This paper presents a comprehensive review of Managerial Mental Representations (MMRs) referring to cognitive abstractions enabling organization members to navigate complex task environments. Despite their importance for a wide range of management research contexts, MMR concepts lack a unified understanding due to the use of various quasi-synonyms such as mental models, schemas, knowledge structures, cognitive frames, and mindsets. This review examines 179 studies conducted over the last 30 years that employ one of 32 identified MMR terms. Leveraging hierarchical clustering reveals shared notions among MMR definitions providing an empirical base to synthesize research. Additionally, we explore the roles of MMRs in different research designs and discuss their operationalization. This study aims to foster future MMR research by providing guidance based on a taxonomy of the most commonly used MMR terms, a broad overview of existing MMR research, and a discussion of methodological approaches. Finally, we propose future research directions that include the use of advanced natural language processing, exploring the dynamics and contextuality of MMRs, and examining the interaction between MMRs and artificial intelligence.
