Wenzel, Ma hias; Caban ous, Lau e; Koch, Jochen
A icle — Published Ve sion
Fu u e Making: Towa ds a P ac ice Pe spec i e
Jou nal o Managemen S udies
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
John Wiley & Sons
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Wenzel, Ma hias; Caban ous, Lau e; Koch, Jochen (2025) : Fu u e Making:
Towa ds a P ac ice Pe spec i e, Jou nal o Managemen S udies, ISSN 1467-6486, Wiley, Hoboken,
NJ, Vol. 62, Iss. 6, pp. 2426-2451,
h ps://doi.o g/10.1111/joms.13222
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/329798
S anda d-Nu zungsbedingungen:
Die Dokumen e au EconS o dü en zu eigenen wissenscha lichen
Zwecken und zum P i a geb auch gespeiche und kopie we den.
Sie dü en die Dokumen e nich ü ö en liche ode komme zielle
Zwecke e iel äl igen, ö en lich auss ellen, ö en lich zugänglich
machen, e eiben ode ande wei ig nu zen.
So e n die Ve asse die Dokumen e un e Open-Con en -Lizenzen
(insbesonde e CC-Lizenzen) zu Ve ügung ges ell haben soll en,
gel en abweichend on diesen Nu zungsbedingungen die in de do
genann en Lizenz gewäh en Nu zungs ech e.
Te ms o use:
Documen s in EconS o may be sa ed and copied o you pe sonal
and schola ly pu poses.
You a e no o copy documen s o public o comme cial pu poses, o
exhibi he documen s publicly, o make hem publicly a ailable on he
in e ne , o o dis ibu e o o he wise use he documen s in public.
I he documen s ha e been made a ailable unde an Open Con en
Licence (especially C ea i e Commons Licences), you may exe cise
u he usage igh s as speci ied in he indica ed licence.
h ps://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
Fu u e Making: Towa ds a P ac ice Pe spec i e
Ma hias Wenzela, Lau e Caban ousb and Jochen Kochc
aLeuphana Uni e si y o Lünebu g; bESCP Business School; cEu opean Uni e si y Viad ina
ABSTRACT Managemen schola s a e inc easingly in e es ed in ‘ u u e making’, obse ing and
heo izing how o ganiza ional ac o s p oduce and enac he ye - o- come. Howe e , he apid
g ow h o he con e sa ion uns he isk o emp ying he no ion o u u e making, calling in o
ques ion i s meaning and ele ance. In esponse o hese conce ns, ou Poin is ha he e is alue
in unde s anding u u e making om a p ac ice pe spec i e. A p ac ice pe spec i e, we a gue,
is empi ically su icien ly open o accoun o he plu ali y and open- endedness o u u es and
u u e making amids he con inual eme gence o in e ela ed c ises, la ge- scale challenges,
and in ac able echnologies. Thus, i ein o ces he ele ance o esea ch on u u e making as
a cen al pa o con empo a y o ganiza ional li e. A he same ime, he ou p ac ice- based
dimensions elabo a ed in his Poin p o ide su icien concep ual speci ici y o disce n wha
coun s as u u e making and wha does no , he eby p o iding solid g ound o cumula i e
heo y- building and esea ch in his a ea. Ou Poin ex ends esea ch on u u e making in
managemen s udies by subs an ia ing he ele ance o examining and heo izing u u e making,
and by a icula ing and cla i ying a p ac ice pe spec i e on u u e making ha di ec s schola ly
a en ion o impo an a eas o u u e esea ch.
Keywo ds: u u e making, u u es, pe o ma i i y, p ac ice heo y, ela ionali y
[These days], we a e cons an ly alking abou u u es. E iden ly, he e is a mul iplici y
o demands o hem. (Süddeu sche Zei ung, 7 May 2024)
INTRODUCTION
Conce ns abou he u u e implica ions o la ge- scale challenges such as clima e change
(Bansal e al., 2025, p. 2) and in ac able echnologies such as a i icial in elligence
(Lindebaum e al., 2024, p. 2725) ha e gi en ise o esea ch on u u e making as an o -
ganiza ional phenomenon (e.g., Comi and Why e, 2018; Wenzel e al., 2020). By ‘ u u e
Jou nal o Managemen S udies 62:6 Sep embe 2025
doi:10.1111/joms.13222
Add ess o ep in s: Ma hias Wenzel, Leuphana Uni e si y o Lünebu g, Uni e si ä sallee 1, 12335 Lünebu g,
Ge many (ma hias[email p o ec ed]).
This is an open access a icle unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion License, which pe -
mi s use, dis ibu ion and ep oduc ion in any medium, p o ided he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed.
2427Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
making’, we e e o ways in which o ganiza ional ac o s p oduce and enac he ye - o-
come. Among o he hings, managemen schola s obse e and heo ize o ganiza ional
ac o s’ con en ional a emp s o p edic , plan, p eemp , and p epa e o he u u e, as,
o ins ance, mani es ed in a emp s o each he Sus ainable De elopmen Goals o -
mula ed a he Uni ed Na ions (see Lan z e al., 2025). They also explo e how o ga-
niza ional ac o s adop mo e o less delibe a e al e na i es o planning such as agile
o ganizing (S je ne e al., 2024) as well as expe imen al ways o imagining (Thompson
and By ne, 2022). In con as o ea lie esea ch on planning and p edic ion (Wol and
Floyd, 2017), a dis inc i e ea u e o esea ch on u u e- making is he idea ha o gani-
za ional ac o s canno p edic o manage he u u e as i i we e a p e- exis ing, objec-
i e ca ego y. Ins ead, o ganiza ional ac o s ‘make’ he u u e as a socially cons uc ed
ca ego y in he p esen . In his iew, planning and p edic ion a e no mo e han wo o
po en ially many o he ways h ough which u u es come in o being.
No ions o u u e making a e now used o discuss a p o usion o u u es, such
as (un)desi able (e.g., Alimadadi e al., 2022; Van Elk e al., 2024), (un)sus ainable
(e.g., De Cock e al., 2021; Nybe g e al., 2020), ac ionable and isiona y (e.g., Pe i
e al., 2023; Rindo a and Ma ins, 2022), as well as u opian and dys opian (e.g.,
Ja enpaa and Välikangas, 2020; Rauch, 2025). They ha e also inspi ed esea ch
in o he ole o ools and echnologies (e.g., Glase e al., 2021; Wenzel, 2022; Why e
e al., 2022), a ec s and e hics (Kuepe s e al., 2023; Plo niko and Po s, 2024),
ames and knowledge (Munshi e al., 2024; Thompson and By ne, 2022), pa hs and
e en s (Feuls e al., 2024; He nes e al., 2025), expec a ions and hype (Becke , 2021;
Logue and G imes, 2022), as well as social mo emen s and al e na i e economies
(Reinecke, 2018; Schille - Me kens, 2024) in u ning o he u u e. Fu he mo e, well-
es ablished opic a eas such as en ep eneu ship (Be glund and Dimo , 2023) and in-
no a ion (Spanjol e al., 2024) ha e been ecas as u u e making. To some ex en , he
no ion o u u e making e en pene a es schola ly p ac ices. Some managemen schol-
a s a e inc easingly in e es ed in making u u es hemsel es in he wo ld ha hey aim
o unde s and and explain (e.g., B idoux e al., 2024; Gümüsay and Reinecke, 2021,
2024; Muñoz and Dimo , 2023; Rindo a and Ma ins, 2021; Sha ma e al., 2022;
Wicke , 2024).
Gi en he cen ali y o he ye - o- come e en in he public sphe e (as e idenced
by he quo e abo e), we welcome he o e all end in managemen s udies owa ds
engaging wi h u u es. Howe e , we a e conce ned ha he apid g ow h o he con-
e sa ion may dilu e his line o inqui y by emp ying he no ion o u u e making,
calling in o ques ion wha u u e making is (no ) and whe he i is eally a ele an phenomenon o be
examined and heo ized. I u u e making is e e y hing, in he sense ha i can e en be used
o e ame well- heo ized, open- ended o ganiza ional phenomena, i is no hing, a ac-
uous deba e ha is doomed o pe ish. Howe e , managemen schola ship on u u e
making is oo big o ail. Amids a diagnosed ‘imagina y c isis’ acco ding o which
ac o s in o ganiza ions and socie y could esol e many con empo a y la ge- scale chal-
lenges by explo ing al e na i e ways o making u u es (Mulgan, 2022), he demand
o schola ly insigh s in o u u e making seems s onge han e e , no only om a he-
o e ical bu also p ac ical pe spec i e. In ac , as Hilbolling e al. (2022) highligh ed,
one o he g ea es g and challenges in con empo a y o ganiza ions and socie y is o
2428 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
unde s and and implemen ways o p oducing u u es ha mobilize and con ibu e o
he coo dina ion o collec i e e o s. The ield o esea ch on u u e making a o ds
o deli e hese insigh s. Ye , o he ield o s ay ele an , i needs mo e solid concep-
ual ounda ions so as o disce n wha coun s as u u e making and wha does no , and
why i is ele an o examine and heo ize his phenomenon, i a all.
