![Porträtt av Mats Alvesson. Foto.](/sites/ehl.lu.se/files/styles/lu_personal_page_desktop/public/2024-01/MatsAlvesson%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=M-58mMZ6)
Mats Alvesson
Professor
![Porträtt av Mats Alvesson. Foto.](/sites/ehl.lu.se/files/styles/lu_personal_page_desktop/public/2024-01/MatsAlvesson%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=M-58mMZ6)
Meanings of Theory : Clarifying Theory through Typification
Författare
Summary, in English
Developing and evaluating scientific knowledge and its value requires a clear – or at least not too unclear – understanding of what ‘theory’ means. We argue that common definitions of theory are too restrictive, as they do not acknowledge the existence of multiple kinds of scientific knowledge, but largely recognize only one kind as ‘theory’, namely explanatory knowledge. We elaborate a typology that broadens and clarifies the meaning of ‘theory’. Consisting of five basic theory types – explaining, comprehending, ordering, enacting and provoking theories – the typology offers a framework that enables researchers to develop and assess knowledge in more varied ways and for a broader set of purposes than is typically recognized, as well as providing a more level playing field within the academic community.
Avdelning/ar
- Organisation
Publiceringsår
2021
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
487-516
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Journal of Management Studies
Volym
58
Issue
2
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Wiley-Blackwell
Ämne
- Philosophy
- Economics and Business
Nyckelord
- scientific knowledge
- theoretical contribution
- theory
- theory development
Aktiv
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 0022-2380