What Middle-Range Theories Are

Implementing, Embedding, and Integrating Practices: An Outline of Normalization Process Theory

May, C., & Finch, T. (2009) · Sociology · doi:10.1177/0038038509103208 · Cited by 2,115 · see citing works

Development of a theory of implementation and integration: Normalization Process Theory

May, C. R., Mair, F., Finch, T., MacFarlane, A., Dowrick, C., Treweek, S., Rapley, T., Ballini, L., Ong, B. N., Rogers, A., et al. (2009) · Implementation Science · doi:10.1186/1748-5908-4-29 · Cited by 1,409 · see citing works

Dissecting the Social: On the Principles of Analytical Sociology

Hedstrom, P. (2005) · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511488801 · Cited by 816 · see citing works

Is Deliberative Democracy a Falsifiable Theory?

Mutz, D. C. (2008) · Annual Review of Political Science · doi:10.1146/annurev.polisci.11.081306.070308 · Cited by 448 · see citing works

Collaborative deliberation: A model for patient care

Elwyn, G. J., Lloyd, A., May, C. R., van der Weijden, T., Stiggelbout, A. M., Edwards, A., Frosch, D. L., Rapley, T., Barr, P. J., Walsh, T., et al. (2014) · Patient Education and Counseling · doi:10.1016/j.pec.2014.07.027 · Cited by 261 · see citing works

Empirical Urban Theory for Archaeologists

Smith, M. E. (2010) · Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory · doi:10.1007/s10816-010-9097-5 · Cited by 189 · see citing works

Compliance with the Law in Slovenia: The Role of Procedural Justice and Police Legitimacy

Reisig, M. D., Tankebe, J., & Meško, G. (2013) · European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research · doi:10.1007/s10610-013-9211-9 · Cited by 183 · see citing works

What Is Shared in Shared Decision Making? Complex Decisions When the Evidence Is Unclear

Epstein, R. M., & Gramling, R. E. (2012) · Medical Care Research and Review · doi:10.1177/1077558712459216 · Cited by 180 · see citing works

History, Knowledge, and Sustainable Economic Development: The Contribution of John Stuart Mill’s Grand Stage Theory

Meramveliotakis, G., & Μanioudis, Μ. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13031468 · Cited by 156 · see citing works

Criteria for Rigor in Visualization Design Study

Meyer, M., & Dykes, J. A. (2019) · IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics · doi:10.1109/tvcg.2019.2934539 · Cited by 143 · see citing works

Middle-range realism

Pawson, R. (2000) · European Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1017/s0003975600007050 · Cited by 145 · see citing works

Feelings of Discontent and the Promise of Middle Range Theory for STS: Examples from Technology Dynamics

Geels, F. W. (2007) · Science, Technology, & Human Values · doi:10.1177/0162243907303597 · Cited by 130 · see citing works

Exploring the role of social capital mechanisms in cooperative resilience

Wulandhari, N. B. I., Gölgeci̇, İ., Mishra, N., Sivarajah, U., & Gupta, S. (2022) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.026 · Cited by 96 · see citing works

The design of patient decision support interventions: addressing the theory–practice gap

Elwyn, G. J., Stiel, M., Durand, M., & Boivin, J. (2010) · Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2010.01517.x · Cited by 88 · see citing works

Agent-Based Modeling and Organization Studies: A critical realist perspective

Miller, K. D. (2014) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/0170840614556921 · Cited by 86 · see citing works

Adapted Institutional Logics of Contemporary Nonprofit Organizations

Knutsen, W. L. (2012) · Administration & Society · doi:10.1177/0095399712438371 · Cited by 79 · see citing works

Can “realist” randomised controlled trials be genuinely realist?

Belle, S. V., Wong, G., Westhorp, G., Pearson, M., Emmel, N. D., Manzano, A., & Marchal, B. (2016) · Trials · doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1407-0 · Cited by 77 · see citing works

Beyond ‘Doing Gender’: Incorporating Race, Class, Place, and Life Transitions into Feminist Drug Research

Miller, J., & Carbone‐Lopez, K. (2015) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.3109/10826084.2015.978646 · Cited by 72 · see citing works

THE DYNAMICS OF DEVOLUTION PROCESSES IN LEGALISTIC COUNTRIES: ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN THE ITALIAN PUBLIC SECTOR

Ongaro, E. (2006) · Public Administration · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9299.2006.00610.x · Cited by 66 · see citing works

Using Normalization Process Theory as a Practical Tool Across the Life Course of a Qualitative Research Project

McNaughton, R. J., Steven, A., & Shucksmith, J. S. (2019) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/1049732319863420 · Cited by 61 · see citing works

Conducting focus groups in realist evaluation

Manzano, A. (2022) · Evaluation · doi:10.1177/13563890221124637 · Cited by 61 · see citing works

Rethinking rancher decision-making: a grounded theory of ranching approaches to drought and succession management

Wilmer, H., & Fernández‐Giménez, M. E. (2015) · The Rangeland Journal · doi:10.1071/rj15017 · Cited by 58 · see citing works

LQue faire du modèle de l’innovation ouverte ?