In esponse o hese conce ns, ou Poin is ha he e is alue in unde s anding u u e
making om a p ac ice pe spec i e, namely, as ‘a se o p ac ices h ough which ac o s
p oduce and enac he u u e’ (Wenzel e al., 2020, p. 1441). While agmen s o such a pe -
spec i e ha e la en ly appea ed in p e ious managemen schola ship (e.g., Pe i e al., 2023;
Thompson and By ne, 2022), i has ye o be a icula ed and cla i ied in o de o deciphe i s
alue. Building on he agenda o p ac ice heo y (e.g., Reckwi z, 2002; Scha zki e al., 2001),
he p ac ice pe spec i e ha we a icula e he e d aws a en ion o si ua ed pe o mances o
mani old and in e connec ed s eams o ac i i y h ough which o ganiza ional ac o s b ing
u u es in o being. This pe spec i e, we a gue, ein o ces schola ly a en ion on u u e mak-
ing by doing jus ice o i s impo ance in con empo a y o ganiza ional li e, while coun e -
ac ing endencies o emp y u u e making h ough i s p oli e a ing bu unde heo ized use.
We elabo a e ou a gumen in h ee s eps. Fi s , we econs uc con empo a y dy-
namics ha cons i u e he open- endedness o he ye - o- come as a imely, ele an , and
impo an o ganiza ional phenomenon. In doing so, we explain why deba es on u u e
making ine i ably emb ace a plu ali y o u u es, as well as ways o p oducing and en-
ac ing hem. Second, by a icula ing and cla i ying key dimensions o a p ac ice pe -
spec i e on u u e making, we elabo a e on how his pe spec i e is well- posi ioned o do
jus ice o his plu ali y. Speci ically, as we a gue, his pe spec i e is empi ically open o
he mani old, in e connec ed, and pa ly sub le and mundane s eams o ac i i y h ough
which u u es come in o being on he one side, while p o iding su icien concep ual
speci ici y o disce n wha coun s as u u e making and wha does no on he o he . The
con empo a y mani es a ions o u u es and u u e making, howe e , ha e ye o be mo e
sys ema ically subs an ia ed o build, elabo a e, and e ine heo e ical insigh s in o u u e
making. Hence, hi d, we use he elabo a ed dimensions o a p ac ice pe spec i e on
u u e making o ad ance di ec ions o u u e esea ch.
Taken oge he , ou Poin unde sco es he ele ance o esea ch on u u e making in
and a ound o ganiza ions while p o iding concep ual cla i y amids a p oli e a ing bu
emp ying in e es in i . Tha is, om a p ac ice pe spec i e, u u e making is nei he e -
e y hing no no hing. I is no no hing because a p ac ice pe spec i e does jus ice o he con-
empo a y p e alence and plu ali y o u u e making in o ganiza ional li e. And i is no
e e y hing because he succinc p ac ice- based concep ual appa a us p o ides su icien
concep ual cla i y o ex ac speci ic ways o p oducing and enac ing he ye - o- come in
heo y building and esea ch on u u e making.
THE TURN TO FUTURE MAKING IN MANAGEMENT STUDIES
P io wo k has a gued ha he u u e ma e s in and o con empo a y o ganiza ions
because ac o s expe ience i as a p oblema ic, open- ended empo al ca ego y, one ha
no longe p o ides guidance o o ganiza ional ac i i y (Wenzel e al., 2020). In his
2429Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
sec ion, we jus i y he g ow h o managemen schola ship on u u e making as an im-
po an o ganiza ional phenomenon by econs uc ing dynamics ha cons i u e his
open- endedness, as well as he ensuing needs o ‘making’ u u es in o ganiza ional li e
(see Figu e 1).
Speci ically, as we a gue, he con inual eme gence o in e ac ing c ises, la ge- scale
challenges, and in ac able echnologies unde mines planning as a long- es ablished
way o eaching closu e abou wha is o come, he eby con ibu ing o an expe i-
enced open- endedness o he u u e. The e osion o planning ende s he ‘making’
o he ye - o- come impe a i e o es o ing he u u e’s capaci y o se e as guide o
o ganiza ional ac i i y, leading o ganiza ional ac o s o explo e, expe imen wi h, and
pe o m al e na i e ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es. Th ough he la gely
uncoo dina ed pe o mance o a ying ways in which o ganiza ional ac o s p o-
duce and enac he ye - o- come, a plu ali y o u u es comes o li e. This plu ali y,
hen, ep oduces and in ensi ies expe iences o he open- endedness o he ye - o-
come and, again, mani es s in eme ging and eeme ging c ises, la ge- scale challenges,
and in ac able echnologies. In his iew, he p oblem wi h u u e making is no he
Figu e 1. The ep oduc ion and in ensi ica ion o he open- endedness o he u u e as a p e alen ea u e o
con empo a y o ganiza ional li e
Con inual eme gence
o in e ac ing c ises,
la ge-scale challenges,
and in ac able
echnologies
Plu ali y o ways in
which o ganiza ional
ac o s p oduce and
enac u u es
E osion o planning as
a way o de-
p oblema izing he
u u e as a
manageable ca ego y
Plu ali y o
u u es
Li ed expe ience o
he open-endedness
o he u u e
ep oduces
in ensi ies
p oduces
in okes
opens up
gi es ise o
mani es s in
2430 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
p oli e a ing in e es in a g ea a ie y o u u es and ways o making hem as such,
bu he need o a heo e ical ounda ion ha is empi ically open enough o do jus-
ice o his plu ali y on he one side, and concep ual speci ici y o be selec i e abou
wha coun s as u u e making and wha does no on he o he – a ension ha , as
we will a gue below, he p ac ice pe spec i e on u u e- making is well posi ioned o
accommoda e.
O ganiza ional Ac o s De o e G owing A en ion o he Fu u e
O ganiza ions and socie y ha e ecen ly been hi by c ises o a ious so s (Muzio and
Doh, 2020; Wenzel e al., 2021). Among o he s, hese include public heal h c ises, as
well as inancial and economic c ises ha ha e pu en i e na ion s a es a isk; a mig a-
ion c isis ha has e ealed he ulne abili y o bu eauc a ic o ganizing; a clima e c isis
ha , amids ex eme wea he condi ions, exho s mo e sus ainable ways o li ing and
wo king; a wa o agg ession a he hea o Eu ope ha ew would ha e belie ed o be
possible; and e o is ac ion and a med con lic s in he Middle Eas . Simul aneously,
e e - mo e salien la ge- scale challenges such as hunge , po e y, and inequali y call
o much- needed imp o emen s o e en hei esolu ion (Geo ge e al., 2016; Voeg lin
e al., 2022). In addi ion, as he digi al ans o ma ion en u es in o in ac able ech-
nologies such as a i icial in elligence, no jus ce ain jobs, bu wo k o e all is a s ake
(De an y e al., 2023; D ies e al., 2024). Wha does i mean o ‘wo k’ i pa s o i a e
augmen ed o au oma ed by a i icial in elligence (Beane and Leona di, 2022; Raisch
and K akowski, 2021)?
While c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and a i icial in elligence a e somewha di icul o
compa e, hey do ha e a leas one aspec in common: all o hem d aw o ganiza ional
ac o s’ a en ion o he u u e as an open- ended empo al ca ego y. Fo example, inancial
and economic c ises ha e aised ques ions abou dominan economic sys ems, as well as
al e na i es ha may eplace hem in he u u e. Likewise, a emp s o ackle inequali y
as a la ge- scale challenge ques ion sys emic dis o ions in o ganiza ions and socie y. This,
hen, aises ques ions abou he egimes and o de s ha will e en ually eme ge once
hese dis o ions a e o e come. In all o hese ins ances, he pas is no absen , in ha
he p esen , pas , and u u e a e always pe o med simul aneously in any one momen
(He nes, 2014, 2022). Ye , he pas seems o en e in a speci ic way, namely, as b eaking
wi h i . Mo ing on as be o e, hen, becomes jus one among many possibili ies, and one
ha is no inna ely a ac i e. As a esul , he ecen eme gence o c ises, g owing a en-
ion o la ge- scale challenges in o ganiza ions and socie y, as well as he ami ica ions o
a i icial in elligence and o he in ac able echnologies ha e led o ganiza ional ac o s o
engage wi h he ye - o- come.
