Twenty-Five Years at Organizational Research Methods: The Past, Present, and Future

In this panel symposium, the editorial team of Organizational Research Methods (ORM) will reflect on the past 25 years of ORM publications with the intent of providing guidance to attendees on developing future methodological contributions. Each member of the editorial team will introduce and discuss a paper published in ORM between 1998 and 2023; discussion will involve what they appreciate about the paper, how it enriched academic debate at the time of its publication, and its subsequent impact on the field. The members of the editorial team will then share insight regarding what distinguishes an exciting submission and marks an important contribution to existing debate in research methods scholarship. Additionally, the panel will discuss the types of publications, topics, and methodological approaches they believe will shape the future of the field, including necessary methodological developments and potential solutions to existing challenges and shortcomings. The overarching goal of the symposium is to provide resources to attendees in how to generate and write impactful methodological contributions. New and less experienced researchers often struggle with how to recognize, frame, and structure methodological contributions. Dissecting exemplary papers from ORM may help researchers see new possibilities for developing their own fledgling methodological ideas. Despite being trained in 1) how to structure empirical and theoretical papers and 2) the appropriate application of research methods, many attendees may benefit from guidance on how to develop methodological contributions. Moreover, authors interested in enhancing their methodological toolkit may also benefit from the advice and encouragement offered by the panel. The panelists will include the current Co-editors and Associate Editors of Organizational Research Methods. Together, these editors represent methodological expertise spanning the divisions of AOM. Accordingly, we anticipate discussion topics to be broad, ranging from micro to macro, and quantitative to qualitative methods. Attendees will have ample opportunity to ask questions enabling panelists to address specific topics, possibly including 1) how to conceptualize and structure methods articles, 2) the integration of and distinction between quantitative and qualitative approaches, 3) effective and ineffective ways of communicating methodological findings to a diverse audience, 4) the future of the field and relevant methodological developments, and more.