Beyond good ideas

As Human Relations continues to attract an increasing number of quantitative methods-based research submissions from scholars worldwide, ensuring the quality, coherence, and rigor of these contributions remains central to the journal’s mission. This editorial identifies the major challenges we observe in submissions and makes key recommendations for strengthening both theoretical and methodological foundations of quantitative submissions considered by the journal. Structured around two interconnected themes, “Enhancing theoretical rigor and contributions” and “Enhancing methodological rigor and research design”, the editorial encompasses topics ranging from conceptual framing and theoretical positioning to research design and analytic coherence. Drawing on collective editorial experience, we argue that theoretical and methodological rigor are not separate aspirations but joint foundations of impactful scholarship. We analyze past publications from the journal to offer actionable guidance to help authors align conceptual development with empirical execution. Altogether, we aim to demystify the review process, foster integrative thinking, and reaffirm the journal’s commitment to publishing research that is conceptually rich, methodologically robust, and socially meaningful

Conceptual framework · Empirical research · Framing (construction · Metatheory · Publishing · Rigour · Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration · Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research · Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics

• Building Theory about Theory Building

  Kevin G Corley, Dennis A Gioia•Academy of Management Review•2011

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• Levels Issues in Theory Development, Data Collection, and Analysis

  Katherine J Klein, Fred Dansereau et al.•Academy of Management Review•1994

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• Atypical Combinations and Scientific Impact

  Open Access•Brian Uzzi, Mukherjee et al.•Science•2013

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• Trends in Theory Building and Theory Testing

  Jason A Colquitt, Cindy P Muir et al.•Academy of Management Journal•2007

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• Common Method Bias

  Open Access•Philip M Podsakoff, Nathan P Podsakoff et al.•Annual Review of Organizational…•2023

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• Evaluation Research on Quality Circles

  Open Access•Robert P Steel, Guy S Shane•Human Relations•1986

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• Seeing others’ side to serve

  Open Access•Muhammad Usman, Moazzam Ali et al.•Human Relations•2024

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• Individual Responses to Job Loss

  Open Access•Carrie R LeanaI, Daniel C Feldman•Human Relations•1990

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• Too few or too many? Exploring the Link between gender dissimilarity and employee absenteeism

  Open Access•Laura Guillen, Max Reinwald et al.•Human Relations•2025

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• What enables us to better experience our work as meaningful? The importance of awareness and the social context

  Open Access•Evgenia I Lysova, Luke Fletcher et al.•Human Relations•2023

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• To be or not to be political? Racialized cognitive scripts and political motivation

  Open Access•Madeleine Wyatt, Elena Doldor et al.•Human Relations•2023

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• Different responses to job insecurity of Chinese workers in joint ventures and state-owned enterprises

  Open Access•Yui-Tim Wong, Yui‐Tim Wong et al.•Human Relations•2005

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• Survey response rates

  Open Access•Brooks C Holtom, Brooks Holtom et al.•Human Relations•2022

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• Differential effects of empowering leadership on in-role and extra-role employee behaviors

  Open Access•Steffen Raub, Christopher Robert•Human Relations•2010

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• The suspension of morality in organisations

  Open Access•Roberta Fida, I Skovgaard-Smith et al.•Human Relations•2025

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• Conceptual Displacement and Migration in Science

  Open Access•Michael Mulkay•Science studies•1974

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