The DOI matches its Crossref record; 107 of the 107 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Strategies for Theorizing from Process Data
Abstract
In this article I describe and compare a number of alternative generic strategies for the analysis of process data, looking at the consequences of these strategies for emerging theories. I evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the strategies in terms of their capacity to generate theory that is accurate, parsimonious, general, and useful and suggest that method and theory are inextricably intertwined, that multiple strategies are often advisable, and that no analysis strategy will produce theory without an uncodifiable creative leap, however small. Finally, I argue that there is room in the organizational research literature for more openness within the academic community toward a variety of forms of coupling between theory and data.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Citations
Cites
Lincoln, Y. S., Guba, E. G., & Pilotta, J. J. (1985) · International Journal of Intercultural Relations · doi:10.1016/0147-1767(85)90062-8 · Cited by 45,787
Handbook of Qualitative Research
Crozier, G., Denzin, N., & Lincoln, Y. (1994) · British Journal of Educational Studies · doi:10.2307/3121684 · Cited by 26,666
The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research
Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (2017) · Aldine (Routledge reprint) · doi:10.4324/9780203793206 · Cited by 25,789
Basics of Qualitative Research
Ozanne, J. L., Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1992) · Journal of Marketing Research · doi:10.1177/002224379202900312 · Cited by 17,864
Basics of Qualitative Research
Ozanne, J. L., Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. M. (1992) · Journal of Marketing Research · doi:10.2307/3172751 · Cited by 17,852
Building Theories from Case Study Research
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989) · The Academy of Management Review · doi:10.2307/258557 · Cited by 17,455
(2008) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-77282-0_6 · Cited by 17,411
(1990) · Cited by 11,110
(1969) · Virtual Defense Library (Ministerio de Defensa) · Cited by 10,735
Powers, C. H., & Giddens, A. (1988) · Social Forces · doi:10.2307/2579442 · Cited by 8,854
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 3,601–3,700 of 7,502
Seidemann, I., Weißmüller, K. S., & Geiger, D. (2025) · Public Administration Review · doi:10.1111/puar.70008 · Cited by 9
Li, Y., Wang, M., Ding, R., Luo, S., & Xie, C. (2025) · International Journal of Project Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2025.102751 · Cited by 9
Promoting sustainable business model innovation: a dynamic capabilities approach
Faccin, K., Júnior, N. B., Martins, B. V., & de Vasconcellos, S. L. (2025) · Management Decision · doi:10.1108/md-07-2024-1548 · Cited by 9
Cultivating a Collective Paradox Mindset: Design Principles for Learning Interventions
Tjemkes, B. V., Schad, J., Uslu, D., & Konijn, N. (2025) · Academy of Management Learning and Education · doi:10.5465/amle.2023.0553 · Cited by 9
Chin, T., Zhang, Z., Nazrul, A., & Wang, S. (2025) · Technovation · doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103427 · Cited by 9
Qiu, S., Li, B., & Duan, Z. (2025) · Technology in Society · doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103181 · Cited by 9
Ismail, V. B. A., Gölgeci, İ., Pokharel, S., Safari, A., & Parast, M. M. (2026) · Production Planning & Control · doi:10.1080/09537287.2026.2625173 · Cited by 9
Gross, H., Girard, N., & Magda, D. D. (2011) · Journal of Sustainable Agriculture · doi:10.1080/10440046.2011.579840 · Cited by 9
Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms in an ERP Post-implementation Stage
Goyette, S., Cassivi, L., Courchesne, M., & Elia, E. (2014) · Procedia Technology · doi:10.1016/j.protcy.2014.10.109 · Cited by 9
Lyytinen, K., & Baxter, R. J. (2008) · Cited by 9
Lin, H., & Qu, T. (2021) · Journal of Organizational Change Management · doi:10.1108/jocm-11-2020-0340 · Cited by 9
Learning by supplying to climb the value chain: suppliers’ transition from B-to-B to B-to-C
Irfan, I., Au, A. K. M., Khurshid, F., & Chan, F. T. S. (2022) · Supply Chain Management An International Journal · doi:10.1108/scm-12-2021-0551 · Cited by 9