Ye , i is no he eme gence o hese challenges alone ha d aws o ganiza ional ac-
o s’ a en ion o he u u e. As Kuma aswamy e al. (2018) ap ly w o e, ‘I is ha d o
deny ha we a e li ing in an age o con inual dis up ions’ (p. 1025, emphasis added). In
his spi i , he ecen ly popula ized no ion o ‘polyc isis’ aims o cap u e ha con em-
po a y c ises such as a med con lic s as well as esou ce and ene gy sho ages con in-
ually eme ge and eeme ge, o e lap, in e ac , and ein o ce each o he , gi ing ise o
e e - new c ises (Kly e and McMullen, 2025). Likewise, i has become all oo e iden
2431Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
ha la ge- scale challenges such as clima e change and social inequali y canno be ully
‘ esol ed’ p ecisely because hey a e wicked and in ac able, and ha a emp s o e-
sol e hem may gi e ise o u he la ge- scale challenges (Howa d- G en ille, 2021).
Fu he mo e, i is he e y open- endedness o using a i icial in elligence and o he
in ac able echnologies, such as pla o ms o coo dina ing gig wo k and he ensuing
lack o cla i y abou associa ed u u e ou comes, ha should aise o ganiza ional ac-
o s’ scep icism abou emb acing such echnologies in an unchallenged way (Mose
e al., 2024).
The E osion o Planning as a Dominan Way o Making Fu u es
The con inual eme gence and eeme gence o c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in-
ac able echnologies u n he open- endedness o he u u e om a philosophical idea
in o a p oblema ic li ed expe ience by ac o s in and a ound o ganiza ions. Speci ically,
om a p ocess- philosophical pe spec i e, he u u e, like o he empo al ca ego ies, has
always played a ole a any poin in human exis ence, bu has i always ma e ed in he
same way?
Wenzel e al. (2020) a gue ha u u e making is ac ually a a he young phenome-
non ha eme ged in mode n imes. In he la e 18 h cen u y, humans began o o m
a will o shape he cou se o his o y by making he u u e. This equi ed he possibili y
ha – in con as o p e- mode n imes – he u u e could and, in ac , should di e
om he pas . Howe e , in mode ni y, when s a is ical measu emen and p ojec ion
we e on he ise (e.g., Caban ous and Gond, 2015; Hacking, 1975), u u e making
was domina ed by planning – ha is, he o mula ion and pu sui o goal- based p o-
jec ions – as a cen al means o e icien ly synch onizing many, i no all pa s o
o ganiza ions and socie y, o example, om assembly wo k in p oduc ion acili ies o
global supply chains. Hence, o he sake o e iciency, ac o s in and a ound o ganiza-
ions ma ched locks ep owa ds goal- based p ojec ions. This locks ep implied ha u-
u es desc ibed as goal- based p ojec ions pe o ma i ely came in o being, a leas o a
minimally sa is ac o y ex en . Fo ins ance, in supply chains, business pa ne s join ly
o ien ed owa ds and ended o keep ag eed- upon deli e y goals. As such, planning
con ibu ed o aming and, in a way, de- p oblema izing he open- endedness o he
u u e (Wenzel, 2022) by eaching closu e abou wha is o come: i pa ne s wi hin
supply chains ag eed on sha ed goals and had a legacy o deli e ing on hem, he e
was no eason o expec he u u e o di e om goal- based p ojec ions.
Ce ain y abou he ealiza ion o goal- based p ojec ions has, howe e , ecen ly
e oded in he ligh o c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able echnologies. The
p oclaimed ‘ all o planning’ (Min zbe g, 1994) implies ha i is now isky o ely on
goal- based p ojec ions alone because planning does no su icien ly allow o he un-
expec ed. This iskiness is also salien in oday’s global supply chains, dis up ed ime
and ime again by, among o he s, lee ing pa ame e s in poli ically uns able egions.
Con inual dis up ions like hese, hen, e ode he sense o ce ain y abou he u u e
ha planning migh ha e con eyed. Consequen ly, u u es a e p oblema ic in con em-
po a y imes. Thei open- endedness has become pa o he ‘new no mal’ (B idoux
e al., 2024) expe ience o ac o s in and a ound con empo a y o ganiza ions, such
2432 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
ha he ye - o- come can no longe be aken o g an ed based on goal- based p ojec-
ions: he ye - o- come has o be made, and i has o be con inually made anew.
The Rise o Mani old Ways o Making Fu u es
I o ganizing and o ganiza ions a e esponses o wha may come (Luhmann, 1976), and
i planning is no he p edominan way o p oducing and enac ing u u es anymo e, how,
hen, do ac o s in and a ound con empo a y o ganiza ions make u u es?
Empi ical e idence sugges s ha o ganiza ional ac o s explo e, expe imen wi h,
and pe o m al e na i e ways o making he ye - o- come. Some o he ending al e -
na i es a e agile (S je ne e al., 2024), o esigh (Wenzel, 2022), lean ools and me h-
ods (Lea he bee and Ka ila, 2020), and app oaches inspi ed by design hinking (Knigh
e al., 2020). All o hese ways o making u u es p omise o p o ide al e na i es o goal-
based p ojec ions, while a leas pa ly sus aining he echnical and e iciency- d i en
cha ac e o planning. Fo example, agile’s de ailed echnical p ocedu es a ound con in-
ually sha pened and e ised sho - e m a ge s enable he e icien coo dina ion o wo k
ac oss o ganiza ional depa men s (S je ne e al., 2024).
These ways o making he ye - o- come a e, howe e , jus some o he o e ways
in which o ganiza ional ac o s may p oduce and enac u u es. The e migh also be
mo e sub le and pe haps e en mundane ways o making u u es ha a e hidden be-
hind he noise o ending al e na i es (Wenzel, 2022), and which may no ep oduce
he echnical and e iciency- d i en cha ac e o planning in all cases. Fo exam-
ple, coun e ac ual easoning (Feduzi e al., 2022), heu is ics (A anasiu e al., 2025;
Vuo i e al., 2024; Wenzel and S je ne, 2021), e ec ual app oaches (Sa as a hy and
Bo ha, 2022), and judgmen (Tsoukas e al., 2024), as well as emo ional–cogni i e
combina ions o gu eel and analysis (Baldacchino e al., 2023) in day- o- day sen-
semaking a ound he ye - o- come, he bodily c a ing o p o o ypical ma e ial a -
e ac s (Bell e al., 2021), he c ea ion o a mosphe es ha ‘“se he one” o u u e
in e ac ions’ (Knigh e al., 2024, p. 25), na a ing he ye - o- come (Myllykoski and
Ran aka i, 2022), and pe haps e en spi i ual sensa ions (B and and Vankilde, 2023;
Ganzin e al., 2020; Maclean e al., 2024) a e a ew o he less o e al e na i es o
planning, many o which managemen schola s ha e no e en begun o explo e.
Hence, nowadays, o ganiza ional ac o s p oduce and enac he ye - o- come in a plu-
ali y o a he o e o hidden ways, wi hou necessa ily building on he logic o goal-
based p ojec ions.
The Eme gence o a Plu ali y o Fu u es
Gi en he mani old ways in which o ganiza ional ac o s p oduce and enac he ye - o-
come, u u es eme ge in he plu al. Speci ically, as a mani es a ion o ‘ he simul anei y
o he non- simul aneous’ (Koselleck, 1988, p. 51), he mani old ways o p oducing
and enac ing he ye - o- come a e pe o med in as ly uncoo dina ed ways, he eby
gi ing ise o mul iple, pa ly e en con lic ing u u es (Wenzel e al., 2020). Fo exam-
ple, o esigh ’s s uc u ed app oach o p oducing and enac ing u u es (Wenzel, 2022)
con adic s obse a ions o u u e- ela ed spi i ual encoun e s (Ganzin e al., 2020).
As in agile, s uc u ed and spi i ual ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es e en may
2433Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
be enac ed side by side (S je ne e al., 2024). Ye , he u u es ha come o li e h ough
hem may di e ge signi ican ly, anging om smalle scale e olu ions o ‘wha is’ o
eu eka- like sensa ions abou ‘wha migh be’. Which u u es will, hen, p e ail?
