Intro to the Special Issue on Theory: Theory at the Level of the Profession

Abstract

This special issue seeks to enlarge scholars’ understanding of the different ways that organization science uses theory to produce and disseminate knowledge. It brings the discussion about what theory is and does to the level of the profession as opposed to the paper. Understanding why our profession has theory in the first place to should help scholars avoid some of the unproductive debates about the use of theory within papers. More importantly, it should help scholars produce theories that can solidify rather than destabilize our corpus of knowledge - the basis for our professional authority - without limiting conceptual advancement and innovation. Developing theory that fits with how our profession produces and disseminates knowledge should improve its chances of publication, but more importantly this should improve a paper's chances of being cited and its chances of generating knowledge that can truly be useful and usable to scholars and practitioners. The special issue should thus be a valuable resource for scholars as they produce and review theory, and should lead to a more integrated and coherent science of organizational psychology.