Method Myopia

Abstract

Academy of Management Journal (AMJ) was reviewed for research method frequency from 1968 through 2000.As expected, it was discovered that controlled experiments were scant at best, and a significant effect revealed a declining focus in later years. Potential reasons for the lack of controlled studies being published in AMJ include training, selection bias, method bound, research questions, applied focus, field setting misconceptions, bias inertia, and rigor versus relevance. Reasons to pose questions and conduct research in controlled settings are offered, including the premise that rigor and relevance are not orthogonal.