In o he wo ds, he plu ali y o ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es and, by im-
plica ion, he plu ali y o u u es p oduced h ough hem u he e odes ac o s’ sense
o ce ain y abou he ye - o- come, hus ep oducing and pe haps e en in ensi ying he
open- endedness o he u u e. This unce ain y, hen, pa ly mani es s again in eme ging
and eeme ging c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able echnologies.
Examina ions o Fu u e Making A e bo h Timely and Challenging
This dynamic o ep oducing and in ensi ying he open- endedness o he u u e (see
Figu e 1) o e s bo h an explana ion and jus i ica ion o managemen schola s’ ecen
‘ u n o he u u e’, ha is, massi e in e es in he ye - o- come and ways o p oducing
and enac ing i . I his dynamic does indeed cons i u e he p e alence o u u es in
o ganiza ional li e, engaging wi h he u u e is a cen al a ea o conce n o o ganiza-
ional ac o s. I i is clea ha ecipes o he pas no longe wo k, bu i is unclea wha
will wo k in he u u e, wha do o ganiza ional ac o s decide o do in he p esen , and
how do hey enac he ye - o- come? Amids a p o usion o u u es p oduced h ough
he mani old ways o making hem, he ye - o- come does no p o ide guidance o
o ganiza ional ac i i y anymo e, ende ing he p oduc ion and enac men o u u es
a cen al conce n o o ganiza ional ac o s. Hence, insigh s in o ways o p oducing
and enac ing u u es a e imely, impo an , and ele an . We he e o e need a ib an
ield o u u e making in managemen s udies ha sys ema ically builds, elabo a es,
and e ines ele an heo e ical insigh s.
These econs uc ed dynamics also d aw a en ion o he challenges in ol ed in
a emp s o examine and heo ize u u e making. On he one side, he plu ali y o
u u es and ways o p oducing and enac ing hem implies ha managemen schola s
in e es ed in u u e making need an app oach ha is open enough o iden i y no only
he o e ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es bu also he less o e , eme gen ,
sub le, and pe haps e en mundane ones ha migh all ou side he scope o igid
concep ualiza ions. On he o he side, i engaging wi h he ye - o- come is indeed a
con empo a y p oblem o o ganiza ional ac o s, i likely pe mea es many, i no all,
pa s o o ganiza ional li e. Empi ical openness may, hen, c ea e ambigui y abou
wha coun s as u u e making and wha does no , hus exho ing g ea e concep ual
speci ici y. Unde s andably so, he absence o an app oach ha enables managemen
schola s o iden i y and heo ize ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es mo e clea ly
has con ibu ed o he p oli e a ion o deba es a ound u u e making and conce ns
abou he dilu ion o hese deba es as desc ibed abo e.
Nex , we elabo a e on how a p ac ice pe spec i e on u u e making is well- posi ioned
o accommoda e he ension be ween empi ical openness and concep ual speci ici y.
As we a gue, a p ac ice pe spec i e does jus ice o he plu ali y o u u es and u u e
making in con empo a y o ganiza ional li e by sha pening schola s’ empi ical sen-
si i i y o he mani old, in e connec ed, and pa ly sub le and mundane s eams o
ac i i y h ough which u u es come in o being. A he same ime, he key dimensions
2440 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
commi men o collec i e ac ion. A p ac ice pe spec i e no only displays sensi i i y o
hese ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es bu also enables schola s o iden i y and
heo ize hem as ‘ u u e making’.
Examining and Theo izing Fu u e Making om a P ac ice Pe spec i e:
P oblem Sol ed?
Despi e i s bene i s, we no e ha he succinc concep ual appa a us p o ided by p ac ice
heo y does no al oge he elimina e he challenges o examining and heo izing u u e
making. As ways o p oducing and enac ing he ye - o- come may be enmeshed in webs o
p ac ices ha a e no o e ly u u e- ela ed (e.g., as pa o mee ing p ac ices), iden i ying
u u e- making p ac ices equi es ha schola s e o ully si h ough webs o p ac ices
by con inually ‘zooming in’ and ‘zooming ou ’ (see Nicolini, 2009). Fu he mo e, agains
he backg ound o p ac ice heo y (Scha zki, 2010), one may a gue ha each and e e y
p ac ice is a u u e- making one, gi en ha all ac i i ies a e pe o med be o e and a e
o he s, and gi en ha all pe o mances o p ac ices in he p esen a e in e connec ed
wi h bo h pas s and u u es (see Figu e 2a). Fo example, pe o ming a mee ing p ac ice
ep oduces an age- old his o y o o ganizing social in e ac ion, while also ha ing a bea -
ing on he u u e o social in e ac ion by b inging ce ain ways o mee ing in o being. In
o he wo ds, i u u e- making p ac ices a e indeed a dis inc i e se o p ac ices, schola s
mus also be able o disce n hem as such amids he o ali y o obse ed p ac ices.
Ye , agains he elabo a ed simul anei y o p ocess and ou come in he pe o mance
o u u e- making p ac ices, we a gue ha eme ging and eeme ging u u es e eal
u u e- making p ac ices in dis inc i e ways (see Figu e 2b). Speci ically, he pas is
no absen wi hin u u e- making p ac ices. Ra he , i shows up in hese p ac ices in
ce ain ways, namely, by backg ounding o e en b eaking wi h he pas so as o open
up he possibili y ha he u u e can di e om i – as, o example, in he case o he
clima e c isis, in he ligh o which ac o s inc easingly conclude ha unsus ainable
business p ac ices can no longe be pe o med. Al e na i ely, u u e making may build
on he pas as a sou ce o inspi a ion (Ha ch and Schul z, 2017; Ra asi e al., 2019)
o s a egic esou ce (Suddaby e al., 2010) o u u es ha di e om he p esen –
as, o example, in amily businesses ha ‘inno a [e] h ough adi ion’ (De Massis
e al., 2016, p. 93; De Massis and Rondi, 2020). Ei he way, pe o mances o u u e-
making p ac ices o eg ound he ye - o- come in ha hey con ibu e o he eme gence
and eeme gence o u u es. Among o he s, his equally holds ue o planning as a
quasi- a ional a emp o edi ec es ablished cou ses o ac ion by de eloping goals
o be eached in he u u e, and spi i ual ways o connec ing wi h he ye - o- come by
empo a ily le ing go o he pas (B and and Vankilde, 2023).
Hence, we a gue ha he o eg ounding o he ye - o- come in and h ough u u e-
making p ac ices allows managemen schola s o disce n hem as a dis inc i e se o
p ac ices. The p e alence o he ye - o- come in u u e- making p ac ices di e s om
he mo e gene al ake on p ac ices in which all si ua ed s eams o ac i i y ep oduce
pas s and u u es. I also opens and dis inguishes u u e- making p ac ices e en mo e
clea ly om he a ely conside ed possibili y ha he pe o mance o some p ac ices
makes no subs an ial con ibu ion o he eme gence o he ye - o- come, i a all (see
2441Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
Figu e 2c). Speci ically, e u ning o he dis inc ion be ween on s age and back
s age, some u u e- making p ac ices migh be symbolically pe o med and ye o e -
shadow o he p ac ices ha make mo e subs an ial con ibu ions o he eme gence
o u u es. Fo example, ac o s in o ganiza ions ha ha e adop ed agile may make
u u es in sho e , i e a i e cycles while in endedly o unwi ingly disguising hese dy-
namics behind planning o o esigh p ac ices ha make li le, i any, di e ence o he
Figu e 2. The empo ali y o (a) p ac ices, (b) u u e- making p ac ices, and (c) non- u u e making
Pas
Fu u e
(Re)P oduc ion o
social li e h ough
p ac ices in he
p esen
(a)
Pas
Fu u e
(Re)P oduc ion o
social li e h ough
p ac ices in he
p esen
(b)
Pas
Fu u e
(Re)P oduc ion o
social li e h ough
p ac ices in he
p esen
(c)
2442 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
ye - o- come (see S je ne e al., 2024; Wenzel, 2022). Likewise, when e ugee en e-
p eneu s pa icipa e in linea new en u e c ea ion p og ams o p epa e o a u u e
en ep eneu ial ca ee , hey may ei he simul aneously engage in nonlinea u u e-
making p ac ices o o m hei ‘en ep eneu ial eadiness’ (Fa hallah e al., 2024), o
amids epea ed se backs wi hin hose linea p og ams, hey come o see no u u e o
hei en u es and hemsel es (Ha ima and Plak, 2024; Kodeih e al., 2024).
