What Constitutes a Theoretical Contribution?

Since becoming editor of AMR, I have tried to ment? and (c) What factors are considered in find a simple way to communicate the necesjudging conceptual papers? The first section desary ingredients of a theoretical contribution. scribes the constituent elements of a theory. The There are several excellent treatises on the subsecond section uses this framework to establish j ect, but they typically involve terms and constandards for the theory-development process. cepts that are difficult to incorporate into everyThe third section summarizes the expectations of day communications with authors and reviewreviewers regarding the substantive contribuers. My experience has been that available tion and appropriateness of AMR papers. frameworks are as likely to obfuscate, as they are to clarify, meaning. Besides exposure to the What Are the Building Blocks of works of Kaplan, Dubin, and others varies Theory Development? widely across the Academy. This article is a rudimentary effort to fill this According to theory-development authorities gap: The intent is not to create a new conceptu(e.g., Dubin, 1978), a complete theory must conalization of theory, but rather to propose several tain four essential elements, which are desimple concepts for discussing the theoryscribed in the following paragraphs. development process. It is a personal reflection, What. Which factors (variables, constructs, which has emerged out of my daily editorial acconcepts) logically should be considered as part tivities. My motivation is to ease the communiof the explanation of the social or individual cation problems regarding expectations and phenomena of interest? Two criteria exist for standards, which result from the absence of a judging the extent to which we have included broadly accepted framework for discussing the the "right" factors: comprehensiveness (i.e., are merits of conceptual writing in the organizaall relevant factors included?) and parsimony tional sciences. (i.e., should some factors be deleted because Finally, my comments should not be interthey add little additional value to our underpreted either as official AMR dogma or ironclad standing?). rules governing the evaluation process. Each When authors begin to map out the concepsubmitted paper is unique, and it is judged on its tual landscape of a topic they should err in favor own merits; however, my thinking has clearly of including too many factors, recognizing that been influenced by the hundreds of communiover time their ideas will be refined. It is genercations I have read during the first half of my ally easier to delete unnecessary or invalid eleeditorship. ments than it is to justify additions. However, this This article is organized around three key should not be interpreted as license to throw in questions: (a) What are the building blocks of the kitchen sink. Sensitivity to the competing virtheory development? (b) What is a legitimate tues of parsimony and comprehensiveness is the value-added contribution to theory develophallmark of a good theorist.