Loilier, T., & Tellier, A. (2011) · Revue française de gestion · doi:10.3166/rfg.210.69-85 · Cited by 58 · see citing works

A Review of Information System Integration in Mergers and Acquisitions

Henningsson, S., Yetton, P., & Wynne, P. J. (2018) · Journal of Information Technology · doi:10.1057/s41265-017-0051-9 · Cited by 57 · see citing works

The Cultural Politics of ‘Implementation Science’

Boulton, R., Sandall, J., & Sevdalis, N. (2020) · Journal of Medical Humanities · doi:10.1007/s10912-020-09607-9 · Cited by 56 · see citing works

Value chains, partnerships and development: Using case studies to refine programme theories

Vellema, S., Ton, G., de Roo, N., & van Wijk, J. (2013) · Evaluation · doi:10.1177/1356389013493841 · Cited by 55 · see citing works

Lindblom’s lament: Incrementalism and the persistent pull of the status quo

Atkinson, M. (2011) · Policy and Society · doi:10.1016/j.polsoc.2010.12.002 · Cited by 54 · see citing works

The Ties That Bind

Bridwell-Mitchell, E. N., & Cooc, N. (2016) · Educational Researcher · doi:10.3102/0013189x16632191 · Cited by 53 · see citing works

What is Analytical Sociology? Strengths and weaknesses of a new sociological research program

Opp, K. (2013) · Social Science Information · doi:10.1177/0539018413483939 · Cited by 51 · see citing works

Systems and Mechanisms

Pickel, A. (2004) · Philosophy of the Social Sciences · doi:10.1177/0048393103262549 · Cited by 50 · see citing works

Popper's Situational Analysis and Contemporary Sociology

Hedström, P., Swedberg, R., & Udéhn, L. (1998) · Philosophy of the Social Sciences · doi:10.1177/004839319802800302 · Cited by 47 · see citing works

Cultural logics: Toward theory and measurement

Valentino, L. (2021) · Poetics · doi:10.1016/j.poetic.2021.101574 · Cited by 45 · see citing works

Normalization Process Theory

May, C. R., Finch, T. L., & Rapley, T. (2020) · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · doi:10.4337/9781788975995.00013 · Cited by 49 · see citing works

Abductive Grounded Theory: a worked example of a study in construction management

Rahmani, F., & Leifels, K. (2018) · Construction Management and Economics · doi:10.1080/01446193.2018.1449954 · Cited by 44 · see citing works

Qualitative middle-range research in operations management

Soltani, E., Ahmed, P. K., Liao, Y., & Anosike, P. U. (2014) · International Journal of Operations & Production Management · doi:10.1108/ijopm-11-2012-0486 · Cited by 43 · see citing works

Die Theorie sozialer Schließung. Das analytische Potenzial einer Theorie mittlerer Reichweite

Mackert, J. (2004) · VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-663-07912-5_1 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

When Organization Studies Turns to Societal Problems: The Contribution of Marxist Grand Theory

Vidal, M., Adler, P. S., & Delbridge, R. (2015) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/0170840615575948 · Cited by 38 · see citing works

The Logics of the Media and the Mediatized Conditions of Social Interaction

Hjarvard, S. (2017) · Transforming communications · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-65756-1_4 · Cited by 33 · see citing works

Abstracting Empirical Generalizations from Private Label Brand Research

Gooner, R. A., & Nadler, S. S. (2012) · The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice · doi:10.2753/mtp1069-6679200106 · Cited by 33 · see citing works

Organizing Practice and Practicing Organization: An Outline of Translational Mobilization Theory

Allen, D. A., & May, C. R. (2017) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/2158244017707993 · Cited by 31 · see citing works

Which socio-economic comparison groups do individuals choose and why?