AVENUES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ON FUTURE MAKING
In ligh o he con inual eme gence o in e ac ing c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in-
ac able echnologies, he p e alence o u u es and u u e making in con empo a y
o ganiza ional li e ende s pas , p esen , and u u e inqui ies in o ways o p oducing
and enac ing he ye - o- come bo h imely, ele an , and impo an . The p ac ice pe -
spec i e elabo a ed in his Poin , we a gue, p o ides exci ing oppo uni ies o cumula i e
heo y- building and esea ch on u u e making. I o e s he minimal s uc u e needed o
emb ace he mul i ace ed ways in which o ganiza ional ac o s make u u es in con em-
po a y imes, while p o iding ou key dimensions – pe o ma i i y, si ua ionali y, he -
e ogenei y, and ela ionali y – as a concep ual basis o disce ning wha coun s as u u e
making and wha does no .
Fu he mo e, he elabo a ed dimensions ansla e in o ou in e es ing a eas o u u e
esea ch (see Table I). In each o hese a eas, esea ch on ways o p oducing and enac -
ing he ye - o- come is s ill a a nascen s age, p o iding mul iple oppo uni ies o he
u he building, ex ending, and e ining o unde s andings and explana ions o u u e
making. As c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able echnologies a e all d i e s and
mani es a ions o he p e alence o u u es and u u e making in con empo a y o gani-
za ional li e, we expec ha deepe and mo e sys ema ic insigh s in o u u e making in
hese ou a eas will o e mo e nuanced guidance on ackling hese challenges h ough
ways o p oducing and enac ing he ye - o- come.
Examining he Pe o ma i i y o Fu u e- Making P ac ices
The pe o ma i i y o u u e- making p ac ices d aws a en ion o he limi ed unde -
s anding o pe o ma i i y in managemen s udies mo e gene ally (Gond e al., 2016),
as well as in esea ch on opics such as c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able
echnologies in pa icula (e.g., Ma i and Gond, 2018; Wicke , 2024). The ‘b inging
in o being’ o u u es h ough u u e- making p ac ices is mo e o en assumed han
analysed and heo ized. How exac ly does ha happen? A e he e quali a i e di e -
ences be ween he making o a ying u u es, o example, nea e sus dis an (see
Augus ine e al., 2019)? Which u u es a e made and which ones a en’ ? Fo example,
how is i possible ha idealized, u opian u u es a e pa ly enac ed and do gain ac-
ion (Gümüsay and Reinecke, 2021) al hough accomplishing hem seems impossible
by de ini ion? Wha implica ions does s i ing o such u u es ha e o o ganizing and
managemen , such as an o ganiza ion’s iden i y o s a egy? These ques ions, hen,
also ocus pa icula a en ion on he powe and poli ics o u u e making (Hungnes
e al., 2024; see also Simpson e al., 2021). Whose u u es a e enac ed, and whose
2443Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
u u es a e ma ginalized (see Skade e al., 2024)? Why a e some u u es p oduced
and enac ed, while o he s a e backg ounded o do no come in o being a all (see also
Wicke , 2024)? Rela edly, al hough he wo ld o ‘ u u e wo k’ (Wenzel e al., 2023)
a ound o e u u e- making p ac ices such as agile and o esigh has become a pow-
e ul billion- dolla business, we know li le abou his wo ld. How do sel - p oclaimed
expe s in he wo ld o u u e wo k, such as consul an s and ‘ u u is s’, c ea e a sense
o c edibili y a ound he u u es ha hey ad ance so ha o he s buy in o hem? And
how do hese ac o s accomplish posi ions o expe ise ela i e o he ye - o- come as
a empo al ca ego y ha is open- ended and, hus, nei he ‘p edic able’ no ‘manage-
able’ wi h ce ain y? Likewise, gi en ha c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able
echnologies a e all u u e- ela ed (e.g., Lan z e al., 2025; Mose e al., 2024; Wenzel
e al., 2021), which u u es come in o being as hese challenges a e enac ed, and how
does ha happen?
Examining he Si ua ionali y o Fu u e- Making P ac ices
The si ua ionali y o u u e- making p ac ices d aws a en ion o he sub le, day- o- day,
and pa ly e en mundane sides o p oducing and enac ing he ye - o- come, many o
which we ha e no e en begun o explo e. Wha a e he u u e- making p ac ices ha
o ganiza ional ac o s pe o m in he shadows o ending u u e- making p ac ices? I
dis up ions h ough c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able echnologies a e an
insepa able pa o o ganiza ional li e, and i hese dis up ions cons i u e he expe i-
enced open- endedness o he u u e in con empo a y o ganiza ional li e, how does he
momen - o- momen pe o mance o u u e- making p ac ices abso b he unce ain ies
and complexi ies associa ed wi h such expe iences so as o allow o ganiza ional ac o s o
p oceed and, hus, es ablish a sense o con inui y amids dis up ions? How can si ua ed
pe o mances o u u e- making p ac ices, hemsel es, be d i e s o dis up ion (S je ne
e al., 2023)? I lexible pe o mances o a u u e- making p ac ice in esponse o si ua-
ions a hand may culmina e in changes in ha p ac ice, how a e u u e- making p ac ices
ans o med and changed? And i such lexible pe o mances imply ha u u es can
con inually be enego ia ed, how do such enego ia ions occu , and on wha g ounds?
Con e sely, a e he e limi s o he ex en o which u u es can be enego ia ed? Can
u u es e en become ‘pa h- dependen ’ (Sydow e al., 2009) in ways ha hey a e con in-
ually ep oduced anew om momen o momen ? I so, how a e u u es p o ec ed and
de ended?
Examining he He e ogenei y o Fu u e- Making P ac ices
The he e ogenei y o u u e- making p ac ices di ec s a en ion o he plu ali y o hese
p ac ices pe o med in b oade webs o p ac ices. How do hese a ying p ac ices
con ibu e o he p oduc ion and enac men o u u es? In which ways do hey di e ,
i a all? Does he con inual eme gence o in e ac ing c ises, la ge- scale challenges,
and in ac able echnologies gi e ise o a new, dis inc i e web o u u e- making p ac-
ices? Con e sely, gi en ha planning p ac ices ha e colonized many, i no mos pa s
o mode n o ganiza ions and socie ies (Wenzel e al., 2020), one may also ind goal-
based p ojec ions as one pe sis en heme in examina ions o u u e making –pe haps
2444 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
e en among u u e- making p ac ices such as agile and o esigh ha p oponen s p o-
claim o be supe io o planning (see Wenzel, 2022), as well as wi hin es ablished webs
o p ac ices o enac ing c ises and la ge- scale challenges (Bundy e al., 2017). Hence,
despi e he he e ogenei y o u u e- making p ac ices, a e he e pa e ns ac oss such
p ac ices ha allow us o ca ego ize and dis inguish hem mo e b oadly as webs o
a ying u u e- making p ac ices, o example, ela i e o he ways in which hey ea
u u es? Fo example, o ganiza ional ac o s pe o ming ‘p ecau ion’ e sus ‘p eemp-
ion’ e sus ‘p epa edness’ (Ande son, 2010; Lan z e al., 2025) may ind hemsel es
wi h less e sus mo e agency in u u e making. Rela edly, u u e- making p ac ices
may di e in hei empo al di ec ion, ei he as u u e–p esen , in which ‘ he u u e
is coming upon us’, o as p esen – u u e, in which ‘we a e mo ing owa ds he u u e’
(S je ne e al., 2022).
Examining he Rela ionali y o Fu u e- Making P ac ices
Finally, he ela ionali y o u u e- making p ac ices o eg ounds he in e connec edness
o p ac ices wi hin b oade webs o p ac ices, as well as he in e winemen o discu si e,
bodily, and ma e ial pa s o p ac ices hemsel es – which, again, a e mo e o en p e-
sumed han examined and unde s ood. How do u u e- making p ac ices shape, and how
a e hey shaped by o he p ac ices in and h ough hei pe o mances? Gi en he p e -
alence o c ises, la ge- scale challenges, and in ac able echnologies, a e u u e- making
p ac ices associa ed wi h hese challenges becoming he s anda d epe oi e wi hin all
b oade webs o p ac ices pe o med in and a ound o ganiza ions? How so, o why
no ? How do o ganiza ional ac o s connec and disconnec a ying u u e- making and
o he p ac ices? Do some u u e- making p ac ices mu ually ein o ce and ampli y each
o he , while o he s compe e and clash wi h each o he ? I so, why, and wi h wha e ec s?
