Organization Theory

The modern business corporation and an ethics of trust

by Stewart Herman

The Good Manager: An Archetypical Quest for Morally Sustainable Leadership

by Jerzy Kociatkiewicz

Co-authored with Monika Kostera
forthcoming in Organization Studies (early view available online)
DOI: 10.1177/0170840612445124

This paper explores the potential for morally sustainable leadership, i.e. leadership with an awareness of both light... more This paper explores the potential for morally sustainable leadership, i.e. leadership with an awareness of both light and dark sides contained in the role of the leader, as symbolized by the archetype of the king. A narrative enquiry aiming at the study of fictive stories authored by management theorists and practitioners from different contexts, interweaving collective individual elements, brings to light how issues of leadership goodness are related to each other and to other themes. The stories are presented as archetypical tales, that is, stories that touch profound aspects of culture and the psyche. They reveal what happens when people are asked to imagine a good manager, and how this results in tragic ironic representations, rather than tales of straightforward goodness.

The Pope as Organizing Principle

by Jerzy Kociatkiewicz

Co-authored with Monika Kostera
Published in Barbara Czarniawska and Rolf Solli (eds, 2001) Organizing Metropolitan Space and Discourse. Malmo: Liber, p. 154-174.
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In June 1999 the Pope visited Poland, stopping for a few days in Warsaw. The entire city was seriously reorganized in... more In June 1999 the Pope visited Poland, stopping for a few days in Warsaw. The entire city was seriously reorganized in connection with the visit: roads were being reconstructed for months before, prohibition was enforced, and during the visit the public transport routes were dramatically changed. Theatres were closed, so were libraries and parts of the universities. The media coverage of the visit was amazingly unanimous in expressing praise and admiration of the visit, and at the same time almost fully committed to bringing news of the visit – all articles were somehow linked to the Pope and his stay in Poland.
In this paper we reflect on the organizing involved in the event, particularly on how the Pope’s visit to Warsaw and the stories told around it affected the city and the way it was organized.

Teflon. Über die subtilen Techniken der Organisation bei der Absorption moralischer Zumutungen

by Ralf Wetzel

To Change– or not to Change?

by Ralf Wetzel

Violent Innocence and Leadership

by Russ Vince

Academy of Management, Boston 2012, Cross-Divisional Paper Track  (paper #10311). Co-authored with Abdelmagid Mazen.

In this paper, the notion of violent innocence is used to explore the covert violence present in leadership relations.... more In this paper, the notion of violent innocence is used to explore the covert violence present in leadership relations. The paper makes a contribution to knowledge that has two inter-connected parts. First, an introduction and discussion of the concept of violent innocence adds to the existing literature on violence in organizations. In particular, it enables an exploration of the masking of violence. Second, violent innocence provides a focal point around which to discuss the intersection of destructive individual behaviour and organizational dynamics (both emotional and political) that are embedded in leadership roles. Three research ‘vignettes’ illustrate violent innocence within leader-follower relations. The study of violent innocence offers opportunities to highlight inter-personal and organizational processes of denial and control connected to leadership.

Art and Organizing: Lessons for organization theory from the humanities

by Monika Kostera

Co-authored with Jerzy Kociatkiewicz
Published (2001) in Master of Business Administration 50/3: 24-28
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The breach between sciences and humanities has been widely recognized for quite a long time, though the position of... more The breach between sciences and humanities has been widely recognized for quite a long time, though the position of social sciences was always tentative and vaguely defined in this classification. As the alignment with Naturwissenschaften tended to be seen as more prestigious, it was there that many disciplines, including organization studies, strived to look for inspiration. Nowadays, however, the gap can be seen to rapidly diminish and lose in its importance — conference and research projects increasingly attempt to bring together not only researchers from diverse disciplines, but also arts and art critics, hoping they can all benefit from collaboration. Humanities, it is more and more widely recognized, can teach other disciplines many valuable lessons. In this text we would like to outline six of them which have, in our eyes, a special relevance for organization studies:
1. organization theory is about human beings
2. feelings are part of organizing
3. beauty and ugliness are important for human experience
4. organizations tell stories, feature in stories, and so do the scientists
5. write in a way that does not discourage readers
6. make a difference through being critical

Templates of Ideas: The charm of storytlling in academic discourse

by Monika Kostera

Co-authored with Jerzy Kociatkiewicz
Published (1999) in Knowledge Transfer 2/1: 49-69
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In this text, we argue that the stereotypical, traditional way of academic writing may be disempowering and inhibit... more In this text, we argue that the stereotypical, traditional way of academic writing may be disempowering and inhibit the development of new ideas and practices. We characterize the stereotypical template for academic writing, reflecting on how expression and communication works in relationship to such templates. We illustrate our argument with students’ images of fiction versus academic writing, and an own attempt at “cross-template” translation. The discourse can be enriched, we believe, by colorful, engaging storytelling – a development which is taking place with the growing interest in narrative knowledge.

