A theory is sharpened by contrasting it with neighbouring concepts that share its premises.

Evidence

In a first step, however, it seems advisable to sharpen the model’s distinguishing features by contrasting it with related conceptions that also highlight the importance of initial conditions and events for organizational development, such as imprinting or escalating commitment. — Jörg Sydow, Georg Schreyögg, and Jochen Koch, Organizational Path Dependence, 55

Categorization

• XREF: Mirrors the comparative-definition move used across social science: define your construct by its near neighbours (escalating commitment, imprinting, lock-in).