Determinants and Development of Schools in Organization Theory

Abstract

This article focuses on “schooling” in organization theory: the process through which new schools of thought become established as distinct, legitimate theoretical frameworks. It is argued that evolving schools of thought must display a combination of novelty, continuity, and scope to achieve school status. These attributes are described and their role in promoting the detection and assimilation of a school’s intellectual products, as well as the creation of a stream of empirical research, are discussed. Eight testable propositions from the theoretical model are derived and implications for future research are discussed.