Reflections on the micro–macro divide: Ideas from the trenches and moving forward

Abstract

This essay provides insights into the reasons why efforts to integrate micro and macro perspectives continue to face challenges. We incorporate the reflections of several experienced researchers on the persistence of the micro-macro divide, organize those reflections into broad themes, and discuss associated insights, implications and challenges. We note that while immense challenges remain, efforts should continue as greater integration can improve the position of our field in the broader social sciences and lead to substantial contributions. Several suggestions are provided to help this research agenda move forward. Specifically, we advocate developing new process-oriented theories and methods as well as adopting broader and more inclusive researcher identities, encouraging "intellectual generosity", and acknowledging that for some research, integration is neither necessary nor desirable.

The Curse of Extremes: Generalist Career Experience and CEO Initial Compensation

“…Future studies can build on the approach of Graffin et al and integrate elements from recent research on CEO big-five personality traits (Harrison, Thurgood, Boivie, & Pfarrer, 2019), to examine how risk perceptions of the CEO and the board of directors affect CEO initial compensation. This will help us to further unveil the role of deep level psychological factors (Hodgkinson & Healey, 2011; in determining CEO initial pay arrangements, and thereby bridge the micro-macro divide (Eckardt et al, 2018) in executive compensation.…”

We need a hero: HR and the ‘next normal’ workplace

“…Many management areas are characterised by a micro–macro divide (Eckardt et al., 2019); in HR, micro researchers are most likely to study employee well‐being and macro researchers most likely to study organisational performance. Either approach misses the opportunity to understand the simultaneous —and potentially divergent—impact of HR activities on employee and organisational outcomes.…”

Human capital resource emergence and leadership

“…However, this last step would play a critical role in not only advancing work on HCRE and leadership but also realizing the full potential of creating a micro–macro‐integrated literature on strategic organizational behavior (i.e., integrating strategy, organizational behavior, and strategic human capital; Ployhart, 2015; Ployhart & Hale, 2014). Attempts at integrating micro–macro literatures has long been suggested to be the distinct advantage of the organizational studies field (House, Rousseau, & Thomas‐Hunt, 1995), but it has faced significant issues over the years (Eckardt et al, 2019; Molloy, Ployhart, & Wright, 2011) and been suggested to be one of the biggest challenges facing organizational studies (Aguinis & Edwards, 2014). Given the inherent relevance across and within levels of analysis for HCRE and leadership, efforts to investigate the firm‐level economic implications of the leadership–HCRE links may be a fruitful way to make meaningful progress on creating a micro–macro‐integrated literature of strategic organizational behavior.…”