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Dear Colleagues
I received a lot of responses to my posting about alternatives to
AMR. Thank you to all of you who responded to my question. Because
of the interest, I’ve copied the replies (after removing names) and
they are below.
One person wrote
> Don,
> realize that I am about as perceptually handicapped as the
> next person, but I don't quite understand the qualification
> of theory NOT based on original data....data are data.
> Lots of theory is based on Dow Jones, Fortune 500, etc etc
> data..(underlying studies)....
I get the impression that many journals that publish theoretical work
require the articles to be based on primary data. I may be wrong, but
that is my impression.
Another person asked a most pertinent and appreciated question:
<Don, what's the topic?
It is in the area of management, spirituality and religion. It a
formal theory mindfulness and work, with an emphasis on managerial
work and leadership. I am using the term mindfulness in the Buddhist
sense and the sense used in the tradition of medical research started
by Kabat-Zinn, not in the sense used by Langer or Weick. I wonder if
suggestions will change now that I've mentioned the topic.
Management, spirituality and religion is a relatively unusual topic
in theoretically oriented journals (and that is one reason I wrote
the article. The area desperately needs more theory.) and the micro
emphasis of my manuscript would limit the journals that would be
interested. The person who asked about the topic wrote back and said
this after I explained the topic
> That's a tough one. What about J. of Management Inquiry...?
- Don
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Don McCormick, Associate Professor
University of Redlands School of Business
1200 E. Colton Avenue, Redlands, CA 92373-0999
"The end of all education should surely be service to others." -
Cesar E. Chavez
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If people respond off-line, would you be so kind as to share their
feedback.
I don't find this to be a stupid question; I've quietly mulled it
myself. Other than AMR or ASQ, I can't think of another journal
outlet. It is possible to get a piece published in one of the many
semi-regular volumes of advances in ___________(fill in the blank).
I'll be watching the list to see what kind of responses you get.
Thanks for going out on a limb with your post.
Organization studies does theory papers. it is the premier european
journal with a strong readership in the north America
I can't imagine an objection to theory based on
secondary data. You don't HIGHLIGHT this in your methods
or abstract, or etc. do you? This would not be a basis
for rejecting a paper in my judgment...
But that said, you might try OS; and the people at Mgt Science
are a looser group than the academy folks....
Don't write me back. Just a thought :<)
Try Administrative Science Quarterly if you think you have a top-
notch paper- they do publish the occasional purely theoretical
contribution - not often, but you can find them.
Then there's Organization Science, Human Relations or Organization
Studies. All publish good theory papers as well as empirics (check
them out).
I think it's a great question, to be honest, because many of us are
in the same boat. In my experience reading other journals, I have
seen theory-only pieces in SMJ (e.g., Hayward, Rindova, and Pollock,
2004) Organization Science, and ASQ. Many in the latter are inductive
studies, but I am sure that they publish theory-only pieces too, if
only infrequently.
Two others to consider are Strategic Organizations, a newer journal
edited by Joel Baum, and Organization Studies, out of the UK. I know
the latter publishes theory-only because I've asked them myself.
Of course, I write mostly macro, OMT-type pieces, so if yours is of a
different ilk, perhaps the above journals are not as receptive, but I
doubt that would be the case. If it more on the OB side, however,
than I would think that perhaps JAP, OBHDP, etc. would take a look at
it, even without an empirical side to it.
I saw your message, and thought I would offer my perspective as
editor of.... Actually, there is plenty of competition for
conceptual/theoretical papers. Journals that publish these papers
include but are not limited to: ASQ, Organization Science, and for
more micro level work Journal of Applied Psychology and OBHDP. Hope
this helps,
You may want to consider Organization Science as a potential outlet.
European journals are much more open to theoretical papers than the
empirically obsessed american journals. You might want to consider
the following journals :
Organization
Journal of management studies
Organization studies
These are excellent journals but their evaluators are as demanding as
those
of AMR. The acceptance rate must also be quite low (5-10%)
Best of luck with your paper
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... the International Journal of Organizational Analysis... will
publish any paper that makes a contribution to the literature.
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Some major journals are mixed (theoretical and empirical), but I
guess AMR is one of the few specialising in conceptual papers.
"Organization" and one called something like "Organizational inquiry"
I think are conceptual. ASQ and SMJ accepts theoretical papers.
Organizaton Studies, Journal of Management and Journal of Management
Studies are mixed (I guess).
Several specialised journals also accept theoretical pieces.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck
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Commiserations on the rejection; join those of us with the "where
next" question... journals we in the UK would traditionally look to
are Organisation Studies, Organization, Journal of Management
Studies, Human Relations. These are all great journals, hard to get
into; but suffer, even (especially?) here for being "European" as
opposed to "International" (ie US) journals....
You could try the International Journal of Management Reviews.
You could also try special editions on 'theory development' on your
preferred journals.
Good luck
Many European journals accept theoretical work, you might consider my
favorites:
Organization Studies
Human Relations
or if your paper has a critical bent, Organization, which opperates
on both sides of the Atlantic.
Good luck!
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Some co-authors and I had a theoretical piece published in 2004 with
Organization Studies (highly ranked). Great reviewers and editors.
I be curious to see the list you get from everyone.
How about the International Journal of Management Reviews? (http://
www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1460-8545&site=1)
cheers,
it's an interesting question that you raise and I thank you for
asking it.
I always parted from the idea that AMR seeks (new) theory development
papers (while AMJ targets empirical contributions, both qualitative
and quantitative). Therefore, I was convinced that AMR was the right
publication outlet for your research. Now I learn it is not and that
surprises me.
May I ask you what your research is about? I would like to help you
because I think your question is relevant and may apply to me, too,
one day. Well, I am just a PhD student; but am connected to quite a
large network of researchers around the world. So maybe I could
indicate you one or the other interesting (European-based) target
journal.
Looking forward to hearing back from you!
Maybe here:
http://www1.wnec.edu/omj/index.cfm?selection=doc.3727
Did you get any good leads? What about Organization Science,
Organization (EGOS journal)?
The question isn't so naive since the names don't quickly come to my
mind either.
Journal of Management Inquiry? not so theory oriented, but not so
data oriented either.
Organization - if critical management oriented.
Definitely Administrative Science Quarterly, though.
Good question-I'd love to hear if you get any good feedback.
Perhaps you've heard from others already, and I'd love to hear their
thoughts, but I'd suggest Organization Studies, Journal of Management
Studies, possibly ASQ, Organization Science. Depending on the topic
of your paper, there may be other possible journals. Can you tell me
what other people have suggested?
Cheers,
How do you classify Journal of Management? Is it data-based theory also?
Another option is the annual reviews that Elsevier Scientific publishes.
If you can create a list of possibilities, please share it with the
listserv. Thanks for asking the "dumb" question. Sometimes they are
the most important.