From nuts and bolts to toolkits: Theorizing with mechanisms

Klaus Weber

doi:10.1177/1056492605280237

From nuts and bolts to toolkits: Theorizing with mechanisms

Klaus Weber^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Management and Organizations

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

This essay examines a mechanisms-oriented approach to theory building in organization studies and identifies conditions under which such an approach is likely to be fruitful. Mechanisms-oriented theorizing is a promising path to reviving organization theory but has the potential pitfalls of overly reductionist models of organizations and the complete abandonment of grand theorizing. These undesirable side effects can be reduced when researchers act as playful pragmatists and treat mechanisms as toolkits for working on theoretical puzzles. The article describes some tactics for accomplishing this goal.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	119-123
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Management Inquiry
Volume	15
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492605280237
State	Published - Jun 2006

Keywords

Cultural toolkits
Pragmatism
Social mechanisms
Theory building

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Business, Management and Accounting
Strategy and Management
Management of Technology and Innovation

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10.1177/1056492605280237

Cite this

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From nuts and bolts to toolkits: Theorizing with mechanisms

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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