d7b2
date added to LUP
2016-09-04 14:42:48
date last changed
2022-03-01 03:27:04
@article{4ee32093-041b-41ed-a380-3f133162d7b2,
  abstract     = {{A commonly held view is that strategic organization theories progress as a result of a Popperian process of bold conjectures and systematic refutations. However, our field also witnesses vibrant debates or disputes about the specific assumptions that our theories rely on, and although these debates are often decoupled from the results of empirical testing, changes in assumptions seem closely intertwined with theoretical progress. Using the case of the resource-based view, we suggest that progressive change in theories of strategic organization may come about as a result of scholarly debate and dispute over what constitute proper assumptions—even in the absence of corroborating or falsifying empirical evidence. We also discuss how changing assumptions may drive future progress in the resource-based view.}},
  author       = {{Foss, Nicolai J. and Hallberg, Niklas Lars}},
  issn         = {{1476-1270}},
  keywords     = {{capabilities; dynamic capabilities; firm performance; industrial economics; strategy content; resource-based view}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{410--422}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Strategic Organization}},
  title        = {{Changing assumptions and progressive change in theories of strategic organization}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1476127016671099}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1476127016671099}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}