Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

7-2024

Abstract

Slack is a prominent construct in management research, shown to be relevant for a wide range of phenomena. Yet, despite slack’s prominence and breadth of application, our review reveals a lack of clarity and consistency in the categorization, theorizing, and measurement of various types and forms of slack. This has led to differences in the characterization and treatment of seemingly identical kinds of slack, which prevents the full exploitation of the conceptual depth of the slack construct and thus the creation of robust knowledge about slack resources. Based on a review of 229 studies which explicitly theorized about slack, we identify two fundamental dimensions of the slack construct—availability and fungibility—that allow us to: (1) systematize and integrate past research about slack and its implications for organizations; (2) enrich and expand theorizing on slack by advancing a novel typology for understanding slack resourcing decisions and orchestration in organizations; and (3) reinvigorate and open new directions for future research on slack.

Discipline

Organizational Behavior and Theory | Strategic Management Policy

Research Areas

Strategy and Organisation

Publication

Academy of Management Annals

Volume

18

Issue

2

First Page

473

Last Page

505

ISSN

1941-6520

Identifier

10.5465/annals.2023.0087

Publisher

Academy of Management

Embargo Period

2-1-2024

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional Files
AMA Slack Online Appendix.pdf (1375 kB)
Appendix

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2023.0087

Download

Download Data/Files

Share

COinS