Open Workshop: Cultivating Insightful Theory-Building in Qualitative Research
The aim of the Open Workshop Series in Business and Management Studies is to promote top-quality academic and applied research in various fields of the social sciences. This is a unique opportunity for sharing knowledge and networking with local and international community members.
In this seminar, I will explore how qualitative researchers can move beyond producing ‘stand-alone’ theoretical models toward cultivating insightful theory-building—a mode of inquiry that generates clear, actionable insights others can build upon.
Drawing on recent work, I will discuss why much of today’s qualitative theory-building in entrepreneurship and management, despite methodological sophistication, often remains underutilized in subsequent scholarship and practice. To address this, the session introduces and discusses seven development strategies—clarifying, zooming in, connecting, situating, sharing, countering, and experimenting—that help researchers craft more reflexive, generative, and impactful theoretical contributions.
Participants will also gain some practical insights and guidance on how to embed these strategies into their own work to enhance the relevance, uptake, and cumulative development of qualitative theory-building research.
Ewald Kibler is Professor (Associate) at Aalto School of Business (BIZ) and the Head of the Entrepreneurship Unit (ENTU) at Aalto BIZ. He also served as Research Council of Finland (RCF) Fellow (2018-2023). Ewald received his M.A. in Sociology from the University of Graz, Austria, and his Ph.D. in Economic Geography from the University of Turku, Finland.
His entrepreneurship research combines qualitative and quantitative methods and is pronouncedly multi-disciplinary, applying theories from psychology, sociology, and geography. His research interests include, for instance, new venture creation and legitimation, social and sustainable business venturing, new venture team dynamics and entrepreneurial failure, regional and institutional embeddedness of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in times of crisis, youth and senior entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial wellbeing and health, entrepreneurial narratives and cultural entrepreneurship. Ewald’s research has been published in several established academic journals, such as Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, Research Policy, Journal of Management Studies, Organization Studies, Human Relations, Business History, Journal of World Business, and Journal of Economic Geography.
Ewald is Associate Editor at the Journal of Business Venturing Insights and an Editorial Review Board Member of leading management and entrepreneurship journals, such as Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Business Venturing. Ewald regularly serves as peer reviewer for established entrepreneurship, organization, and management journals, and also frequently collaborates with policymakers, including advising ILO, the OECD, and the European Commission on entrepreneurship matters.
Discussion moderated by Prof. Arnis Sauka.
Attendance is free of charge.
Please sign up for the seminar, by writing to arnis.sauka@sseriga.edu by October 22, 2025.
The aim of the SSE Riga Open Workshop Series is to:
- Foster cooperation between business and management researchers, practitioners and policymakers, as well as
- Promote academic and applied research in various fields of the social sciences, focusing on but not limited to entrepreneurship, marketing, management, public administration, and strategy.
Organised by Professor Arnis Sauka, the Centre for Sustainable Business at SSE Riga