The evolution of research on organizational termination

Abstract

Over recent decades, termination research has experienced a transformation from an obscure field to one undergoing rapid growth. Since the inception of the research in the 1970s, ever-increasing worldwide calls for government austerity have demanded a systemic understanding of organizational termination. This article examines the evolution of organizational termination research from case-based to statistical studies. It then makes several suggestions regarding ways to move organizational termination research forward. Points for practitioners This article offers practical lessons to practitioners who are interested in understanding organizational termination. Offering the evolution of the research on organizational termination from its inception to the present, the article presents a succinct overview of organizational termination. As such, it will be beneficial to those who have to operate in today’s world of increasing fiscal austerity pressures.