Organization Theory Genealogy and Neglected Themes STEWART R

“Organization Theory: Genealogy and Neglected Themes” STEWART R CLEGG

Overview: Critical and discourse theories • • CMS and the emergence of ‘critters’ CMS divided by a common language CMS’ theoretical auspices Critical Theory and European CMS – – • Emancipation Alienation Manufacturing consent Dialogical change CMS as critique rather than critical theory – Situating CMS today – Queer theory – Post-colonial theory • • Body, soul, mind … and language Wittgenstein and the linguistic turn – Language games and power • • • Foucault and the Archaeology of Knowledge Critical Discourse Analysis and Organization Studies – Organizational discourse as a field of study – Themes in organizational discourse • Gender • Identity • Deconstruction and translation

What is CMS? • CMS divided by a common language – US versus European perspectives • CMS’ theoretical auspices – Critical theory • Critical theory and European CMS – Borrowings and linkages • • Emancipation Alienation Manufacturing consent Dialectical change

European CMS • Hugh Willmott • Mats Alvesson • Alvesson, M. , & Willmott, H. (1992 a). Critical theory and management studies: an introduction in M. Alvesson & H. Willmott (Eds. ), Critical management studies. London: Sage.

CMS as critique • Situating CMS today – CMS and queer theory (Martin Parker) – CMS and postcolonial theory (Arturo Escobar) • The future of CMS – Problematic issues • • Fragmentation Audience? Context? Impact?

Discussion Issues • Can critique and critical theory flourish in the Business School? • Is the Business School intrinsically an ideological apparatus whose interests are pre-ordained? • What would be appropriate KPIs with which to gauge CMS’ impact?

Discourse Theories • Wittgenstein and the linguistic turn • Sociologizing Wittgenstein: – Language games and power

Concept Level of analysis Structural level Ethnographic questions Primacy of analytic focus Focus Power Situated actions as empirical texts Surface structure Who wins? Episodic action Immanent relations Rules Constitutive rules Deep structure What are the rules? Enacted mediation Rhetorical skills Domination The aim of the game Form of life Why are these the rules? Structurational framing Transcend ent takenforgrantednes s Power, Rule and Domination: Three dimensions of power

Recent influences on discourse theory • Foucault: The archaeology of knowledge – Discourses form ‘bodies of knowledge that systematically form the object of which they speak’ – Constitutive role of discourse

Critical discourse analysis • Norman Fairclough: TEXT DISCOURSE SOCIAL CONTEXT Figure 10. 1 – Fairclough’s Three Dimensional Conception of Discourse

Discourse analysis of organizations • Situating discourse analysis • Organizational discourse as a field of study • Key themes – Gender – Identity – Deconstruction and translation

Mutually constitutive relation between discourse and power

Discussion issues • Is discourse material? If so, in what ways? • How should we analyse gaps between saying and doing? • How would you apply discourse analysis to the present governmental crisis in Mexico?