Surfing the Grand Challenges Wave in Management Scholarship: How Did We Get Here, Where are We Now, and What's Next?

Abstract Research on grand challenges in the management literature is vibrant and growing. Given that term “grand challenges” was first invoked our field 10 years ago, it timely to reflect how we came this point – where might go from here. In article, explore origins of concept order trace core assumptions developments understand they shape current conversation about scholarship. We next convey findings review 161 papers cite editorial for a special issue (George, Howard-Grenville, Joshi, & Tihanyi, 2016), uncovering four ways which are shaping challenges. Finally, based perspective got here now, make several suggestions what should come driving forward research urge scholars beyond study collaboration tackling shift toward more critical, yet generative, exploration their construction, persistence, unintended consequences. also call increased attention theorizing guide practitioners’ understanding nature thing trying address. these ways, hope inspire leverage expertise processes not content per se manifest may be tackled. Keywords Grand Sustainability Social impact Wicked problems relevance Corporate social responsibility Citation J. Spengler, (2022), "Surfing Challenges Wave Management Scholarship: How Did Get Here, Where Now, What's Next?", Gümüsay, A.A., Marti, E., Trittin-Ulbrich, H. Wickert, C. (Ed.) Organizing Societal (Research Sociology Organizations, Vol. 79), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X20220000079025 Publisher: Limited Copyright © 2022 Jennifer Howard-Grenville Jonas Spengler License This chapter published under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone reproduce, distribute, translate create derivative works article (for both commercial non-commercial purposes), subject full attribution original publication authors. The terms licence seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode riding wave interest challenges, having caught ago (Howard-Grenville, 2021a) still appears far cresting, given volume work currently being pursued published. While orienting complex has always been important, increasingly providing way craft identities, journals signal participation production useful scholarship, funding bodies reward impactful (Kaldewey, 2018; Omenn, 2006). all before considering whether products influence audiences aim serve public private organizations front lines most vexing entrenched societal massive scholarly enterprise arisen around essential consider emerged, yielded, produce. Will build momentum direction, leaving some indelible marks? Or will diminish recede, us gripping surfboards beach hopefully scanning horizon comes next? rest essay, brief history its association with big, meaningful problems. then revisit an co-authored by one us, introducing Academy Journal (AMJ) focused (George et al., 2016, p. 1880), main messages framed potential scholarship As pieces establishing field, use citation analysis capture have used terminology find expanded ways: justifying context, motivating theory, elaborating challenge itself, engaging academic introspection. conclude future conversations maximize wave. Here? Understanding vital because reveals carried along working traces were transformed as rippled across fields other domains. Hence, begin historical foray contextualize emergence traced definition, 1900, mathematician David Hilbert 23 whose solutions would enable progress mathematics. widely credited label, purportedly never “challenges,” instead favoring “problems” 2018). Nevertheless, origin stories do (Gould, 1989) established time, place, logic anchored subsequent label. associated significant import nevertheless discrete tractable. At least initially, defined tackled bounded community experts those trained common techniques within discipline. Spilling over mathematics, articulation became popular scientific early 2000s such fields, knowledge regarded cumulative measurable somewhat agreed-upon metrics. These features made researchers focus them interesting advancing potentially society. Utility society could couched pragmatic language; rely funding, leading figures including president American Association Advancement Science recognized promotion can help energize … students, journalists, public, elected representatives [and] show added value further major investments research. (Omenn, 2006, 1696) Articulating did stop “hard” disciplines; moving science, computer medicine, dizzying range science policy designated specific Many had time frames monetary prizes attached language broader discourse following Bill Gates’ announcement 2003 Global Health Initiative, set out 14 goals committed these. articulated, groups began move away seeing difficult but nonetheless tractable actual existence