When I Write My Masterpiece: Thoughts On What Makes A Paper Interesting

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Abstract
This article reflects on academic papers and what makes them interesting. The author believes academic papers are like rock and roll bands: whether an audience finds them interesting is a matter of perspective, if not taste. Subject matter is important and he finds that several kinds pique his interest in paper. The author believes that papers in graduate classes are too often celebrated for their methods but some papers are interesting because their methods are so different from the ubiquitous secondary data sets, attitude surveys, and interviews of top managers that provide most of the grist in the field. He finds methods that get close enough to behavior to show how people wittingly or unwittingly build and maintain their social worlds of particular interest.