This symposium on theory building consists of three presentations. "A Multilevel Theory of Organizational Performance: Seeing the Forest and the Trees" (Susan Reynolds Fisher) presents the process used to develop this theory and analyzes emergent insights. It discusses how the theory succeeds in mapping relationships across aspects and levels of performance that have previously been isolated by level and also enhances current levels models by using a social collective perspective to operationalize performance capacities arising from the uniquely human aspects of organizations. "Is Knowledge in the Head or in the World?" (Richard J. Torraco) begins to lay a theoretical foundation for research on how workers attain competence in dealing with rapidly changing work situations using Dubin's theory building methodology."A Performance Perspective Synthesizing Intellectual Capital, Knowledge Management, and Organizational Learning" (Carson R. Arnett) advances the discussion of theory building aimed at improving "knowledge worker productivity." It presents the topic in two parts: first, revised definitions of the constructs intellectual capital, knowledge management, and organizational learning that are used to expand the definition of human capital and, second, a systems view of the components of human capital. All three papers include substantial bibliographies. (YLB)