A configuration model of organizational culture

by Daniel Dauber

SageOpen (forthcoming)

The paper proposes a configuration model of organizational culture, which explores dynamic relationships between... more The paper proposes a configuration model of organizational culture, which explores dynamic relationships between organizational culture, strategy, structure and operations of an organization (internal environment) and maps interactions with the external environment (task and legitimization environment). A major feature of the configuration model constitutes its well- defined processes, which connect the elements of the model systematically to each other such as single- and double-loop learning, operationalization of strategies, legitimization management, etc.. The model is grounded in a large review of literature in different research areas and builds on widely recognized models in the field of organization and culture theory. It constitutes a response to the call for new models, which are able to ‘capture the empirical complexity of contemporary organizations’ (Suddaby, Hardy & Huy, 2011, p. 237). The configuration model of organizational culture is of particular interest to scholars who investigate into cultural phenomena and change over time.

Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Rational Manager: Organizational reason and its discontents

by Jerzy Kociatkiewicz

Co-authored with Monika Kostera
forthcoming (2012) in Scandinavian Journal of Management (early view available online)
DOI: 10.1016/j.scaman.2012.01.003
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Rationality has since long been one of the central been issues in the discourse of management. Among the classics... more Rationality has since long been one of the central been issues in the discourse of management. Among the classics voices propagating a reductionist rationalism dominated and there are still many contexts where such a view is taken for granted. On the other hand, critics since the times of classics have been arguing for a less linear approach to management and management thinking. However, little attention has been paid to some of the different dimensions of management rationality, such as imagination. This paper sets out to address this gap in knowledge through presenting a narrative study focused on a literary character well known for his rationality, Sherlock Holmes, and revealing that this, to many, very epitome of rationality is actually an example of an extended type of rationality, including imagination. Following the fictional protagonist of our study, we consider some aspects of its relevance for management thought and practice.

Creativity out of Chaos: Anarchy and organizing

by Jerzy Kociatkiewicz

Co-authored with Monika Kostera
Published (1998) in Human Resource Development International 1/4: 383-398.
DOI: 10.1080/13678869800000051
This copy does not follow journal formatting or page numbers.

Creativity is said to be highly desired in post-modern and post-industrial organizations. Creativity and anarchy on... more Creativity is said to be highly desired in post-modern and post-industrial organizations. Creativity and anarchy on the one hand, and managerialism, on the other, can be seen as different forms of knowledge, two opposed ideals. In many organizational as well as societal reforms we currently observe it is the managerialist ideal that wins over the anarchic. In this paper, we wonder if people fear anarchy? We reflect on the possible reasons for the fear, and we also try to explain why we believe that anarchic organizing should not be avoided or feared.

Art and Organizing: Lessons for organization theory from the humanities

by Jerzy Kociatkiewicz

Co-authored with Monika Kostera
Published (2001) in Master of Business Administration 50/3: 24-28
Unformatted copy

The breach between sciences and humanities has been widely recognized for quite a long time, though the position of... more The breach between sciences and humanities has been widely recognized for quite a long time, though the position of social sciences was always tentative and vaguely defined in this classification. As the alignment with Naturwissenschaften tended to be seen as more prestigious, it was there that many disciplines, including organization studies, strived to look for inspiration. Nowadays, however, the gap can be seen to rapidly diminish and lose in its importance — conference and research projects increasingly attempt to bring together not only researchers from diverse disciplines, but also arts and art critics, hoping they can all benefit from collaboration. Humanities, it is more and more widely recognized, can teach other disciplines many valuable lessons. In this text we would like to outline six of them which have, in our eyes, a special relevance for organization studies:
1. organization theory is about human beings
2. feelings are part of organizing
3. beauty and ugliness are important for human experience
4. organizations tell stories, feature in stories, and so do the scientists
5. write in a way that does not discourage readers
6. make a difference through being critical