How do social mo emen s as ca ie s o a ying in e ela ed u u e- making p ac ices
(see Reinecke, 2018) con ibu e o hese dynamics? In u n, how do he discu si e, bodily,
and ma e ial pa s o u u e- making p ac ices implica e each o he ? How do hey join ly
con ibu e o making u u es, how do hey gi e ise o a ec s and emo ions (Plo niko
and Po s, 2024) such as hopes and ea s, and wi h wha implica ions o o ganizing and
managemen ? How does he eme gen use o echnological a e ac s such as a i icial
in elligence, algo i hms, and big da a (Glase e al., 2024; Mose e al., 2024) pa icipa e
in u u e- making p ac ices? Do hey ein igo a e hopes o p edic ing he u u e (see
Lindebaum e al., 2024), o do some o hem con ibu e o shi ing om p edic i e o
p e en i e ways o engaging wi h u u es by helping ac o s a oid he eme gence o un-
desi able u u es?
CONCLUSION
In esponse o he p oli e a ion o esea ch on u u e making, which isks dilu ing his no-
ion, he objec i e o ou Poin was o p opose a p ac ice pe spec i e as a concep ual ounda-
ion o u u e- making esea ch. We a gued ha a p ac ice- based app oach o u u e making
does jus ice o con empo a y dynamics a ound u u e making because i is open enough o
accoun o a plu ali y o ways in which o ganiza ional ac o s make u u es. A he same
2445Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
ime, wi h i s ou key dimensions – pe o ma i i y, si ua ionali y, he e ogenei y, and ela ion-
ali y –, i is concep ually speci ic enough o disce n wha coun s as u u e making and wha
does no , hus p o iding a solid ounda ion o cumula i e, ui ul deba es on u u e making
in managemen s udies.
Taken oge he , we belie e ha ou Poin unde sco es and subs an ia es he impo -
ance o con inuing schola ly in e es in u u e making in and a ound o ganiza ions,
while helping o coun e ac he dilu ion o his no ion h ough a p oli e a ing esea ch
in e es ha pu s he ield o esea ch on u u e making a isk. We explain nex how
ou Poin ex ends he bu geoning ield o u u e making in managemen s udies in
h ee ways.
Emb acing he P oli e a ing In e es in Fu u e Making
Fi s , ou Poin subs an ia es he ecen ‘ u n o u u e making’ in managemen s ud-
ies. Tha is, while his p oli e a ion cons i u es a h ea o he ield o u u e making,
we a gue ha he con empo a y plu ali y o u u es and u u e making igh ly has
o ansla e in o a plu ali y o u u es and u u e making examined in managemen
s udies. Speci ically, we do ag ee wi h W igh ’s (2025) Coun e poin , which mo i a es a
communica i e and in e ac ionis app oach o u u e- making, among o he s, by a -
guing ha ‘ he u u e’ is no a new phenomenon pe se, and ha i is wo h e iewing
and seeking inspi a ion om p io wo k in ha a ea. Howe e , as we a gue in his
Poin , he ye - o- come has ecen ly u ned in o a key o ganiza ional challenge; and his
challenge has encou aged o ganiza ional ac o s o ans o m, complemen , o eplace
hei ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es – wi h planning, including scena io
planning, being no mo e han one among many ways in which o ganiza ional ac o s
p oduce and enac he ye - o- come. These dynamics, hen, igh ly exho manage-
men schola s o gain a deepe and mo e sys ema ic unde s anding o he plu ali y o
u u es and u u e making in o ganiza ional li e.
Hence, he p oblem is no he p oli e a ing in e es in u u e- making pe se. Ra he ,
as we ha e a gued in his Poin , he ield o u u e making needs a heo e ical ounda ion
ha is open enough o emb ace he con empo a y plu ali y o u u es and u u e making,
while being concep ually speci ic enough o disce n wha coun s as u u e making and
wha does no , wi hou , howe e , elying on o e ly igid and exclusi e concep ualiza ions.
Emb acing a P ac ice Pe spec i e on Fu u e Making
Second, in esponse o he elabo a ed need o a concep ual ounda ion, ou Poin ad-
ances a p ac ice pe spec i e on u u e making by a icula ing and cla i ying i s key di-
mensions. In doing so, we do no seek o a gue ha a p ac ice pe spec i e on u u e
making is inna ely be e han o he s, gi en ha heo e ical pe spec i es always o e-
g ound some aspec s o examined phenomena while backg ounding o he s. In his e-
ga d, we also see alue in he p agma ic app oach de eloped in Comi e al.’s (2025)
Coun e poin . By a guing ha a p ac ice pe spec i e on u u e making is oo b oad, hey
make a case o unde s anding u u e making mo e speci ically as ac o s’ engagemen
wi h he people, places, and ma e iali y a hand. In a way, ou app oach somewha sub-
sumes hei s as one among many possible ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es – like
2446 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
‘c a wo k’ in which he ‘making’ o desi able u u es is unde s ood in a e y li e al
sense, a he han, as in ou Poin , in he pe o ma i e sense ha he pe o mance o any
u u e- making p ac ice b ings ce ain u u es in o being.
Ou Poin is ha doing jus ice o he plu ali y o u u es and u u e making p ac ices
enables us o ealize he analy ical u ili y o unde s anding ways o engaging wi h u u es
om a p ac ice pe spec i e. I is he e y openness o a plu ali y o o e , sub le, and
pa ly e en mundane ways o p oducing and enac ing u u es, as well as he p o ision o
su icien concep ual speci ici y, ha enables schola s o unde s and how o ganiza ional
ac o s make u u es.
Me hodological Implica ions
Finally, ou Poin also adds me hodological cla i y o esea ch on u u e making. Some
managemen schola s a e inc easingly in e es ed in p ospec i e, p esc ip i e, and design-
led app oaches o heo y- building as u u e- o ien ed al e na i es o pas - based desc ip-
ion and explana ion (e.g., Gümüsay and Reinecke, 2024; Hanisch, 2024; Muñoz and
Dimo , 2023; Rindo a and Ma ins, 2021; Sha ma e al., 2022). These app oaches
allow o o e en demand he explici pu sui o no ma i e o impac - o ien ed in e es s
in heo y- building. Speci ically, hey aim o ensu e ha ou esea ch con ibu es o he
eme gence o desi able u u es (Gümüsay and Reinecke, 2021) and ha hese u u es a e
coc ea ed wi h and meaning ul o hose who a e a ec ed by hem (Sha ma e al., 2022).
One may p esume ha a emp s o unpack u u e making as an o ganiza ional phe-
nomenon necessa ily equi e u u e- o ien ed app oaches o heo y- building and esea ch.
Howe e , he pe spec i e ha we ad ance in his a icle cla i ies ha his is no he case.
F om a p ac ice pe spec i e, he u u e is a phenomenon o he p esen in ha i comes
in o being as o ganiza ional ac o s pe o m u u e- making p ac ices. The e o e, he in-
c easingly adop ed and pa ly es ablished app oaches o unde s anding and explaining
si ua ed s eams o ac i i y – e hnog aphic inqui ies, ideo- based me hods, e c. – a e well
sui ed o add essing esea ch ques ions a ound u u e making.
Fu he mo e, hough ene able, esea ch on u u e making does no necessa ily pu -
sue p esc ip i e ambi ions, as claimed in W igh ’s (2025) Coun e poin . As we see i , he
ield o esea ch on u u e- making is de o ed o unde s anding ways h ough which o ga-
niza ional ac o s p oduce and enac he ye - o- come. As Comi e al.’s (2025) Coun e poin
igh ly highligh s, hese ways may also include p ac ices h ough which undesi able o
e en ha m ul u u es come in o being. They c i icize his b oad scope, a guing ha man-
agemen schola s should a he ocus on p ac ices o making ‘be e u u es’. We, how-
e e , a gue ha insigh s in o p ac ices o making desi able o ha m ul u u es a e no less
ele an o unde s anding con empo a y o ganiza ional li e and i s pa ly ad e se soci-
e al implica ions. This is because enabling some u u es o eme ge and wo king agains
o he s o come in o being exho s schola s o unde s and and explain how ha happens
(see Wicke , 2024). P ac ice- based inqui ies a e pa icula ly use ul in his ega d.
