Theory Evaluation, Entrepreneurial Processes, and Performativity

Is it reasonable to evaluate process explanations such as effectuation using criteria that assume a world of efficient causation and linear variance? To address this question, our comment covers the following points. First, we review efforts by scholars within the management discipline to clarify what theory is and how to evaluate it. Second, we introduce process explanations and consider whether the 3E framework is capable of evaluating such contributions. Third, we consider recent explanations of entrepreneurial processes premised on performativity. Our overall assessment is that the 3E framework is ill-suited for evaluating process explanations in general and contributions based on performativity in particular. But, in that case, what options do we have? We address this question in the last section of this dialogue.

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