bound up contexts causality, mattered greatly making them. Early critiques Gates initiative noted scientifically example, developing vaccines require refrigeration so delivered reliably low income countries risked narrowly framing “health product technical interventions divorced economic, political contexts” (Birn, 2005, 515). disciplines entered conversation, initial tractability. For archaeologists settled 25 met criteria like mathematical forebears –“susceptible solution supported data,” departure earlier driven “cultural [that] involve complex, nonlinear relationships cause effect readily distinguished” (Kintigh 2014, 879). words, perhaps grander, or multidimensional, communities involved articulating evolved. It notable London Institute Mathematical Sciences recently new list twenty-first century, only Hilbert’s originals (the Riemann hypothesis, relating distribution prime numbers) many less clearly connected theory free explanation virtue (Whipple, 2021). 17 even partially solved, feels appropriate contemporary understandings “problems feel impossible formulate, let alone solve” helps misused label studies. reference 2011 (Colquitt George, 2011). gained considerable (Brammer, Branicki, Linnenluecke, Smith, 2019; Ferraro, Etzion, Gehman, 2015; George 2016). literature, often closely fully equivalent “wicked problems” (Reinecke Ansari, 2016; Rittel Webber, 1973), is, persistent defy part different actors perceive evaluate differently. Elsewhere Gehman elaborate characterization “seemingly intractable” (Ferraro 2015, 367) uncertain, evaluative. 2016 editorial, introduced AMJ described “formulations global plausibly addressed through coordinated collaborative effort” 1880). reflected vestiges tractability (“plausibly addressed”) since day. adopted modified version definition Canada,1 idea attributable progress: “specific critical barrier(s) that, if removed, solve important problem high likelihood widespread implementation” 1881; Canada, However, reflecting emphasis culturally, politically, economically embedded, hence very “solve,” emphasized scale scope, need action diverse stakeholders levels engage, importance “collective, collaborative, tackle 1881). Different disciplines, define scholars, nor have, rather process organizational mechanisms produce rewired 2021a). “value added” lies exploring explaining individual, organizational, interactions contribute formulation constitute efforts taken them, outcomes offered framework guiding others; UN sustainable development (SDG). framework, reproduced below (see Fig. 1), captures left-hand side (blue box) articulated people motivated reach form consensus particular goal be. Next, suggests enables multilevel actions required (middle), and, finally, produces (right-hand side). left right progression natural linear but, reality, likely anything but. depicts factors (in bubbles above below) opportunities for, barriers to, articulation, action, outcomes. Opens window.Fig. 1.Framework Addressing Challenges. conceptual model, proved helpful mapping appearing stages connecting various factors. But, intended explanatory “theorize arrows” framework. describing which, say, drives actions, or, coordinating architectures To model complete near impossible, furthermore, extraordinarily reductionist naive. same recognize populated much ensuing years, raising questions will, remain scattered among similar parallel inquiry, theoretical conversations, rarely cross fertilize between Unlike mathematicians who, aspire “theory everything” explain universe (challenge #1) simplicity” reconfiguration environments #19) 2021), casting sweet spot too granular explanations defining taking challenges? take close look said research, specifically cites al. (2016) returning next. Now? When wrote hoping spark expect intensity response it, alongside related 2011; Ferraro 2015), generate. Five later, stock redirect conversation. Method Review Literature so, conducted systematic articles cited past five years. identified citing “cited search” function Web overlaid results Scopus, EBSCO, Google Scholar databases additional included Science. chose approach keyword search primarily interested tracing essay used, recognition fact using include keywords. yielded database 270 publications. second step, excluded calls papers, book chapters, reviews visually inspected remaining list, excluding centrally representing scholars. British Food Journal, primary audience journal outside field. sum, final articles. each entry database, extracted paragraphs either refer mention (or “GC” “societal challenge”). extracts imported into Nvivo coded paragraph’s argument. substantively engaged concept, mentioning than few times, explored arguments entire paper detail. Results Some good news upfront: just talking putting work. Since there steady rise publications topic appear