In organizational research, growing attention has been given
to the dynamic nature of workplace relationships and how such
dynamic processes shape key behavioural outcomes. Experience
sampling methodology (ESM) brings more opportunity than any other
research option to examine such fluctuations and relevant causal
relationships. ESM can be described as a quantitative method which
allows individuals to assess discrete evaluative states on multiple
events by combining three distinct elements; person, variables and
occasion. Despite its increasing prevalence and popularity, however,
there has been only a few attempts to investigate the most
appropriate design, measurement and analysis choices for experience
sampling data. Even though ESM has been utilized in organizational
research for some time, systematic investigations regarding how
these issues have been addressed and how the method has been applied
to specific organizational topics are limited. This study provides a
systematic and critical assessment of the use of ESM in current
organizational research (2010‑2020) by reviewing a random sample of
50 ESM studies indexed in ISI Web of Science with the aim of
identifying the current state of practice. The selected studies were
analysed based on several methodological aspects including the type
of ESM protocol applied, sample characteristics, data sources,
specified interval and total duration of data collection, structure
and properties of designated measures, analytic strategy, and the
research model to be tested. Findings show that organization studies
vary considerably based on how they design and implement ESM.
Moreover, despite the availability of good practices, many studies
fail to attain recommended standards about sample size, data
collection procedures, data characteristics and measurement quality.
As such, this paper offers several insights regarding how time‑based
within‑person frameworks can be improved in future studies to
account for dynamic organizational phenomena.