Theorizing about the Implications of Multiplexity: An Integrative Typology

Multiplexity, the co-existence of more than one type of relationship between two actors, is a prevalent phenomenon with clear relevance for a wide range of management settings and phenomena. While there is a substantial body of work on multiplexity, the absence of a shared terminology and a typology for the mechanisms and arguments that are used in theorizing about its implications nevertheless limit its appeal to organizational network scholars and slow its progress. Based on content analysis of 103 studies, we propose relational harmony, task complementarity, and relational scope as three categories to integrate the mechanisms and arguments used in the literature to theorize about the implications of multiplexity. We then survey the literature to show how this typology is also useful in revealing different patterns of theorizing, for example across the types of relationships that are studied in relation to multiplexity. We hope that the common ground we provide for future theorizing about the implications of multiplexity will make it a more engaging topic for organizational network and management scholars, and place it in the company of more prominently used social constructs in management research, as aligned with its prevalence and relevance.