Process-tracing historical research methods in management

The adoption of the process-tracing methodology is now widely used in political science departments. This method can help historical researchers both in and out of business schools increase the actual and perceived level of methodological rigour in their research. The chapter explains what process-tracing methods involve and then describes how the author used it to contribute to theoretical debates in management. The chapter discusses the strengths and limitations of process tracing as a tool for theory development and suggests possible areas in which historical scholars in management schools can use process-tracing methods to contribute to the development of management theory.