Managing Trade-Offs in Entrepreneurial Theorizing

Abstract

AbstractWhile several editors and scholars have shared critical insights into the craft of writing a theory paper, there is an essential aspect of publishing a theory paper that is less understood: the process by which expert reviewers and authors engage in the review process, which has a significant influence on theory. We examine critiques and responses to entrepreneurship theorizing to identify three major challenges of entrepreneurship theorizing: (1)the scopeof the entrepreneurship paper’s theorizing being either too narrow or too shallow; (2) the common features of the paper’scontextualization, boundary conditions,andtime considerations; and (3) the“point of view” of the entrepreneurship paper’s perspective—theoretical, philosophical, level, and purpose.This chapter offers a framework that guides (1) entrepreneurship scholars to find a balance to maximize their contributions and (2) reviewers and editors on managing the revise-and-resubmit process to advance the entrepreneurship field.