Explaining Management Phenomena: A Philosophical Treatise

One key objective of management research is to explain business phenomena. Yet understanding the nature of explanation is essentially a topic in philosophy. This is the first book that bridges the gap between a technical, philosophical treatment of the topic and the more practical needs of management scholars, as well as others across the social sciences. It explores how management phenomena can be explained from a philosophical perspective, and renders sophisticated philosophical arguments understandable by readers without specialized training. Covering virtually all the major aspects of the nature of explanation, this work will enhance empirical and theoretical research, as well as approaches combining the two. With many examples from management literature and business news, this study helps scholars in those fields to improve their research outcomes.

Table of Contents:
1. The nature of explanation; 2. Causation; 3. Modes of explanation; 4. Micro foundations; 5. Theory versus non-theory-based explanation; 6. Multi-theoretical explanation; 7. Research methods; 8. Explanation as science (or art?).

About the Author :
Eric W. K. Tsang is the Dallas World Salute Distinguished Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, and a fellow of the Academy of International Business. He is a leading management scholar in applying philosophy to tackle methodological problems. In 2017, he published The Philosophy of Management Research (2016).

Review :
‘Professor Tsang has written an extremely timely book addressing a long-standing and thorny challenge in management research: How do we know that we know something? In other words, when do we know we have a good explanation for organizational phenomena? These are not mere “philosophical curiosities.” Rather, these questions are about how good and useful management theory and research are. Thus, the book offers a comprehensive discussion on how to produce management research that is both rigorous and applicable. I look forward to sharing this book with doctoral students and colleagues around the world.’ Herman Aguinis, President, Academy of Management; Avram Tucker Distinguished Scholar, Professor of Management, & Chairperson, Department of Management, The George Washington University School of Business ‘If we, management scholars, are in the business of theorizing, the basic tools of our trade our meta-theoretical – what management and organizational phenomena consist off (ontology) and how valid knowledge about them is to be gained (epistemology and methodology). Eric Tsang has been at the forefront of research at the philosophy of management. This illuminating book authoritatively engages with important meta-theoretical questions (e.g. how are management phenomena to be explained?) and usefully clarifies abstruse notions that often management scholars take for granted. It is a major, rare, and lucid contribution to the philosophy of management research.’ Haridimos Tsoukas, The Columbia Ship Management Professor of Strategic Management, University of Cyprus and Distinguished Research Environment Professor, University of Warwick, former editor-in-chief of Organization Studies ‘Eric Tsang is known among management scholars for his work on knowledge transfer and learning, but perhaps particularly for his deeply thoughtful work on how core philosophy ideas can further management research. In this new book he offers his distinctive perspective on classic issues like causation, the structure of explanation, and microfoundations and provides examples throughout from strategy and other management fields. Indispensable for the serious student of management phenomena as well as the established scholar.’ Nicolai J. Foss, Professor, Copenhagen Business School