Historicism in narrative reviews of strategic management research

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of methodological issues that accompany the articles reviewing past research in strategic management.

Design/methodology/approach

The topic of the philosophical underpinnings and implications of historicism in strategy reviews is examined by contrasting and explaining deterministic, indeterministic, and underdeterministic views of strategy's intellectual history.

Findings

Three diverse philosophical approaches to historicist interpretation are found to be embedded in key review articles in the field of strategic management.

Practical implications

This paper indicates the need to develop and teach an accepted methodology of systematically reviewing and interpreting available knowledge in strategic management.

Originality/value

The unique contribution of this paper is that it indicates new paths that are important not only for the development of an alternative way to construct a shared history of the subject but also for the development of common norms for review articles that could help to advance strategic management scholarship.

Citation

Novicevic, M.M., Harvey, M.G., Buckley, M.R. and Adams, G.L. (2008), "Historicism in narrative reviews of strategic management research", Journal of Management History, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 334-347. https://doi.org/10.1108/17511340810893090