Decisions, Decisions! How Judgment Policy Studies Can Integrate Macro and Micro Domains in Management Research

Abstract

An effective bridge for spanning the macro—micro divide in management studies requires strong disciplinary foundations on each side of the chasm, along with the versatility to address a range of management issues. This will likely involve simultaneous multilevel, multiparty action—response research. The authors argue that judgment policy studies are especially suited to developing the interactive multilevel context theories that are necessary to narrow the divide across multiple areas of management research. Literally millions of organization members go through judgment processes every day, on many topics, and their choices critically affect individual, group, and organizational success. The authors provide examples—using the literatures on trust, diversity climate, workplace romance, and strategy implementation—to demonstrate how judgment policy analysis methods can help narrow the macro—micro divide in each area. The authors also briefly discuss available techniques for analyzing individuals’ judgment policies and suggest other high-potential areas for future macro—micro bridge building in management, via judgment policy studies, including business ethics, entrepreneurial opportunity identification, and international management.