Old Habits Die Hard: A Review and Assessment of the Threat-Rigidity Literature

Since its introduction more than four decades ago, threat-rigidity theory has emerged as a popular managerial theory of threat response used in a wide variety of literature streams. The theory explains that individuals, groups, and organizations revert to familiar responses (i.e., rigidity) in navigating threats, even when doing so may not be ideal. Yet, despite its popularity, fidelity to the theory’s assumptions and core arguments have been missing, and development of the theory has been limited. As organizations continue facing new and unique threats (e.g., advancing technologies, economic downturns, supply chain disruptions, global health crises), a review and synthesis of threat-rigidity theory is necessary to drive new knowledge and allow for better understanding of the conditions around and appropriateness of rigidity. Our assessment of the literature reveals several gaps to address, which inform three primary directions for future research. We encourage future scholars to (a) clarify the nature of threats that elicit rigid responses, (b) explore the contextual factors and boundary conditions of the theory, and (c) utilize advanced methodological approaches to examine rigidity effects and outcomes across levels and over time. We provide guidance and sample research questions in each of the proposed directions for scholars to use in future efforts to refine or enhance threat-rigidity theory.