Is the Gene‐ie Out of the Bottle? The Problems and Perils of Genetics Research in Management

Abstract

In recent years, the field of management research has witnessed the emergence of a stream of research that seeks to identify the genetic determinants of managerial, entrepreneurial, and organizational behaviour. We challenge the reductionist epistemology underpinning this genetic perspective in management research and highlight the inherently weak inferences about human behaviour that follow from its prevailing methods and explanatory models. We further examine the ethical implications that arise from its underlying assumptions and potential future applications. We then propose recasting the role of genetics as part of a broader phenomenon‐driven approach towards studying and explaining human behaviour in management research and outline a conceptual framework aimed at generating stronger and contextually grounded explanatory models of managerial, entrepreneurial, and organizational behaviour.