This authoritative collection presents seminal papers from leading academics on the evolving field of management studies. It encompasses sections on organization theory, organizational culture and behaviour as well as management specialisms. Professor Alvesson has selected key papers to reflect the scholarly debates and pivotal arguments surrounding the development of this field of study. This indispensable volume, with an original introduction by the editor, will be of immense value to students, scholars and practitioners interested in this topical and relevant field.

This book addresses the concept of knowledge, and its use in the contexts of work and organizations. It provides a critical understanding of current approaches to knowledge management, organization and the 'knowledge economy'. The author describes a number of cases of 'knowledge intensive firms', including IT firms, management consultancy firms, advertising agencies and life science companies. He emphasizes the ambiguity of knowledge in the input, process, and output of professional work, and suggests that we should be careful in assuming too much about the nature, role, and effects of...

In this book, Mats Alvesson aims to demystify some popular and upbeat claims about a range of phenomena, including the knowledge society, consumption, branding, higher education, organizational change, professionalization, and leadership. He contends that a culture of grandiosity is leading to numerous inflated claims. We no longer talk about plans but 'strategies'. Supervisors have been replaced by 'managers', managers are referred to as executives. Management is about 'leadership'. Giving advice is 'coaching'. Companies become 'knowledge-intensive firms'. The book views the contemporary...

This book provides an overview of postmodern themes, evaluates the possibilities and dangers of postmodernist thinking and develops ideas on how a selective, sceptical incorporation of postmodernism can make social research more conscious about problems and pitfalls, and more creative in working with empirical material (so called data). A reflexive orientation runs throughout the book, which addresses themes such as how to understand the individual in research, how to deal with the knowledge/power connection, how to relate to language and how to unpack rather than take for granted socially...

Empirical data is one of the cornerstones of knowledge in the social sciences. And yet, the researcher often takes it for granted, reserving his or her imaginative faculties for finding a theory that fits the data. This revealing account of the theory-data relationship calls this faith in data into question and establishes a reflexive framework and vocabulary to explore the creative, political and philosophical elements of data production.

Rather than thinking about the theory-data 'fit', Alvesson and Karreman will encourage you to consider the research process as one of...

The landmark contribution to critical management studies has been fully revised and updated to reflect developments in the field of management.