Complexifying Organizational Theory: Illustrations using Time Research

We seek to enrich organizational inquiry by introducing an additional level of abstraction based on theory complexity. We develop four levels of theory complexity and anchor each with well-established theoretical frameworks and research streams. After identifying the contingency approach as the simplest, we progress through cycles and competing values approaches and arrive at the chaos perspective as the most complex. We use research on time orientations, polychronicity, and entrainment to illustrate the utility of such a ladder of theoretical complexity in provoking alternative research lenses and inquiry.