Ye , when deployed wi h due cau ion (Ho ne e al., 2024) and i one’s esea ch in e -
es is indeed no ma i e o impac - o ien ed, we do see me i in he use o u u e- ocused
app oaches o heo y- building and esea ch in he a ea o u u e making. In ac , cen-
e ing he use o hese app oaches on ques ions a ound u u e making may no only
2447Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
p oduce u u es ha pa icipan s conside desi able, bu also open up pa hways o al e -
na i e ways o making u u es – which, as Mulgan (2022) a gued, a e despe a ely needed
o ackle many o he la ge- scale challenges o ou ime. The e o e, we also encou age
p oponen s o u u e- ocused app oaches o heo y- building and esea ch o pay g ea e
a en ion o u u e making as a imely, impo an , and ele an pa o o ganiza ional li e.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We a e indeb ed o Ch is ophe Wicke o his hough ul eedback and guidance a e e y s age o he
e iew p ocess. We also hank he au ho s and coau ho s o he Coun e poin essays o ou sha p bu con-
s uc i e and ui ul dialogue on u u e making. Finally, his dialogue would no ha e come o ui ion wi h-
ou he EGOS 2023 sub- heme on ‘Pe o ming he Fu u e Communica i ely: How Wha Does No Ye
Exis Al eady Makes a Di e ence’ – p o ided by he SWG 06 on Communica ion, Pe o ma i i y, and
O ganiza ion – whe e he idea o his dialogue eme ged. We hank he pa icipan s o his sub- heme o
inspi ing discussions, and he SWG coo dina o s o gene ously p o iding a pla o m o deba es a ound and
ela ed o u u e- making. Open Access unding enabled and o ganized by P ojek DEAL.
REFERENCES
Alimadadi, S., Da ies, A. and Tell, F. (2022). ‘A palace i o he u u e: Desi abili y in empo al wo k’.
S a egic O ganiza ion, 20, 20–50.
Ande son, B. (2010). ‘P eemp ion, p ecau ion, p epa edness: An icipa o y ac ion and u u e geog aphies’.
P og ess in Human Geog aphy, 34, 777–98.
A anasiu, R., Wicke , C. and Khapo a, S. N. (2025). ‘Towa ds a heu is ic iew o manage ial heu is ics:
In eg a ing di e gen pe spec i es’. In e na ional Jou nal o Managemen Re iews, 27, 58–80.
Augus ine, G. L., Sode s om, S., Milne , D. and Webe , K. (2019). ‘Cons uc ing a dis an u u e: Imagina ies
in geoenginee ing’. Academy o Managemen Jou nal, 62, 1930–60.
Baldacchino, L., Ucbasa an, D. and Caban ous, L. (2023). ‘Linking expe ience o in ui ion and cogni i e e -
sa ili y in new en u e idea ion: A dual- p ocess pe spec i e’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 60, 1105–46.
Bansal, P., Du and, R., K eu ze , M., Kunisch, S. and McGahan, A. M. (2025). ‘S a egy can no longe ig-
no e plane a y bounda ies: A call o ackling s a egy’s ecological allacy’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies,
62, 965–85.
Beane, M. I. and Leona di, P. (2022). ‘Pace laye ing as a me apho o o ganizing in he age o in elli-
gen echnologies: Conside ing he u u e o wo k by heo izing he u u e o o ganizing’. Jou nal o
Managemen S udies. h ps:// doi. o g/ 10. 1111/ joms. 12867 .
Becke , J. (2021). ‘The i m as an engine o imagina ion: O ganiza ional p ospec ion and he making o
economic u u es’. O ganiza ion Theo y, 2, 1–21.
Bell, E., Dacin, M. T. and To aldo, M. L. (2021). ‘C a imagina ies – pas , p esen and u u e’. O ganiza ion
Theo y, 2, 1–18.
Be glund, H. and Dimo , D. (2023). ‘Visions o u u es and u u es o isions: En ep eneu s, a i ac s, and
wo lds’. Jou nal o Business Ven u ing Insigh s, 20, e00411.
Bowman, G. and Pa ks, R. W. (2024). ‘Be ween episodes o s a egy: Socioma e iali y, sensemaking, and
dys unc ion in a scena io planning p ocess’. Jou nal o Business Resea ch, 179, 114690.
B and , A. L. and Vankilde, K. T. (2023). ‘A game o u u es: The s a egy o scena ios in a Danish medical
company’. Cul u e and O ganiza ion, 30, 103–20.
B idoux, F., Bundy, J., Gond, J.- P., Haack, P., Pe iglie i, J. L., S ephens, J. P. and Su cli e, K. M. (2024). ‘The
new no mal: P esc ip i e heo izing o posi i e o ganiza ional impac in an age o dis up ion’. Academy
o Managemen Re iew, 49, 705–17.
Bundy, J., P a e , M. D., Sho , C. E. and Coombs, W. T. (2017). ‘C ises and c isis managemen : In eg a ion,
in e p e a ion, and esea ch de elopmen ’. Jou nal o Managemen , 43, 1661–92.
Caban ous, L. and Gond, J.- P. (2015). ‘The esis ible ise o Bayesian hinking in managemen : His o ical
lessions om decision analysis’. Jou nal o Managemen , 41, 441–70.
Caban ous, L., Gond, J.- P. and W igh , A. (2018). ‘The pe o ma i i y o s a egy: Taking s ock and mo ing
ahead’. Long Range Planning, 51, 407–16.
2448 M. Wenzel e al.
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
Comi, A. and Why e, J. (2018). ‘Fu u e making and isual a e ac s: An e hnog aphic s udy o a design p oj-
ec ’. O ganiza ion S udies, 39, 1055–83.
Comi, A., Mosca, L., & Why e, J. (2025). ‘Fu u e making as emancipa o y inqui y: A alue- based explo a-
ion o desi able u u es’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies.
De Cock, C., Nybe g, D. and W igh , C. (2021). ‘Dis up ing clima e change u u es: Concep ual ools o los
his o ies’. O ganiza ion, 28, 468–82.
De Massis, A. and Rondi, E. (2020). ‘Co id- 19 and he u u e o amily business esea ch’. Jou nal o
Managemen S udies, 57, 1727–31.
De Massis, A., F a ini, F., Ko la , J., Pe uzzelli, A. M. and W igh , M. (2016). ‘Inno a ion h ough adi ion:
Lessons om inno a i e amily businesses and di ec ions o u u e esea ch’. Academy o Managemen
Pe spec i es, 30, 93–116.
De an y, J.- P., Rhodes, C. and Yeoman, R. (2023). ‘Does wo k ha e a u u e? The need o new meanings
and new aluings o wo k’. O ganiza ion, 30, 799–808.
D ies, N., Luyckx, J. and Rogie s, P. (2024). ‘Imagining he (dis an ) u u e o wo k’. Academy o Managemen
Disco e ies, 10, 319–50.
Fa hallah, R., Williams, T. A. and McMullen, J. S. (2024). ‘P epa ing o a day ha may ne e come:
Ven u ing in limbo’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies. h ps:// doi. o g/ 10. 1111/ joms. 13131 .
Feduzi, A., Faulkne , P., Runde, J., Caban ous, L. and Loch, C. H. (2022). ‘Heu is ic me hods o upda ing
small wo ld ep esen a ions in s a egic si ua ions o Knigh ian unce ain y’. Academy o Managemen
Re iew, 47, 402–24.
Feldman, M. S. and Pen land, B. T. (2003). ‘Reconcep ualizing o ganiza ional ou ines as a sou ce o lexi-
bili y and change’. Adminis a i e Science Qua e ly, 48, 94–118.
Feuls, M., He nes, T. and Schul z, M. (2024). ‘Pu ing dis an u u es in o ac ion: How ac o s sus ain a cou se
o ac ion owa d dis an - u u e goals h ough pa h enac men ’. Academy o Managemen Jou nal. h ps://
doi. o g/ 10. 5465/ amj. 2022. 0257.
Fleming, P. (2020). ‘Da k academia: Despai in he neolibe al business school’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies,
57, 1305–11.
Ganzin, M., Islam, G. and Suddaby, R. (2020). ‘Spi i uali y and en ep eneu ship: The ole o magical
hinking in u u e- o ien ed sensemaking’. O ganiza ion S udies, 41, 77–102.
Geo ge, G., Howa d- G en ille, J., Joshi, A. and Tihanyi, L. (2016). ‘Unde s anding and ackling socie al
g and challenges h ough managemen esea ch’. Academy o Managemen Jou nal, 59, 1880–95.
Giddens, A. (1984). The Cons i u ion o Socie y: Ou line o a Theo y o S uc u a ion. Be keley, CA: Uni e si y o
Cali o nia P ess.
Gillie , T., Seidel, V. P., Kazakci, A. and Pia , G. (2024). ‘C a ing u u e inno a ions: he ne wo k s uc u e
o ideas o isiona y p oduc concep s’. Academy o Managemen Disco e ies, 10, 611–29.
Gio annoni, E. and Napie , C. J. (2023). ‘Mul imodali y and he messy objec : Explo ing how he o ic and
ma e iali y engage’. O ganiza ion S udies, 44, 401–25.
