Conducting Influential Research: The Need for Prescriptive Implications

Ferraro, Pfeffer, and Sutton argue that the core basis for the dominance of economics lies in the institutionalization of the norms and language of economics. I argue that they externalize the blame for the failure of other social sciences, and I challenge the other social sciences to develop a research agenda that is capable of providing useful prescriptions to individuals, organizations, and society. I believe that internalizing the challenge, rather then externalizing the blame, is key to making the other social sciences more powerful.