Lim (2026) offers a timely and intellectually stimulating contribution to the ongoing conversation on how robust theory is developed in business and management research. In Theory and theory development: Guidelines for establishing theoretical gaps, foundations, contributions, and implications, published in the Journal of Business Research, the author moves beyond abstract discussions of theory to provide a clear, practical, and highly usable guide for scholars navigating the often-ambiguous process of theory building.

At the heart of the article is an integrated, step-by-step framework grounded in 3Es—Expertise, Experience, and Exposure. This framework guides researchers from the initial identification and problematization of theoretical gaps to the articulation of impactful and actionable theoretical implications. Rather than treating theory development as a fragmented or intuitive exercise, the paper presents it as a systematic and cumulative scholarly endeavor.

The framework is structured around four interrelated stages. First, it emphasizes the careful identification of theoretical gaps, encouraging scholars to move beyond superficial omissions and instead problematize meaningful practical, theoretical, or contextual inconsistencies. Second, it clarifies theoretical foundations, prompting researchers to explicitly articulate what theory they draw upon, why it matters, how it has been used, and how their work contributes back to it. Third, the paper offers a nuanced discussion of theoretical contributions, distinguishing among generalization, adaptation, modification, extension, and new theory development, while also differentiating between incremental and revelatory novelty. Finally, it addresses theoretical implications, encouraging scholars to reflect on past knowledge while reimagining future research and practice.

Beyond its core framework, the article makes several important clarifications that strengthen conceptual rigor. It provides a clear typology of theory—ranging from concepts and relationships to typologies, frameworks, and fully integrated theories—and carefully distinguishes between concepts, constructs, and variables. In doing so, it directly addresses long-standing debates surrounding what makes theory interesting, novel, rigorous, relevant, and generalizable.

Overall, this article serves as an actionable roadmap for scholars at all career stages. By synthesizing decades of theory-building literature into a single, accessible, and open-access guide, it significantly enhances methodological clarity and supports the development of theory that is coherent, falsifiable, extendable, and impactful across disciplines.