Second, carefully discussing when moderation forms
of fit might represent truncated versions of a matching
form of fit might contribute to a more fine-graded
view of contingency relationships. However, any empirical
contingency-related work should pay particular attention
to the limits of studying ‘fit,’ as any research design can
only consider a limited number of variables at a time.
Also, future contingency studies may critically reflect on
whether the underlying assumption of contingency theory
(that companies are always seeking to regain ‘fit’)
always holds true. If, for example, companies are found
to adopt practices just to appear legitimate (DiMaggio and
Powell, 1983), researchers may find quite a few companies
remaining in misfit without attempting to regain fit.