Niendorf, E., Kreutzer, K., & Karna, A. (2022) · Journal of Social Entrepreneurship · doi:10.1080/19420676.2022.2152858 · Cited by 9
Practicing Dialogue: How an Organization can Facilitate Diverse Collaborative Action
Heinze, K. L., & Soderstrom, S. B. (2023) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-023-05348-6 · Cited by 9
Institutional Hegemony of a Logic Within a Cross-Sector Partnership
Harsman, B. (2023) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/00076503231167568 · Cited by 9
Breton, M., Smithman, M. A., Lamoureux‐Lamarche, C., Keely, E., Farrell, G., Singer, A. G., Pilon, M. D., Bush, P. L., Nabelsi, V., Gaboury, I., et al. (2023) · Evaluation and Program Planning · doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2023.102329 · Cited by 9
Stoyanova, V. P., & Stoyanov, S. P. (2023) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/00076503231177233 · Cited by 9
Eury, J. L., & Hawk, T. F. (2023) · Organizational Behavior Teaching Review · doi:10.1177/10525629231203405 · Cited by 9
Sankaran, S., Clegg, S. R., Killen, C. P., Smyth, H., & Scales, J. (2023) · Project Management Journal · doi:10.1177/87569728231212411 · Cited by 9
Linguistic Inclusiveness in Organizations: A Russophone Bank in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan
Koo, E., & Kim, A. (2024) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2020.1226 · Cited by 9
Constructing a World for Compassion: How Temporal Work Can Preserve Compassion in Extreme Contexts
del Rio, M. D., Fernandez, P. D., Martí, I., & Willi, A. (2024) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.13087 · Cited by 9
Au, C. H., Li, G., Hsu, W. S., Shieh, P.-H., & Law, K. M. Y. (2024) · Enterprise Information Systems · doi:10.1080/17517575.2024.2356771 · Cited by 9
Arpin, M.-L., Leclerc, S. H., & Lonca, G. (2024) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su16156364 · Cited by 9
How do engineering suppliers create project value for buyers? A micro-foundational perspective
Yu, M., Wang, X., Yang, X., & Sun, L. (2024) · International Journal of Operations & Production Management · doi:10.1108/ijopm-07-2023-0578 · Cited by 9
Anagnostopoulos, C., Winand, M., & Botwina, G. M. (2024) · Managing Sport and Leisure · doi:10.1080/23750472.2024.2387064 · Cited by 9
Getting Down to Business: Governing the Hybridization of UK Charities
Curran, K., & Özcan, P. (2024) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.13136 · Cited by 9
Growth Through Ethical Role Identity Work: The Case of Ethics and Compliance Officers
den Nieuwenboer, N. A., Treviño, L. K., Bishop, D. G., Kreiner, G. E., & Murphy, C. (2024) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-024-05816-7 · Cited by 9
Margolis, A. (2024) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/00076503241289929 · Cited by 9
Conceptualization of dynamic digital coopetition: Evidence from hospitality platforms
Nan, Y., Liu, M. J., Luo, J., & Ye, D. (2024) · International Journal of Hospitality Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.104036 · Cited by 9
Sharma, D., & Prabhu, G. N. (2025) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-025-05958-2 · Cited by 9
Teamwork Under Adversity: An Integrative Review and Future Research Agenda
Raetze, S., Steputat-Rätze, A., Mueller, H., Maynard, M. T., & Schmutz, J. B. (2025) · Academy of Management Annals · doi:10.5465/annals.2022.0217 · Cited by 9
Bounded Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Uncertainty, Perceptions, and Tensions
Jurek, M., Sund, K. J., & Rosati, F. (2025) · Strategic Change · doi:10.1002/jsc.2684 · Cited by 9
Duenas, N. (2025) · Accounting Organizations and Society · doi:10.1016/j.aos.2025.101607 · Cited by 9
Overseas innovation ecosystem collaboration in the healthcare sector
Pikkarainen, M. A., Hurmelinna‐Laukkanen, P., Iivari, M., Jansson, M. M., & He, H. G. (2025) · Technovation · doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103302 · Cited by 9
Moreira, A. C. (2007) · Cuadernos de Administración · Cited by 9
THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SOURCING: A DYNAMIC CAPABILITIES PERSPECTIVE
Karimi-Alaghehband, F., & Rivard, S. (2010) · Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) · Cited by 9
Toward convergence in the St. Petersburg hotel industry through the lens of institutional theory
Karhunen, P. (2008) · Journal of East European Management Studies · doi:10.5771/0949-6181-2008-2-106 · Cited by 9
