Mixing Oil with Water: Framing and Theorizing in Management Research Informed by Design Science

Abstract

Design science (DS) approaches have been emerging in engineering, management and other disciplines operating at the interface between design research and the natural or social sciences. Research informed by DS is challenging because it involves “mixing oil with water”, using a famous phrase of Herbert Simon. A key challenge here is the dual role of theory: one can develop a “theory of” any empirical phenomenon to explain its characteristics and outcomes, or alternatively, develop a “theory for” generating this phenomenon, focused on solving problems and enlarging possibilities. To clearly distinguish these two perspectives, we talk about theorizing in relation to theory-of and framing related to theory-for. A state-of-the-art review of how DS is applied by management researchers results in two main findings. First, explicit (re)framing efforts appear to be highly instrumental in challenging a given theoretical paradigm and thereby reduce the risk of being constrained to it; these findings confirm the generative nature of design activity. Moreover, many studies reviewed draw on knowledge formats that synthesize descriptive-explanatory and prescriptive-normative knowledge. Our main findings are subsequently integrated into a DS methodology, which may especially be of interest to design-oriented disciplines that tend to adopt a rather intuitive (undefined) notion of theory.

Sorting out the sorting in omnichannel retailing

“…Case study research as theory elaboration builds on disciplined iterations between general theory and empirical data. We followed, as Ketokivi and Choi (2014) suggested, an abductive reasoning approach, which partly pairs with the design‐science approach (Dresch et al, 2015; Holmström et al, 2009; Romme & Dimov, 2021). The design‐science approach is distinguished by its purpose to develop a design (e.g., a solution or an intervention) (Holmström et al, 2009; Van Aken et al, 2016) and is becoming more popular in supply chain and operations management research (e.g., Akkermans et al, 2019; Arnäs et al, 2013; Tanskanen et al, 2015).…”

“…The new empirical material analyzed from the six additional cases (vii) was used to develop actionable design propositions (viii) and to elaborate and contextualize the theory of sorting in omnichannels (ix). The 10 actionable and theoretical propositions can, in a positivistic linear approach, be tested and further strengthened to develop a theoretical framework (Dubois & Gadde, 2014; Imenda, 2014) useful for (theory‐of) explaining the phenomenon and action‐oriented for (theory‐for) generating the phenomenon (Romme & Dimov, 2021).…”

A Model for Measuring and Managing the Impact of Design on the Organization: Insights from Four Companies

“…This research aims to develop and critically evaluate a model to identify the impact of design on the organization and assist managers in the development of firm-level design capabilities. The research methodology is based on a Design Science approach [52,53] that is useful when research aims at validating theory, as well as contributing design outcomes [52]-in the case of this article, a model for measuring and managing the impact of design in organizations. Design Science research informs initial theories through visual artifacts that are refined through subsequent testing [54].…”

“…The procedure followed for the development and evaluation of the model is indicated in Figure 1, and is based on the method employed by Acklin [55], whose research shows a strong influence of the Design Science [52,53] approach that inspired our research methodology. Acklin proposed and evaluated a new model to assist organizations and designers in managing their change efforts through "absorptive capacity" lenses.…”

Envisioning Entrepreneurship’s Future: Introducing Me-Search and Research Agendas

“…Abduction represents a major thinking logic for design science, in that one reasons from a desired outcome, to explore how to approach the current situation, with theory operating as a forward-looking, framing device (Romme & Dimov, 2021). In this regard, the very act of studying entrepreneurship can be regarded as a design process aimed at generating knowledge that can help entrepreneurs think forward and reflect on their experiences.…”