We introduce a taxonomy that reflects the theoretical contribution of empirical articles
along two dimensions: theory building and theory testing. We used that taxonomy to
track trends in the theoretical contributions offered by articles over the past five
decades. Results based on data from a sample of 74 issues of the Academy of Management
Journal reveal upward trends in theory building and testing over time. In
addition, the levels of theory building and testing within articles are significant
predictors of citation rates. In particular, articles rated moderate to high on both