Beyond redundancy: rethinking construct proliferation through meaning, practice, and taxonomy

Construct proliferation (CP) in organizational research is typically framed as a problem of redundancy, multiple constructs that differ in name but not in substance. While this framing captures an important aspect of CP, it is incomplete. In this Perspective, I argue that prevailing approaches overemphasize the jangle side of the jingle-jangle fallacy while neglecting the equally consequential problem of semantic divergence under shared labels. I further propose that CP reflects deeper structural dynamics, including misalignment between academic and practitioner audiences and a lack of coordination in how constructs are defined, used, and evaluated. These dynamics contribute to what can be understood as taxonomic incommensurability, where constructs cannot be meaningfully integrated despite apparent similarity. Finally, I outline how recent advances in semantic analysis offer a promising, underutilized tool for addressing CP at the level of meaning rather than measurement alone. Addressing CP, therefore, requires not only improved psychometric practices but a broader shift toward conceptual clarification, cross-domain coordination, and stronger integration between research and application.