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Can critical management studies ever be ‘practical’? A case study in engaged scholarship

King, D.; Learmonth, M.

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Authors

D. King

M. Learmonth



Abstract

What happens when you try to engage with management practice as a critical management scholar by actually doing management? Although there have been calls for critical scholars to attempt such engagement, little is known about the practical challenges and learning that may be involved. This paper therefore provides a case study which details some of the experiences one of us had when working as a manager – while trying to remain true to his critical sensibilities. The story suggests that transforming management practice will be a constant struggle, and that the difficulties of achieving even small changes should not be underestimated. However change is not impossible. Following Foucault, we argue that critical perspectives, when engaged in particular ways, offer resources through which we might challenge the dominance of managerialist thinking on a practical level; at least in the long run.

Citation

King, D., & Learmonth, M. (2015). Can critical management studies ever be ‘practical’? A case study in engaged scholarship. Human Relations, 68(3), 353-375. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726714528254

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Jun 3, 2014
Publication Date Mar 1, 2015
Deposit Date Feb 14, 2014
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Human Relations
Print ISSN 0018-7267
Electronic ISSN 1741-282X
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 68
Issue 3
Pages 353-375
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726714528254
Keywords Charities, Not-for-profit organisations, Situated critical theory, Performativity, Critical management studies, Engagement, Case study, Management practice, University management, Engaged scholarship, Resistance.
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1436775

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Copyright Statement
King, D. and Learmonth, M. (2015) 'Can critical management studies ever be ‘practical’? A case study in engaged scholarship.', Human relations., 68 (3). pp. 353-375. © The Author(s) 2015. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.




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