Editorial: Capturing history: preserving legacies through interviews

We are pleased to announce an exciting new initiative at the Journal of Management History (JMH): a new manuscript format devoted to Interview Papers. These articles will serve as an invaluable record of the thoughts, insights and future directions of leading scholars and practitioners who have shaped (and continue to shape) the field of management. It is our honor to lead this new section, a position through which we aspire to uphold and strengthen JMH’s commitment to preserving and advancing the intellectual heritage of our discipline.We stand on the shoulders of giants, and it is our conviction that these conversations must be captured and made accessible to the scholarly community. Put differently, we cannot stand by while vital intellectual capital fades from memory. Too often, significant knowledge, historical anecdotes and learned advice are lost if they are not systematically recorded. Our new Interview Papers are designed to address that very need. Far from being simple celebrations, these interviews will be rigorous, objective and anchored in the broader domain of management history, providing timely and robust frameworks for researchers, educators and practitioners alike. We offer guidance on the rationale, structure and methods that define these Interview Papers. We look forward to working with authors from all divisions and encourage contributions that spotlight the intellectual giants of our field, whether they are emerging luminaries or established icons.The purpose of this new section is to commemorate and critically examine the work of influential figures in management. By integrating their personal narratives, career trajectories and intellectual legacies, these interviews will enhance our collective understanding of how theories, methodologies and practices have evolved. This new format continues JMH’s tradition of exploring history to illuminate the present and the future, aligning with ongoing debates such as those surrounding Daniel Wren and Arthur Bedeian’s The Evolution of Management Thought (Muldoon et al., 2023; Weatherbee and Durepos, 2023). Similar to these commemorations, we call for interview papers that highlight core management theories and perspectives. We also welcome viewpoints that might otherwise be lost or overlooked—especially from regions, subfields, or vantage points underrepresented in management scholarship.Leading journals have successfully incorporated interviews as a publication format to preserve intellectual legacies and deepen scholarly discourse. For example, the Journal of Management Inquiry publishes “Meet the Person” interviews, which spotlight the ideas and contributions of influential thinkers (Lee et al., 2016). Similarly, Management Decision features “In Motion” articles, including interviews with key figures and reflections on management topics (Chen and Randolph-Seng, 2021). Building on this tradition, our new interview format aims to critically examine the work of key figures in management field, enriching academic discussions and ensuring the preservation of their intellectual contributions.We offer an outline for authors interested in submitting interview-based manuscripts to JMH. This framework provides clarity for structuring content, ensuring methodological rigor and upholding ethical standards. While authors may adapt this structure to suit their specific contexts, we encourage maintaining the core elements described here.Interview focus. Explain the broader significance of the individual’s contributions. For instance, why does management history need to understand this scholar’s intellectual impact? Why is it essential for our field to recognize their influence at this particular moment?Contextual positioning. Situate the interview within current debates or discussions in the management field, particularly those involving commemorations or retrospectives of influential figures. Illustrate how the scholar’s perspectives complement or extend these conversations, referencing ongoing dialogues in JMH where applicable.Academic career and contributions. Provide an objective description of the scholar’s academic career, major accomplishments and the broader impact.Balanced narrative. While honoring the interviewee’s influence, maintain an objective tone. Avoid an overly hagiography approach, ensuring that the scholar’s accomplishments are examined within the context of the field at large.Data collection process. Describe how the interview was organized (via in-person, conference, Zoom or other means), and what strategies were used to secure comprehensive and thoughtful responses.Guiding themes. Present the conversation in sections that mirror the scholar’s areas of expertise. Common thematic areas might include: 1) Intellectual journey and formative influences, 2) Domain-specific contributions (e.g. entrepreneurship, strategy or organization theory), 3) Relevance and impact on management history or related subfields and 4)Future directions: Where might the field go from here?Direct quotations. Use direct quotes to bring authenticity and nuance to the interviewee’s voice.Key takeaways. Include a concise table highlighting the main lessons, perspectives or include a table or concise set of bullet points summarizing the principal themes or lessons from the interview. This might encompass theoretical contributions, methodological guidance and applications for future research.Citing the interviewee’s work. Highlight essential publications by the scholar to give readers an overview of their scholarly influence.Relevant literature. Incorporate any supporting references that link the interviewee’s ideas to current debates, thereby demonstrating how their contributions fit into the ongoing evolution of management history.Significance for research and practice. Reflect on how the interviewee’s thoughts and contributions might shape ongoing inquiries within management history, inspire new lines of questioning, or inform practical applications in organizational settings.Enriching management history. Underscore how the scholar’s reflections reinforce the field’s ethos of preserving and advancing intellectual heritage. Emphasize the enduring value of capturing first-hand accounts from leading figures.Submit a separate signed consent letter or statement from the interviewee, confirming their approval of the interview content and its publication in JMH (e.g. I hereby give my consent that I agree with the interview content and publication of the interview. I am happy to see this published in the Journal of Management History).Final reflectionsBy showcasing the intellectual legacies of management’s seminal thinkers, we aim to continue the proud tradition of JMH as a forum that brings historical perspectives to bear on current and future challenges in management. Much like previous commemorations in JMH, we hope that our Interview Papers will bridge historical insight and contemporary application, ensuring that our community continues to build on a foundation of well-documented scholarly legacies.In our sample article featuring Professor David Ahlstrom, for instance, the interview was structured around his key research themes, including his contributions to emerging economies and institutional theory, along with insights on scholarly publishing (Lee, 2024). Future authors should feel free to adapt similar approaches, refining them to suit the scholar or topic at hand. Scholars might look to the approach in Lee (2024) for suggestions on conducting interviews, structuring manuscripts and blending personal narrative with academic discourse. In each case, clarity of purpose, sound documentation and alignment with JMH’s broader mission are paramount. Our editorial team strongly encourages interviews that extend across the diverse landscape of management history, ensuring inclusivity of underrepresented regions, subfields and perspectives.Knowledge cannot be preserved without intentional effort – particularly in a rapidly changing academic and global environment. We look forward to reading, learning from, and publishing these essential narratives so that, together, we can guard against letting the library burn.