Chair of Information Management

PhD Course – Phenomenon-Driven Theory Development

General Information

Prior registration required! Registration is possible until April 26, 2023, or until the course is full. The number of participants is limited to 15. If you would like to attend the seminar, please register via the form on this page. Registration is first-come-first-served.

SCHEDULE SUMMER TERM 2023

Lectures
08.06.2023 10:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum, Humboldtallee 3
09.06.2023 12:00 - 20:00 Seminarraum, Humboldtallee 3

Attendance: Physical attendance in the classroom is required for in-person classes and attendance (participation) will be part of the grade.

Course Description

Background
A significant starting-point for theorizing in the field of management is the researcher’s intellectual dwelling with the phenomenon under study (Fisher et al. 2021). For example, theorizing the digital age, researchers must allow themselves to be inspired from our different touchpoints with such phenomena, whether it is through consultancy, teaching, or sheer immersion into the world of digital innovation, transformation, and entrepreneurship. Phenomena-driven theorizing is a powerful way of developing theories relevant to explain novel yet poorly understood phenomena (Gregory & Henfridsson, 2021; Van de Ven, 2007).

Objective
The objective of the course is to familiarize the student with theory development in management and business research. The focus is on methods and practices that help the researcher to develop theories that are interesting, rigorous, and valid.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the module, the student should be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomy of a theory:

  • Different types of theory
  • Boundary conditions
  • Representations

Demonstrate an understanding of important dimensions of theory

  • Causality
  • Generalization
  • Prediction

Demonstrate an understanding of the practice of theory development:

  • Conceiving the theory
  • Constructing the theory
  • Communicating the theory