An Integrative Conceptual Review and Theoretical Framework of Surprise in Organizations

From Aristotle through René Descartes, Adam Smith, and Charles Darwin, surprise has been a source of fascination and many questions in philosophy and social sciences. Yet, the definitions of surprise, as well as its implications for individuals in organizations, have been siloed leading to notable confusion and debates in recent research. This integrative review synthesizes insights from psychology, management, and other related fields to provide a comprehensive understanding of surprise in organizational contexts. The authors explore the cognitive and emotional mechanisms that underlie surprise as well as key organizational moderators - organizational memory and emotional capabilities - that shape how surprise is experienced and managed. Based on this synthesis, the authors present a theoretical framework and detailed propositions that explain the conditions under which surprise leads to variance creation or variance reduction behaviors. Finally, the authors discuss important paths for future research and practical propositions for studying surprise experiences and their impact on organizations.