Giddens's structuration theory is increasingly used as an alternative approach to studying numerous organizational phenomena. However, the applicability of Giddens's concepts is not without difficulties because of two main challenges. First, structuration theory is complex, involving concepts and general propositions that operate at a high level of abstraction. Second, structuration theory is not easily coupled to any specific research method or methodological approach, and it is difficult to apply empirically. Arguing that structuration theory is a valuable framework for a rich understanding of management, organization and related subjects of inquiry, this paper aims to improve the application of structuration theory in empirical work by drawing on the experience in information technology (IT) research. It identifies patterns of use of Giddens's theory in publications in the domain of IT, and then describes how IT researchers have attempted to address its major empirical challenges. The paper presents a repertoire of research strategies that might guide students of organization in dealing with three elements that are central to structuration theory: duality of structure, time/space and actors' knowledgeability.

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 In this article, strategic management research using structuration theory from 1995 to 2000 is reviewed. I describe and analyse the theoretical articulations adopted to make sense of strategy using a structurationist view. I found that, instead of being applied as the sole theoretical foundation, Giddens' propositions have been incorporated into other perspectives, the effects of which should be known by researchers looking for theoretical frameworks that avoid dichotomist thinking. The paper draws on the effects that structurationist arguments may produce regarding classical oppositions such as micro/macro and voluntarist/determinist. Its main contribution is to show how theoretical complementarities using structuration theory are promising avenues of research in the strategic management field. It also suggests that, although other alternatives of avoiding dichotomist logic exist, making a choice among them is more a question of ontological affinity than of making the 'better choice' among competing accounts. There are several routes to advance the understanding of the possibilities of human choice.

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This paper proposes a conceptual model to facilitate incorporation of sustainability into business practices, learning from the context of companies operating in Latin America -more specifically, in Brazil -that excel in terms of sustainability initiatives. Five large companies recognized as leaders in sustainability practices were studied using the grounded theory method. The main result of our study is the identification of a number of influential factors, interconnected according to three broad categories -corporate view, organizational structure and organizational mechanisms -allowing a better understanding of the integration of sustainability into business practices.

In this paper, we investigate the dynamics of client-consultant relationships and analyze how power and knowledge are shared and negotiated between consultants and clients during the implementation of configurable technologies. Empirical evidence is provided by three case studies representing three classic types of client-consultant relationships. We draw on two complementary perspectives: possession view (i.e., power and knowledge are based on resources that can be owned or controlled by individuals) and practice view (i.e., power and knowledge are relational in nature and exercised in action). The paper develops a framework that shows that power and knowledge are closely intertwined and that the possession and practice views are complementary in understanding configurable technology projects. The paper also demonstrates the importance of the initial set-up of the project and how knowing/powering mechanisms can reinforce or change implementation trajectories, which, in turn, can affect project results.

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