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This study is a comparison of the strategies employed in management research in two periods, 1995-97 and 1985-87. Through a content analysis of articles from the Academy of Management Journal, Administrative Science Quarterly, and the Journal of Management, we examined the use of research methods for addressing issues of "triangulation" and validity, including internal, external, construct, and statistical conclusion validity. Results indicate some potentially important trends in reports of research strategies as well as decreases in the internal, external, and construct validity of studies.
For management research to progress, it is important for researchers to assess the methods they employ. The impact of management studies depends upon the appropriateness and rigor of the research methods chosen. Design choices about instrumentation, data analysis, and construct validation, and more may affect the types of conclusions that are drawn (Sackett & Larson, 1990). Given such concerns, an examination of the use of research methods is needed to investigate possible patterns emerging over the last two decades of the 20th century. Examination of such patterns may provide some insights into the possible future development of research methodology. Although we recognize that differences in researchers' training may affect their research design choices, we present a framework within which many areas of management research can be discussed. These design issues affect management research in all substantive areas because shifts in the emphasis put on some methodological principles (for instance, internal validity) and not on others may fundamentally limit the conclusions that can be drawn. It seems clear that choices about the settings of organizational studies, research designs, and analyses have important implications for the accumulation of knowledge over time.
The purpose of this article was to identify possible trends in the use of various research methodologies in organizational studies. Key issues in research methodologies will be discussed. We drew on McGrath's (1982) typology of research strategies as a means for examining "triangulation" in research and referred to Cook and Campbell's (1976) categories in examining issues relating to internal, external, construct, and statistical conclusion validity. Our analyses show some possible patterns in the methodologies employed in management studies. Also, examination of the methods reported in management research might provide insights for those who aspire to have their research published in top-tier...