Glase , V., Pollock, N. and D’Adde io, L. (2021). ‘The biog aphy o an algo i hm: Pe o ming algo i hmic
echnologies in o ganiza ions’. O ganiza ion Theo y, 2, 1–27.
Glase , V., Sloan, J. and Gehman, J. (2024). ‘O ganiza ions as algo i hms: A new me apho o ad ancing
managemen heo y’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 61, 2748–69.
Go man, E. (1959). The P esen a ion o Sel in E e yday Li e. New Yo k: Doubleday.
Gond, J.- P., Caban ous, L., Ha ding, N. and Lea mon h, M. (2016). ‘Wha do we mean by pe o ma i i y in
o ganiza ional and managemen heo y? The uses and abuses o pe o ma i i y’. In e na ional Jou nal o
Managemen Re iews, 18, 440–63.
Gümüsay, A. A. and Reinecke, J. (2021). ‘Resea ching o desi able u u es: F om eal u opias o imagining
al e na i es’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 59, 236–42.
Gümüsay, A. A. and Reinecke, J. (2024). ‘Imagining desi able u u es: A call o p ospec i e heo izing wi h
specula i e igou ’. O ganiza ion Theo y, 5, 1–23.
Hacking, I. (1975). The Eme gence o P obabili y: A Philosophical S udy o Ea ly Ideas Abou P obabili y Induc ion and
S a is ical In e ence. Camb idge, MA: Camb idge Uni e si y P ess.
Hanisch, M. (2024). ‘P esc ip i e heo izing in managemen esea ch: A new impe us o add essing g and
challenges’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 61, 1692–716.
Ha ima, A. and Plak, C. (2024). ‘Whe e will my u u e be? Adap i e sensemaking o e ugee camp en ep e-
neu s in pe pe ual liminali y’. En ep eneu ship & Regional De elopmen , 37, 325–49. h ps:// doi. o g/ 10.
1080/ 08985 626. 2024. 2390976.
Ha ch, M. J. and Schul z, M. (2017). ‘Towa d a heo y o using his o y au hen ically: His o icizing in he
Ca lsbe g G oup’. Adminis a i e Science Qua e ly, 62, 657–97.
2449Fu u e- Making
© 2025 The Au ho (s). Jou nal o Managemen S udies published by Socie y o he Ad ancemen o Managemen S udies
and John Wiley & Sons L d.
He nes, T. (2014). A P ocess Theo y o O ganiza ion. Ox o d: Ox o d Uni e si y P ess.
He nes, T. (2022). O ganiza ion and Time. Ox o d: Ox o d Uni e si y P ess.
He nes, T., Blagoe , B., Kunisch, S. and Schul z, M. (2025). ‘F om bouncing back o bouncing o wa d: A
empo al ajec o y model o o ganiza ional esilience’. Academy o Managemen Re iew, 50, 72–92.
Hilbolling, S., Deken, F., Be ends, H. and Tue sche , P. (2022). ‘P ocess- based empo al coo dina ion in
mul ipa y collabo a ion o socie al challenges’. S a egic O ganiza ion, 20, 135–63.
Ho ne , S., Co nelissen, J. and Zundel, M. (2024). ‘Panacea o dange ous p ac ice: A coun e poin o
Hanisch’s a gumen o p esc ip i e heo izing’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 61, 1717–30.
Howa d- G en ille, J. (2021). ‘G and Challenges, Co id- 19 and he u u e o o ganiza ional schola ship’.
Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 58, 254–8.
Hungnes, T., Hoholm, T. and Clegg, S. R. (2024). ‘Fu u e- making powe : A s udy o compe ing imagined
u u es in heal hca e’. B i ish Jou nal o Managemen . h ps:// doi. o g/ 10. 1111/ 1467- 8551. 12888 .
Ja enpaa, S. and Välikangas, L. (2020). ‘Ad anced echnology and end- ime in o ganiza ions: A doomsday
o collabo a i e c ea i i y?’ Academy o Managemen Pe spec i es, 34, 566–84.
Ja zabkowski, P. and Seidl, D. (2008). ‘The ole o mee ings in he social p ac ice o s a egy’. O ganiza ion
S udies, 29, 1391–426.
Ja zabkowski, P., Balogun, J. and Seidl, D. (2007). ‘S a egizing: The challenges o a p ac ice pe spec i e’.
Human Rela ions, 60, 5–27.
Kly e , K. and McMullen, J. S. (2025). ‘Re hinking en ep eneu ship in causally en angled c ises: A poly-
c isis pe spec i e’. Jou nal o Business Ven u ing, 40, 106459.
Knigh , E. and Wenzel, M. (in p ess). ‘Mul imodali y in s a egy- as- p ac ice esea ch’. In Golso khi, D.,
Rouleau, L., Seidl, D. and Vaa a, E. (Eds), Ox o d Handbook on S a egy as P ac ice. Ox o d: Ox o d
Uni e si y P ess, 729–39.
Knigh , E., Daymond, J. and Pa ou is, S. (2020). ‘Design- led s a egy: How o b ing design hinking in o he
a o s a egic managemen ’. Cali o nia Managemen Re iew, 62, 30–52.
Knigh , E., Lok, J., Ja zabkowski, P. and Wenzel, M. (2024). ‘Sensing he oom: The ole o a mosphe e in
collec i e sensemaking’. Academy o Managemen Jou nal. h ps:// doi. o g/ 10. 5465/ amj. 2021. 1389.
Koch, J., Wenzel, M., Sen , N. N. and Maibie , C. (2018). ‘O ganiza ional c ea i i y as an a ibu ional p o-
cess: The case o hau e cuisine’. O ganiza ion S udies, 39, 251–70.
Kodeih, F., Schild , H. and Law ence, T. B. (2024). ‘Coun e ing inde e mina e empo a iness: Shel e ing
wo k in e ugee camps’. O ganiza ion S udies, 44, 175–99.
Koselleck, R. (1988). Ve gangene Zukun : Zu Seman ik geschich liche Zei en. F ank u a.M., Ge many:
Suh kamp.
Kuepe s, W., Wasielewski, D. M. and Schumache , G. (2023). ‘Tempo ali y and e hics: Timeliness o e hical
pe spec i es on empo ali y in imes o c isis’. Jou nal o Business E hics, 188, 629–43.
Kuma aswamy, A., Ga ud, R. and Ansa i, S. (2018). ‘Pe spec i es on dis up i e inno a ions’. Jou nal o
Managemen S udies, 55, 1025–42.
Lan z, P. M. V., Fedde sen, J. and Jus , S. N. (2025). ‘O e aken by eali y: The empo al in e play be ween
he o ic and collec i e ac ion’. Academy o Managemen Pe spec i es, 39, 44–72. h ps:// doi. o g/ 10. 5465/
amp. 2023. 0096.
Lea he bee, M. and Ka ila, R. (2020). ‘The lean s a up me hod: Ea ly- s age eams and hypo hesis- based
p obing o business ideas’. S a egic En ep eneu ship Jou nal, 14, 570–93.
Lindebaum, D., Mose , C. and Islam, G. (2024). ‘Big da a, p oxies, algo i hmic decision- making and he
u u e o managemen heo y’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 61, 2724–47.
Logue, D. and G imes, M. (2022). ‘Li ing up o he hype: how new en u es manage he esou ce and lia-
bili y o u u e- o ien ed isions wi hin he nascen ma ke o impac in es ing’. Academy o Managemen
Jou nal, 43, 663–93.
Luhmann, N. (1976). ‘The u u e canno begin: Tempo al s uc u es in mode n socie y’. Social Resea ch, 43,
130–53.
Maclean, M., Ha ey, C., Suddaby, R. and Co aiola, D. M. (2024). ‘Mul i- empo ali y and he ghos ly: How
communing wi h imes pas in o ms o ganiza ional u u es’. Jou nal o Managemen S udies, 61, 3401–31.
Ma i, E. and Gond, J.- P. (2018). ‘When do heo ies become sel - ul illing? Explo ing he bounda y condi-
ions o pe o ma i i y’. Academy o Managemen Re iew, 43, 487–508.
Min zbe g, H. (1994). The Rise and Fall o S a egic Planning: Reconcei ing Roles o Planning, Plans, Planne s. New
Yo k: F ee P ess.
Mose , C., Glase , V. and Lindebaum, D. (2024). ‘Taking si ua edness se iously in heo izing abou compe i-
i e ad an age h ough a i icial in elligence: A esponse o Kemp’s “Compe i i e Ad an ages h ough
A i icial In elligence”’. Academy o Managemen Re iew, 49, 683–5.