The evaluation of knowledge claims in an innovation project: A case study
Peters, K., Măruşter, L., & Jorna, R. (2011) · Management Learning · doi:10.1177/1350507611406062 · Cited by 9
Apprendre malgré l’échec : le cas d’une inéligibilité à la labellisation « pôle de compétitivité »
Petit, S. C., Cusin, J., & Loubaresse, É. (2013) · Management international · doi:10.7202/1020672ar · Cited by 9
The search for a research method for studying OSS process innovation
Prechelt, L., & Oezbek, C. (2011) · Empirical Software Engineering · doi:10.1007/s10664-011-9160-1 · Cited by 9
Woods, P. S., Gapp, R., & King, M. A. (2014) · Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy · doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2014.11.008 · Cited by 9
Buyer strategizing in continuously recreated markets: Loyalty, deviance and defection
Curchod, C. (2010) · Strategic Organization · doi:10.1177/1362480610389801 · Cited by 9
Dottore, A. G. (2009) · Journal of the Association for Information Systems · Cited by 9
Scheytt, T., Unterrieder, A., & Becker, A. (2005) · Deutscher Universitätsverlag eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-322-82054-9_6 · Cited by 9
Knowledge motives in the cross-border acquisitions
Mazon, G., Moreira-da-Silva, F., Ferreira, M. P., & Serra, F. A. R. (2017) · Management Research The Journal of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management · doi:10.1108/mrjiam-02-2016-0639 · Cited by 9
Blanc, A., & Huault, I. (2018) · Industrial Marketing Management · doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2018.06.004 · Cited by 9
L’entrepreneuriat en commun comme force collective pour les artistes professionnels
Bérubé, J. (2019) · Revue française de gestion · doi:10.3166/rfg.2019.00330 · Cited by 9
Major hospital transformations: An integrative review and implications for nursing
Fréchette, J., Lavoie‐Tremblay, M., Aubry, M., Kilpatrick, K., & Bitzas, V. B. (2020) · Journal of Nursing Education and Practice · doi:10.5430/jnep.v10n7p46 · Cited by 9
Bürger, K. (2020) · Journal of the Operational Research Society · doi:10.1080/01605682.2020.1790307 · Cited by 9
Coevolution of cyberinfrastructure development and scientific progress
Yu, Y., Ibarra, J. E., Kumar, K., & Chergarova, V. (2020) · Technovation · doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2020.102180 · Cited by 9
Zara, A., & Delacour, H. (2020) · Journal of Management Inquiry · doi:10.1177/1056492620949688 · Cited by 9
Stegemann, L., & Gersch, M. (2021) · Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) · doi:10.24251/hicss.2021.746 · Cited by 9
Laurila, J., & Ahola, T. (2021) · International Journal of Project Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2021.03.005 · Cited by 9
Organizational Guilt Management: A Paradox Perspective
Pollach, I., Ravazzani, S., & Maier, C. D. (2021) · Group & Organization Management · doi:10.1177/10596011211015461 · Cited by 9
Dwyer, G. (2021) · Australian Journal of Public Administration · doi:10.1111/1467-8500.12505 · Cited by 9
Amanbayev, Y., Aljanova, N., Mirzaliyeva, S. S., & Ghosh, A. (2021) · South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases · doi:10.1177/22779779211036507 · Cited by 9
Open and Clarified Process of Compatibility Standards for Promoting Data Exchange
Fukami, Y. (2021) · The Review of Socionetwork Strategies · doi:10.1007/s12626-021-00087-4 · Cited by 9
Frenzel, A., Glaser, K., Toutaoui, J., & Veit, D. J. (2022) · Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) · doi:10.24251/hicss.2022.545 · Cited by 9
The effect of technology and regulation on the co-evolution of product and industry architecture
Burton, N., & Galvin, P. (2022) · Industrial and Corporate Change · doi:10.1093/icc/dtac009 · Cited by 9
Not Now: Negotiating Research Access during Phases of Crisis
Friesl, M., Hanel, E., & Konuk, V. (2022) · M n gement · doi:10.37725/mgmt.v25.5517 · Cited by 9
Enam, A., Dreyer, H. C., & de Boer, L. (2022) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-022-08164-2 · Cited by 9
Chaney, D. (2022) · Tourism Analysis · doi:10.3727/108354222x16572267268326 · Cited by 9
Activity-to-Skills Framework in the Intellectual Property Big Data Era
Damij, N., Hafner, A., & Modic, D. (2022) · IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management · doi:10.1109/tem.2022.3175738 · Cited by 9
