Time as a Research Lens: A Conceptual Review and Research Agenda
Journal
Journal of Management
ISSN
0149-2063
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2023-12-19
Author(s)
Abstract
Time is gaining recognition as an important research perspective, yet the assumptions, concepts, and boundaries of this perspective vary greatly across different fields. This diversity suggests that time offers both significant depth and relevance as a lens for research. However, the diversity of approaches also harbors ambiguity and a lack of coherence, hindering scholars' ability to integrate insights and harness the full potential of time as a research lens. To address this issue, we review the diverse time-based assumptions, domains, and concepts in extant research. Our review reveals three dominant manifestations of the temporal lens: time as resource, time as structure, and time as process. We analyze and synthesize insights of the three lenses to offer an integrative framework to support future research. The framework informs and reveals opportunities for time-based research by foregrounding connections and contrasts among the lenses. Building on this framework, we discuss two principal pathways for future research: connecting the three lenses through the study of tensions at their interfaces, and enhancing the three lenses through the study of more complex conceptions of time.
Language
English
Keywords
time
temporality
management
organization
temporal complexity
research lenses
Refereed
yes
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Volume
50
Number
6
Start page
2152
End page
2196