From the Editors: Introduction to the Emerging Discourse Incubator on the Topic of Emerging Approaches for Developing Supply Chain Management Theory

Abstract

The Journal of Supply Chain Management’s 2020 Emerging Discourse Incubator hopes to stimulate the development of supply chain specific theory. Well-executed case-based research will always be an appropriate means for developing supply chain theory. However, this EDI seeks to highlight emerging approaches to theory building that provide alternatives to case-based research or can be used as a source of triangulation with it. To start that discourse, this issue offers three emergent approaches. In “Theorizing Supply Chains with Qualitative Big Data and Topic Modeling,” Tima Bansal, Jury Gualandris, and Nahyun Kim explore the application of topic modeling to develop supply chain theory from qualitative textual big data evidence. Anne Touboulic, Lucy McCarthy, and Lee Matthews illustrate the use of critical engaged research to develop supply chain theory in “Re-Imagining Supply Chain Challenges Through Critical Engaged Research.” In “A New Methodology for Supply Chain Management: Discourse Analysis and its Potential for Theoretical Advancement,” Cynthia Hardy, Vikram Bhakoo, and Steve Maguire describe the potential for discourse analysis for developing supply chain management theory. These are but a few examples of potential approaches to developing supply chain theory. We welcome submissions on additional approaches and sources of data that are used in other disciplines, but have yet to be applied in the context of developing supply chain theory, and submissions on approaches that are emergent in the social sciences, in general. JSCM welcomes submissions for this EDI through the end of 2020.