TY - JOUR

T1 - History-informed strategy research

T2 - The promise of history and historical research methods in advancing strategy scholarship

AU - Argyres, NS

AU - De Massis, Alfredo

AU - Foss, N. J.

AU - Frattini, Federico

AU - Jones, G

AU - Silverman, BS

N1 - This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Argyres, NS, De Massis, A, Foss, NJ, Frattini, F, Jones, G, Silverman, BS. History‐informed strategy research: The promise of history and historical research methods in advancing strategy scholarship. Strat. Mgmt. J. 2020; 41: 343– 368. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3118 which has been published in final form at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smj.3118 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.

PY - 2020/3/1

Y1 - 2020/3/1

N2 - Research Summary: The last decade has witnessed an increasing interest in the use of history and historical research methods in strategy research. We discuss how and why history and historical research methods can enrich theoretical explanations of strategy phenomena. In addition, we introduce the notions of “history-informed strategy research,” distinguishing between the dimensions of “history to theory” and “history in theory” and discussing various under-utilized methods that may further work on history-informed strategy research. We then discuss how contemporary research contributes to history-informed research within the strategy field, examine key methodological and empirical challenges associated with such research, and develop an agenda for future research. Managerial Summary: Firms are increasingly making use of their historical past as they reflect on their identities and how these can be used strategically. At the same time, strategy researchers are paying increasing to the use of historical research methods, as well as to how firms use history strategically. We take stock on the role of history in strategy research, outline the key strategic issues that can be informed by a historical way of doing research, discuss the available historical methods, and offer suggestions for future research in the history/strategy intersection.

AB - Research Summary: The last decade has witnessed an increasing interest in the use of history and historical research methods in strategy research. We discuss how and why history and historical research methods can enrich theoretical explanations of strategy phenomena. In addition, we introduce the notions of “history-informed strategy research,” distinguishing between the dimensions of “history to theory” and “history in theory” and discussing various under-utilized methods that may further work on history-informed strategy research. We then discuss how contemporary research contributes to history-informed research within the strategy field, examine key methodological and empirical challenges associated with such research, and develop an agenda for future research. Managerial Summary: Firms are increasingly making use of their historical past as they reflect on their identities and how these can be used strategically. At the same time, strategy researchers are paying increasing to the use of historical research methods, as well as to how firms use history strategically. We take stock on the role of history in strategy research, outline the key strategic issues that can be informed by a historical way of doing research, discuss the available historical methods, and offer suggestions for future research in the history/strategy intersection.

KW - firm identity

KW - historical research methods

KW - history‐informed strategy research

KW - small‐N research

KW - the role of the past

U2 - 10.1002/smj.3118

DO - 10.1002/smj.3118

M3 - Journal article

VL - 41

SP - 343

EP - 368

JO - Strategic Management Journal

JF - Strategic Management Journal

SN - 0143-2095

IS - 3

ER -