Templates of Ideas: The charm of storytelling in academic discourse

by Jerzy Kociatkiewicz

Co-authored with Monika Kostera
Published (1999) in Knowledge Transfer 2/1: 49-69
Unformatted copy

In this text, we argue that the stereotypical, traditional way of academic writing may be disempowering and inhibit... more In this text, we argue that the stereotypical, traditional way of academic writing may be disempowering and inhibit the development of new ideas and practices. We characterize the stereotypical template for academic writing, reflecting on how expression and communication works in relationship to such templates. We illustrate our argument with students’ images of fiction versus academic writing, and an own attempt at “cross-template” translation. The discourse can be enriched, we believe, by colorful, engaging storytelling – a development which is taking place with the growing interest in narrative knowledge.

Exploring the foundations of organizational knowledge.

by William P. Hall

Vines, R., Hall, W.P. 2011. Exploring the foundations of organizational knowledge. Kororoit Institute Working Papers No. 3: 1-39.

If knowledge management is to be more than an art, it needs to be based on a sound epistemology and understanding of... more If knowledge management is to be more than an art, it needs to be based on a sound epistemology and understanding of organizations. We present a paradigm and an ontology of organizational knowledge based on Karl Popper’s 1972 and later works on evolutionary epistemology, Maturana and Varela’s concept of living things as self-producing complex systems ('autopoiesis'), and theories of hierarchically complex systems. This approach to ontology development leads us to conclude that organizations can become living systems and thus have emergent properties of a higher order than the sum of the parts. We develop this theoretical argument by providing examples of how several different types of knowledge created by people within organizations emerge and change through time. We suggest the social processes of creating these different types of knowledge gives rise to meta-levels of organization that act to maintain the existence and coherence of organizations. We think that our ontology improves the basis for understanding the nature of knowledge that is important for proper organizational functioning. We draw out recommendations about the management of transformations between personal and organizational knowledge. We propose this biological understanding of knowledge in organizations because as practitioners, we think it provides a way of interpreting the dynamics of what actually happens in the realm of managing organizational knowledge. Thus, we lay a foundation for better understanding the considerable challenges associated with developing a practical approach to organizational knowledge management as a result.
Keywords: knowledge management, evolutionary epistemology, knowledge ontology, organization theory, autopoiesis, OODA loop

Time-Based Frameworks for Valuing Knowledge: Maintaining Strategic Knowledge

by William P. Hall

2011: Hall, W.P., Else, S., Martin, C., Philp, W. Time-Based Frameworks for Valuing Knowledge: Maintaining Strategic Knowledge. Kororoit Institute Working Paper No. 1: 1-28.

To survive and flourish in a changing and unpredictable world, organizations and people must maintain strategic power... more To survive and flourish in a changing and unpredictable world, organizations and people must maintain strategic power over necessary resources - often in the face of competition. Knowledge contributes to that strategic power. Without vigilance to maintain its currency and accuracy, the value of knowledge depreciates as circumstances change over time. Karl Popper's evolutionary epistemology and Maturana and Varela's concept of autopoiesis provide a paradigmatic framework for considering the roles and importance of time in constructing knowledge and using it to maintain strategic power. Following Popper, knowledge is constructed, used and evaluated via cyclically-iterated processes. We introduce nine time-based frames of reference based in this Popperian autopoietic paradigm to explore the relationships between time and a utility-based valuation of knowledge as it is constructed and applied. We believe this framework and associated paradigmatically consistent vocabulary provide useful tools for analyzing organizational knowledge management needs.
Keywords: Evolutionary Epistemology, Knowledge Management, Time, Organization Theory, Autopoiesis, OODA Loop, Strategic Knowlege

Organizational Discourse and the Appraisal of Occupational Hazards: Identity, Heedful Interrelating, and Interpretive Repertoires at Work

by Cliff Scott

Journal of Applied Communication Research, 36, 297-317.

Scholars and practitioners have often conceptualized hazards as external to discursive processes, focusing instead on... more Scholars and practitioners have often conceptualized hazards as external to discursive processes, focusing instead on the role of strategic communication in representing pre-organized vulnerabilities to stakeholders rather than on the capacity of mundane discourse practices to shape how hazards emerge. In this study of risk discourse in one high reliability organization, a municipal fire department, we demonstrate how hazard appraisals emerged as intersubjective products of organizational discourse. Specifically, we explore how the interpretive repertoires firefighters used to make sense of hazards were medium and outcome of discursive identity formations. Firefighters employed preferred identity terms to amplify identity-enhancing dangers and attenuate vulnerabilities that were threatening to a preferred sense of self.