Davidsson, P., & Gruenhagen, J. H. (2022) · Journal of Business Venturing Insights · doi:10.1016/j.jbvi.2022.e00326 · Cited by 9
A Consociation Model: Organization of Collective Entrepreneurship for Village Revitalization
Lin, H., Li, Y., & Zhou, L. (2022) · Systems · doi:10.3390/systems10040127 · Cited by 9
Identity Conflict Amidst Environmental Change: An Ethnography of a Korean Buddhist Temple
Song, H. (2022) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.12900 · Cited by 9
Amplifying Stigmatization: Owlcatraz and the naming of a football stadium
Dong, L. F., Hudson, B. A., Moura, D., & Jarvis, L. C. (2023) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/01708406231162000 · Cited by 9
Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming
Stray, V. G., Stol, K.-J., Paasivaara, M., & Kruchten, P. B. (2022) · Lecture notes in business information processing · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08169-9 · Cited by 9
Diversity at Work: Firms’ Strategic Responses to Mandatory Diversity Disclosure
Oelrich, S., Siebold, N., & Ketelhut, K. (2023) · Accounting Horizons · doi:10.2308/horizons-2022-083 · Cited by 9
Crace, L., Gehman, J., & Lounsbury, M. D. (2023) · Research in the sociology of organizations · doi:10.1108/s0733-558x20230000087004 · Cited by 9
Chang-Zunino, M., & Grodal, S. (2024) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.1177/00018392241240319 · Cited by 9
Rabekolo, F., & Giraud, L. (2022) · Revue de l’organisation responsable · doi:10.54695/ror.172.0081 · Cited by 9
Using clinical governance levers to support change in a cancer care reform
Brault, I., Denis, J., & Sullivan, T. J. (2015) · Journal of Health Organization and Management · doi:10.1108/jhom-02-2015-0025 · Cited by 9
Assessing Systems Integration: A Conceptual Framework and a Method
Vernay, A., & Boons, F. (2013) · Systems Research and Behavioral Science · doi:10.1002/sres.2221 · Cited by 9
Building from below: subsidiary management moderation of employment practices in MNCs in China
Zheng, Y. (2015) · The International Journal of Human Resource Management · doi:10.1080/09585192.2015.1091368 · Cited by 9
The Software Prototype as Digital Boundary Object – A Revelatory Longitudinal Innovation Case
Winkler, M., Huber, T., & Dibbern, J. (2014) · Bern Open Repository and Information System (University of Bern) · doi:10.7892/boris.59153 · Cited by 9
Krancher, O., & Slaughter, S. A. (2013) · Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) · doi:10.1109/hicss.2013.242 · Cited by 9
The Market for Academic Knowledge: Its Historical Emergence and Inherent Tensions
Weik, E. (2014) · British Journal of Educational Studies · doi:10.1080/00071005.2014.935754 · Cited by 9
Process Mapping as a Tool for Home Health Network Analysis
Pluto, D. M., & Hirshorn, B. A. (2003) · Home Health Care Services Quarterly · doi:10.1300/j027v22n02_01 · Cited by 9
DECIDING TO CHANGE: AN EVENT SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION BEHAVIOR IN CONSUMERS
Zenobia, B. A., & Weber, C. M. (2013) · International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management · doi:10.1142/s0219877013400294 · Cited by 9
Relations among Actors in Governmental Projects
Lanza, B. B. B., & Cunha, M. A. (2013) · International Journal of E-Services and Mobile Applications · doi:10.4018/jesma.2013070102 · Cited by 9
Vrolijk, A., & Szajnfarber, Z. (2014) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.10.017 · Cited by 9
Wahid, F., & Sein, M. K. (2014) · Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) · doi:10.1109/hicss.2014.527 · Cited by 9
Don't stop the clock: manipulating hospital waiting lists
Buchanan, D., & Storey, J. W. (2010) · Journal of Health Organization and Management · doi:10.1108/14777261011064977 · Cited by 9
Implementation Evaluation of an Integrated Healthcare Delivery Initiative for Diabetic Patients
Rodríguez, C., Contandriopoulos, A., & Larouche, D. (2006) · Healthcare policy · doi:10.12927/hcpol.2006.18119 · Cited by 9
Qi, M., Wang, Y., Zhang, M. Y., & Zhu, H. (2014) · International Journal of Technology Management · doi:10.1504/ijtm.2014.059928 · Cited by 9
Visitors and alignment: actor-network theory and the ontology of informal science institutions
Patrick, P. G. (2016) · Museum Management and Curatorship · doi:10.1080/09647775.2016.1239126 · Cited by 9
How do Innovative Initiatives Spread In Complex Educational Organizations?