Gugushvili, A. (2020) · European Societies · doi:10.1080/14616696.2020.1793214 · Cited by 30 · see citing works

Neighbourhood effects on educational attainment. What matters more: Exposure to poverty or exposure to affluence?

Troost, A. A., van Ham, M., & Manley, D. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0281928 · Cited by 28 · see citing works

Laying the Foundation: Preparing the Field of Business and Society for Investigating the Relationship Between Business and Inequality

Marens, R. (2016) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/0007650316679990 · Cited by 27 · see citing works

A dynamic and multifunctional account of middle-range theories.

Kaidesoja, T. (2018) · British Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1111/1468-4446.12621 · Cited by 24 · see citing works

Managing expectations: cognitive authority and experienced control in complex healthcare processes

Hunt, K. J., & May, C. R. (2017) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-017-2366-1 · Cited by 27 · see citing works

What's in a name? “Smong” and the sustaining of risk communication and DRR behaviours as evocation fades

Sutton, S., Paton, D., Buergelt, P. T., Meilianda, E., & Sagala, S. (2019) · International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction · doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101408 · Cited by 25 · see citing works

How does interprofessional education affect attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration? A rapid realist synthesis

Grand‐Guillaume‐Perrenoud, J. A., Cignacco, E., MacPhee, M., Carron, T., & Peytremann‐Bridevaux, I. (2024) · Advances in Health Sciences Education · doi:10.1007/s10459-024-10368-6 · Cited by 22 · see citing works

Deliberation Naturalized

Tanasoca, A. (2020) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198851479.001.0001 · Cited by 44 · see citing works

X-Ray Vision at Work: Seeing Inside Organizational Life

Noumair, D. A., Pfaff, D. L., John, C. M. S., et al. (2017) · Research in organizational change and development · doi:10.1108/s0897-301620170000025006 · Cited by 22 · see citing works

The social science of human rights: the need for a ‘second image reversed’?

Regilme, S. S. F. (2014) · Third World Quarterly · doi:10.1080/01436597.2014.946255 · Cited by 20 · see citing works

Studying ethnicity, problem substance use and treatment: From epidemiology to social change

Kock, C. D., Decorte, T., Vanderplasschen, W., Derluyn, I., & Sacco, M. (2017) · Drugs Education Prevention and Policy · doi:10.1080/09687637.2016.1239696 · Cited by 21 · see citing works

Theorizing in the qualitative study of mergers & acquisitions

Teerikangas, S. P., & Colman, H. L. (2019) · Scandinavian Journal of Management · doi:10.1016/j.scaman.2019.101090 · Cited by 24 · see citing works

Igniting students’ inner determination: the role of a need-supportive climate

Adams, C. M., & Khojasteh, J. (2018) · Journal of Educational Administration · doi:10.1108/jea-04-2017-0036 · Cited by 23 · see citing works

Towards middle-range theory building in development research: Comparative (historical) institutional analysis of institutional transplantation

Kang, N. (2014) · Progress in Development Studies · doi:10.1177/1464993414521338 · Cited by 20 · see citing works

Governed by history: institutional analysis of a contested biofuel innovation system in Tanzania

Arora, S., Romijn, H., & Caniëls, M. C. J. (2013) · Industrial and Corporate Change · doi:10.1093/icc/dtt017 · Cited by 19 · see citing works

Grande théorie et théorie intermédiaire en stratégie. Une perspective épistémologique

Sanchez, R., & Heene, A. (2010) · Revue française de gestion · doi:10.3166/rfg.204.105-125 · Cited by 19 · see citing works

Challenges to Habitus: Scruffy Hedges and Weeds in the Irish Countryside

Burns, L. (2020) · Sociologia Ruralis · doi:10.1111/soru.12307 · Cited by 19 · see citing works

Attitudes toward Redistributive Policy: An Introduction

Steele, L. G., & Breznau, N. (2019) · Societies · doi:10.3390/soc9030050 · Cited by 20 · see citing works

The Role of Science in Transpersonal Psychology: The Advantages of Middle‐Range Theory

Friedman, H. L. (2013) · doi:10.1002/9781118591277.ch16 · Cited by 19 · see citing works

Fostering co-operation through participation in natural resource management. An integrative review

Ortiz-Riomalo, J. F., Koessler, A., & Engel, S. (2022) · Journal of Environmental Management · doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117184 · Cited by 23 · see citing works

A comment on paradox and middle‐range theory: universality, synthesis and supplement

Saren, M., & Pels, J. (2008) · Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing · doi:10.1108/08858620810850218 · Cited by 18 · see citing works

