Turan Yay - An interdisciplinary essay on theories of the firm and organization.

jpe:17471 - Journal of Philosophical Economics, September 12, 2026, Volume XIX
An interdisciplinary essay on theories of the firm and organization.Article

Authors: Turan Yay ORCID


This study examines the relationship among economics, strategic management, organizational studies, and economic sociology-four interconnected fields concerned with firms and organizations-from an interdisciplinary perspective. The argument is advanced that a descriptive approach, rather than a prescriptive one, more effectively illuminates their interactions. Recent natural and spontaneous interactions are highlighted as valuable for evaluating the effectiveness of interdisciplinary engagement. This perspective is grounded in three observations about major developments in these disciplines over the past fifty years. First, while all four fields focus on firms and organizations, they frequently operate in isolation despite overlapping interests. Second, the interactions among these disciplines should be analyzed with reference to the philosophical foundations of interdisciplinarity, particularly the ways in which disciplinary boundaries, methodological assumptions, and epistemological traditions shape knowledge production. Third, the study investigates the extent to which these interdisciplinary interactions contribute to the accumulation of knowledge. Ultimately, it is argued that adopting the complexity perspective is the most effective means of fostering interdisciplinary relationships, as it balances autonomy and collaboration, promotes pluralism, and supports authentic interdisciplinary work.


Volume: Volume XIX
Section: Articles
Published on: September 12, 2026
Accepted on: May 22, 2026
Submitted on: February 6, 2026
Keywords: JEL: B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches/B.B4 - Economic Methodology/B.B4.B41 - Economic Methodology, JEL: D - Microeconomics/D.D2 - Production and Organizations/D.D2.D21 - Firm Behavior: Theory, JEL: D - Microeconomics/D.D2 - Production and Organizations/D.D2.D23 - Organizational Behavior • Transaction Costs • Property Rights, JEL: L - Industrial Organization/L.L1 - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance/L.L1.L10 - General, JEL: L - Industrial Organization/L.L2 - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior/L.L2.L22 - Firm Organization and Market Structure, JEL: M - Business Administration and Business Economics • Marketing • Accounting • Personnel Economics/M.M2 - Business Economics, JEL: Z - Other Special Topics/Z.Z1 - Cultural Economics • Economic Sociology • Economic Anthropology, [SHS]Humanities and Social Sciences, [SHS.ECO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Economics and Finance, [SHS.GESTION]Humanities and Social Sciences/Business administration, [SHS.HISPHILSO]Humanities and Social Sciences/History, Philosophy and Sociology of Sciences, [en] interdisciplinarity, scientific imperialism, complexity, firm theory, L1, L223, economic sociology., strategic management, organizational theory

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