A reflection on theory building and the development of management knowledge

The process of management research involves various complexities and can sometimes be viewed as highly time consuming. Good research can and does provide a momentum for further research to be undertaken and this means that a researcher may have to think “outside the box” in order to achieve new insights. A researcher may also need to adopt a rather “risky” research strategy that encapsulates the critical theory approach, if they are to achieve something unique. However daunting this appears, it should be appreciated that the processes of globalization and interconnectivity allow various methodological approaches to be used vis‐à‐vis the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. In order that new models, concepts and theories can be produced, it is necessary for researchers to engage in theory building, and to try out methods such as the grounded theory approach.