Mediatization

Hjarvard, S. (2017) · The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects · doi:10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0107 · Cited by 17 · see citing works

Realism and International Relations

James, P. (2022) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197645024.001.0001 · Cited by 16 · see citing works

Towards a middle-range theory of mental health and well-being effects of employment transitions: Findings from a qualitative study on unemployment during the 2009–2010 economic recession

Giuntoli, G., Hughes, S., Karban, K., & South, J. (2014) · Health An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health Illness and Medicine · doi:10.1177/1363459314554314 · Cited by 16 · see citing works

Theorien mittlerer Reichweite

Schmid, M. (2010) · Berliner Journal für Soziologie · doi:10.1007/s11609-010-0136-6 · Cited by 15 · see citing works

Post-disciplinary realism

Emmel, N. D. (2020) · International Journal of Social Research Methodology · doi:10.1080/13645579.2020.1803526 · Cited by 13 · see citing works

Causal Mechanisms: Lessons from the Life Sciences

Gorski, P. S. (2015) · Social morphogenesis · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-13773-5_2 · Cited by 17 · see citing works

‘Village’ as verb: Sustaining a transformation in disaster risk reduction from the bottom up

Sutton, S., Paton, D., Buergelt, P. T., Sagala, S., & Meilianda, E. (2022) · Environmental Science & Policy · doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2022.08.009 · Cited by 13 · see citing works

Soziale Formen

Karafillidis, A. (2010) · Sozialtheorie · doi:10.14361/transcript.9783839415603 · Cited by 29 · see citing works

Reorganisation und Stabilisierung. Soziale Mechanismen in Emile Durkheims politisch-soziologischen Schriften

Mackert, J. (2003) · Berliner Journal für Soziologie · doi:10.1007/bf03204677 · Cited by 13 · see citing works

Further Developing Transpersonal Psychology as a Science: Building and Testing Middle-Range Transpersonal Theories

Friedman, H. L. (2015) · International Journal of Transpersonal Studies · doi:10.24972/ijts.2015.34.1-2.55 · Cited by 12 · see citing works

Categorizing Concepts and Phenomena in Management Research: A Four-Phase Integrative Review and Recommendations

Pierce, J. R. (2024) · Academy of Management Annals · doi:10.5465/annals.2023.0052 · Cited by 12 · see citing works

Quantitative research, agent-based modelling and theories of the social (with Yvonne Åberg)

Hedström, P. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511488801.007 · Cited by 11 · see citing works

The judicious use of theory in social science research

der Waldt, G. V. (2021) · The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa · doi:10.4102/td.v17i1.1039 · Cited by 10 · see citing works

Commodification and Digital Political Participation: The “15-M Movement” and the Collectivization of the Internet

Robles, J. M., & Córdoba-Hernández, A. M. (2018) · Palabra Clave · doi:10.5294/pacla.2018.21.4.3 · Cited by 10 · see citing works

Neoliberalism(s) as a Guide to Post‐Wall Urban Change: Explanation Out of the Blue?

Gentile, M., & Sjöberg, Ö. (2019) · Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie · doi:10.1111/tesg.12374 · Cited by 10 · see citing works

Assembling velomobile commons for young people in a marginalised Amsterdam neighborhood

Silonsaari, J. (2025) · Cities · doi:10.1016/j.cities.2025.105763 · Cited by 8 · see citing works

Unbundling institutions: the case for meso-institutions

Ménard, C., & Martino, G. (2025) · Journal of Institutional Economics · doi:10.1017/s1744137425100192 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

Functional differentiation of society as a middle-range theory

Sakai, K. (2020) · Journal of Organizational Change Management · doi:10.1108/jocm-06-2019-0205 · Cited by 8 · see citing works

Situational analysis and urban theory

Davidson, M. (2023) · Progress in Human Geography · doi:10.1177/03091325231221777 · Cited by 8 · see citing works

Mobilizing for Change

Altaweel, M. R., Sallach, D. L., & Macal, C. M. (2012) · Social Science Computer Review · doi:10.1177/0894439312451106 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Cooperação para autonomia? Explicando o paradoxo da política externa brasileira para a Unasul

Medeiros, M. D. A., Júnior, A. W. M. T., & dos Reis, E. G. (2017) · Revista de Sociologia e Política · doi:10.1590/1678-987317256106 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Mechanisms that support the assessment of interpersonal skills