Bartoli, A., & Ewango-Chatelet, A. (2017) · Gestion et management public · doi:10.3917/gmp.051.0025 · Cited by 9
Touati, N., & Maillet, L. (2017) · Politiques et management public · doi:10.3166/pmp.34.2017.0014 · Cited by 9
Liu, Y., Liang, X., & Shi, Y. (2018) · Research Policy · doi:10.1016/j.respol.2018.03.019 · Cited by 9
Sylvain, C., Durand, M., Velasquez-Sanchez, A., Lessard, N., & Maillette, P. (2018) · Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation · doi:10.1007/s10926-018-9783-9 · Cited by 9
Azzam, J. E. (2018) · European Management Review · doi:10.1111/emre.12188 · Cited by 9
Face à l’incertitude : la cristallisation des réseaux par les comédiens entrepreneurs
Pirard, J., Dufays, F., Xhauflair, V., & Dufays, F. (2018) · Revue de l’Entrepreneuriat · doi:10.3917/entre.171.0079 · Cited by 9
Organizational recidivism’ and trust repair: a story of failed detectives
Siebert, S., Martin, G., & Božić, B. (2018) · Journal of Organizational Effectiveness People and Performance · doi:10.1108/joepp-07-2018-0054 · Cited by 9
My Love Affair with Grounded Theory: Making the Passion Work in the “Real” World
Rodner, V. L. (2019) · Sociological Focus · doi:10.1080/00380237.2018.1544517 · Cited by 9
Architecting a portfolio of systems
Maier, M. W. (2019) · Systems Engineering · doi:10.1002/sys.21486 · Cited by 9
Villar, E. G., Rese, N., & Róglio, K. D. D. (2019) · Review of Business Management · doi:10.7819/rbgn.v21i3.4001 · Cited by 9
Establishing a high tech company in a global competitive market: A sociomaterial process perspective
Dawson, P. (2019) · Industrial Marketing Management · doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.12.002 · Cited by 9
Reanchoring the Ontology of International Business
Norder, K. A., Sullivan, D. P., Emich, K. J., & Sawhney, A. (2020) · Academy of Management Perspectives · doi:10.5465/amp.2019.0106 · Cited by 9
Pfisterer, S., & van Tulder, R. J. M. (2020) · Business Ethics the Environment & Responsibility · doi:10.1111/beer.12278 · Cited by 9
Metadata
- Authors
- Langley, A.
- Affiliations
- Université du Québec à Montréal (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Langley, Ann
- ORCID
- Langley, Ann
- Venue
- The Academy of Management Review
- Publisher
- Academy of Management
- Published
- 1999-10
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 691
- ISSN
- 0363-7425 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2115497642
- Semantic Scholar
- 419fd94ab6cccf99829edebee437ef9755829fba
- Cited by
- 7,008
- References
- 106
- Citations by year
- 2026: 578 · 2025: 535 · 2024: 482 · 2023: 445 · 2022: 507 · 2021: 504 · 2020: 450 · 2019: 398 · 2018: 374 · 2017: 329 · 2016: 267 · 2015: 289 · 2014: 283 · 2013: 261 · 2012: 231
- FWCI
- 28.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Academy of Management Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Business Strategies and Management Research
- Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Business and International Management › Business and Management Studies
- Keywords
- process data, theorizing, theory generation, parsimony, generalizability, organizational analysis
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review