Organisational autopoiesis and knowledge management

by William P. Hall

2003: Hall, W.P. Organisational autopoiesis and knowledge management. Presented, ISD '03 Twelfth International Conference on Information Systems Development - Methods & Tools, Theory & Practice, Melbourne, Australia, 25 - 27 August, 2003

This paper presents a biological view of knowledge and organizations formulated to provide a framework for... more This paper presents a biological view of knowledge and organizations formulated to provide a framework for understanding organizational knowledge and organizational knowledge management systems. This framework extends ideas based Karl Popper's (1972) epistemology of objective knowledge; Maturana and Varela's (1980, 1987) ideas of autopoiesis as extended to organizations by von Krogh and Roos (1995); Nelson and Winter's (1982) ideas of organizational evolution; John Boyd's (1976–1996) OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act) loop concept of the cybernetics of adaptation; and Ian Coombe's (1994–1999) definitions of knowledge-related terms.

A biological theory of knowledge and applications to real world organizations

by William P. Hall

2005: Hall, W.P., Dalmaris, P., Nousala, S. A biological theory of knowledge and applications to real world organizations. Proceedings, KMAP05 Knowledge Management in Asia Pacific Wellington, N.Z. 28-29 November 2005

This paper extends an epistemologically grounded biological theory of organization and knowledge based on Karl... more This paper extends an epistemologically grounded biological theory of organization and knowledge based on Karl Popper's evolutionary epistemology and three worlds ontology, amalgamating concepts from evolutionary biology, emergence and hierarchy theory, autopoiesis, and military affairs. We discuss how this body of theory is being used to guide and inform KM research and development in a geographically extended industrial and project management organization. Applicability of the biological and epistemological framework is demonstrated in a study of the emergence and sustainment of communities of practice, in the development of a methodology for improving business processes, and in the implementation of managing engineering knowledge over the lifecycles of fleets of ships and vehicles.

Biological nature of knowledge in the learning organization

by William P. Hall

2005: Hall, W.P. Biological nature of knowledge in the learning organization. The Learning Organization 12(2):169-188.

This paper combines ideas from disciplines ranging from physics, epistemology and philosophy of science to military... more This paper combines ideas from disciplines ranging from physics, epistemology and philosophy of science to military affairs, to sketch a scientific framework for studying organizational learning, knowledge and memory. Threads are woven from this background into a generic analytical framework that reveals the biological nature of knowledge in learning organizations. There are many epistemological and conceptual difficulties surrounding the concept of autopoiesis, so most of the present work focuses on explaining it in generic terms, establishing an epistemological framework in which the autopoietic status of any kind of complex system can be evaluated, and then deriving generic concepts of memory, learning and knowledge within the autopoietic framework. The autopoietic status of human organizations is then tested in relation to this framework, and some of the direct implications regarding organizational learning and adaptation are highlighted.

Building knowledge sharing communities using team expertise access maps (TEAM)

by William P. Hall

2005: Nousala, S., Miles, A., Kilpatrick, B., Hall, W.P. Building knowledge sharing communities using team expertise access maps (TEAM). Proceedings, KMAP05 Knowledge Management in Asia Pacific Wellington, N.Z. 28-29 November 2005.

It is difficult for organizations to effectively manage personal knowledge so it can be mobilized, shared, and... more It is difficult for organizations to effectively manage personal knowledge so it can be mobilized, shared, and rewarded to benefit the organization. The difficulties are compounded in large organizations where people with potentially valuable knowledge are unknown to one another and dispersed geographically. Issues that are potentially amenable to management include identification, indexing and codification of the knowledge held in people's heads, and the cultural issues of discovery, mutual trust and sharing at the personal level. A large engineering and project management organization ("EPMO") has prototyped a methodology to graphically codify, index and map staff knowledge using mind mapping technologies. Not only does the methodology provide a graphical structure making it easy for staff to determine who is likely to posses the kind of knowledge they need to find, but interview process is an important facilitator to precondition the knowledge bearers for sharing, and the content of the resulting maps tends to present the knowledge bearers in a more humanized way.