Meier, K., Parker, P., & Freeth, D. (2014) · The Journal of Practice Teaching in Health and Social Work · doi:10.1921/7701240205 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Strukturtheoretischer Individualismus

Greshoff, R. (2009) · VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-531-91600-2_21 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Progress in International Relations

James, P. (2022) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197645024.003.0002 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

The recent turn in analytical sociology: The dismissal of general theories, mental states, and analytic philosophy – and the old issue of mechanism explanations

Opp, K. (2024) · Social Science Information · doi:10.1177/05390184241247724 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

What is needed to reform pharmacy education in Jordan: An exploratory study based on a multi-stakeholder perspective

Alnahar, S. A., Al-Rawashdeh, A., Al-Makhzoomy, A. K., et al. (2022) · Pharmacy Education · doi:10.46542/pe.2022.224.6372 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

The organization of higher education: an overview of sociological research into universities as organizations

Lueg, K., & Graf, A. (2022) · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · doi:10.4337/9781839103261.00010 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Reorganization and Stabilization

Mackert, J. (2004) · Journal of Classical Sociology · doi:10.1177/1468795x04046970 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Theories of Middle Range

Esser, H. (2026) · KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie · doi:10.1007/s11577-026-01063-y · Cited by 5 · see citing works

In Search of the Golden Factor: Conceptualizing Resilience in the Framework of New Economic Sociology by Focusing ‘Loyalty’

Maurer, A. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-13328-3_5 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Testing and refining middle-range theory in evaluations of public-health interventions: evidence from recent systematic reviews and trials

Bonell, C. P., Ponsford, R., Meiksin, R., & Meléndez‐Torres, G. J. (2023) · Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health · doi:10.1136/jech-2022-219776 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Soziologie mittlerer Reichweite. Die methodologischen Konzeptionen Robert K. Mertons und Max Webers im Vergleich

Albert, G. (2008) · VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-531-90998-1_21 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Building Theory for Management Science and Practice: An Epistemological Perspective from Competence-Based Management Theory

Sanchez, R., & Heene, A. (2017) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s1744-211720170000008001 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

On situational analysis and the explanatory power of mechanisms: Analytical sociology and the deductive-nomological model

Iorio, F. D., & Nuoscio, E. D. (2022) · Social Science Information · doi:10.1177/05390184221078737 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

On the Intersection of Analytical Sociology and Computational Social SciencePreprint

Arvidsson, M., Hedström, P., Jarvis, B. F., et al. (2024) · doi:10.31235/osf.io/4h5ys · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Building middle-range theories using case studies in hospitality management

Khan, M. H. (2023) · International Journal of Hospitality Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.103584 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS E TEORIAS DO ESTADO: O PAPEL DAS TEORIAS DE MÉDIO ALCANCE

Ribeiro, I. C. (2019) · REI - REVISTA ESTUDOS INSTITUCIONAIS · doi:10.21783/rei.v5i3.432 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Burde Greta heller vært på skolen?

Ferrer, M., Johannesen, H. S., Wetlesen, A., et al. (2021) · Norsk sosiologisk tidsskrift · doi:10.18261/issn.2535-2512-2021-05-02 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Eklektisk bruk av teori i doktorgradsavhandlinger innen utdanningsforskning

Dalland, C. P., Blikstad‐Balas, M., & Svenkerud, S. W. (2023) · Acta Didactica Norden · doi:10.5617/adno.9837 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

DETERMINING QUALITY REQUIREMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Mustafa, N. H., Kelesbayev, D., & Alibekova, Z. D. (2018) · The Journal of Economic Research & Business Administration · doi:10.26577/be-2018-2-2141

Susquehanna Chorale Spring Concert "Roots and Wings"

Hawkins, D. (2017)

Personality correlates and utilitarian judgments in the everyday context: Psychopathic traits and differential effects of empathy, social dominance orientation, and dehumanization beliefs

Takamatsu, R. (2019) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2019.03.029 · Cited by 22 · see citing works

Amount of altruistic punishment accounts for subsequent emotional gratification in participants with primary psychopathy

Masui, K., Iriguchi, S., Nomura, M., & Ura, M. (2011) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2011.07.006 · Cited by 14 · see citing works

The Information Used to Judge Supportiveness Depends on Whether the Judgment Reflects the Personality of Perceivers, the Objective Characteristics of Targets, or their Unique Relationships

Lakey, B., Lutz, C. J., & Scoboria, A. (2004) · Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1521/jscp.23.6.817.54806 · Cited by 14 · see citing works