What Future for Genetics in Management Research?
Abstract
The author teams on this Point‐Counterpoint debate agree that the search for genetic explanations of organizational behaviours has been underwhelming – yet they have very different visions for the future of genetics in management research. The Point argues for a deeper dive into the field of genetics to ensure more precise measurement and make better causal inferences. In contrast, the Counterpoint cautions against reducing complex human behaviour to molecular causes and sees genetics as better suited to explain distal evolutionary conditions from which behaviours emerge. The introduction to this collection summarizes the core ideas in each article and their recommendations. The introduction then positions the Point‐Counterpoint debate against the broader challenge of seeking to advance management research with knowledge from a different discipline. It concludes with a call for researchers to carefully consider when and under what conditions it is warranted to search for genetic explanations, rather than uncritically embracing genetic explanations or dismissing them outright.