Redefining next-generation research methodologies in tourism, leisure and hospitality studies: dethroning the linear paradigm with necessary and sufficient analyses

Tourism, leisure and hospitality studies often face a methodological divide, forcing scholars to choose between generalisability and contextual depth. This reliance on conventional approaches underscores the urgent need to redefine next-generation research methodologies, as traditional linear paradigms often obscure the complex causal relationships critical to strategic decision-making. To challenge the linear paradigm and bridge this analytical gap, this study demonstrates how fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA) can be integrated to elucidate sufficient-condition configurations and identify essential bottleneck conditions. A systematic review of 89 articles shows that these set-theoretic methods effectively reconcile traditional methodological divides by combining qualitative depth with quantitative rigour. Moving beyond variable-oriented models, this combined approach explicitly models asymmetrical relationships, fosters configurational thinking and enhances causal inference in line with complexity theory. In practice, these findings provide managers and policymakers with strategic flexibility by highlighting diverse pathways to success and optimising resource allocation through non-negotiable necessary conditions. Finally, the study outlines future research directions, including integrated sufficient-necessary frameworks, longitudinal designs and multi-level analyses, to advance scholarly understanding and practical applications across the field.