highly AMJ, Management, Studies outlets sample. trends give little insight elaborated, anchoring ones’ domain opportunistically catching Our refracted editorial. are: contexts, uses mutually exclusive, justify context theory. Nonetheless, separately represent distinct authors engage literature. (a) Justifying Contexts One frequent choice (occurred 51 articles). Starting description “critical problem” 1881), argue studying indeed considered therefore warrants is: ought X challenge, X. Along lines, prompted on, others, environmental issues (16 articles), health pandemics (7 inequality (8 migration (5 poverty More “eclectic” aging workforce, big data, corporate control, stigmatization professions, corruption, innovation (1 each). Whether spurred investigation post hoc question answer essay. seems any case, rhetorical device positioning mainstream. (b) Motivating Theory line reasoning, sample 86 involves motivate concept). argumentation takes starting “justifying context” solving engages emphasizing “complex” “wicked” evaluative 2015). Therefore, “coordinated 1880) shed light on. two types contributions. One, “toolification approach,” aims provide “tools” sustained activity studying, (23 (cross-sectoral) partnerships (15 “new” forms (12 collective responsible (10 entrepreneurship (4 An example contribution Hilbolling, Deken, Berends, Tuertscher’s (2021) temporal coordination multiparty collaboration. Following argumentative outlined above, claim “complex safety, ‘wicked problems’” “diverse resources realize innovative solutions” provided “multiparty collaborations” (p. 2). collaborations fruitful, argues align rhythms, paces, horizons. Hilbolling propose three mechanisms: serendipitous alignment, temporary exclusion, aligning future. albeit smaller stream, “roadblock removal,” investigates dynamics undermine view consider, conflicting institutional logics (3 hegemonization article), mission drift moral disengagement article). Yin Jamali examine multinational corporations non-profits China cope logics. They either/or mindset, recognizing trade-offs while denying synergies partners, leads substitution logics, impedes partnership success. see gone naming” begun heed “tackling” showing successful why fail. (c) bulk citations analyzed, small subset (11 articles) theorized such. detailed level bring greater precision concept. Brammer (2019, 518) warn “qualitatively phenomena” well acknowledge explicitly. develop two-by-two matrix geographical axis stakeholder/domain scope discern off-diagonals, ones. taxonomy empirical aligns section (a), above) precision. danger parsing dimensions, Jarzabkowski, Bednarek, Chalkias, Cacciatori (2019) application paradox lens assert “fertile ground” 121) paradoxes, contradictions interdependent elements. Furthermore, stakeholder domains conflated locally, local cultural perspectives interests. result, play globally “comprise nested paradoxes multi-faceted inter-organizational” (Jarzabkowski 2019, 122). lens, Claus, Amis (2020) dimensions macro-level positioning, contextuality, temporality, plurality aid echoing 2019), explicitly locally situated, socially constructed enduring values differently time. (d) Academic Introspection critiquing state (31 notably problematizing lack encouraging novel methods theorizing. broadly identify streams: “impact discourse” “methods theory-building.” former stream consists mainly material better incentives practical impact. emphasizes “moral obligation seek improve relations” (Nyberg Wright, 2020, 25) thus proposes changes structures. Chapman SDGs criterion judging quality latter step back considers change approaches building address interdependencies inherent Authors discuss ideas open (Leone, Mantere, Faraj, configurational (Furnari 2020), thought experiments (Kornberger 2020). recent publication, Leone (2021), theorizing, drawing other’s datasets, code scripts, notes, methodological protocols, auxiliary findings, supplemental documentation span “topical analysis,” makes sense share unleash “epistemic resides diversity programs encounter analogies” “cross-topic understandings” 20f). All all, shows variety joined challenges; worthy study; theories innovation; conceptualize them; calling evolution. themes built enquiry. What’s Next? sizable growing opened asking leave marks. From invoking clear surfing regions simultaneously varied directions. Looking beach, attracted quite lot unsure exciting stuff happening. section, tells prospect mark. must clarify: whom impact? There answers question. First, mark Themes introspection support offering inspiring modes engagement, lenses. evidenced number issues, matters world 2021b; 2020; Post, Doh, Prescott, Prencipe, orientation effect. now opportunity publish topics relevance, amplified businesses proactive ever navigating issues. encourage add already ample creativity But