Talking About Organizations Podcast

In Part 2 of our episode on Prasad, we shift our attention to his 2003 book chapter titled “The gaze of the other: Postcolonial theory and organizational analysis” that synthesizes the foundational works of postcolonial theory and tie it to cross-cultural challenges faced by contemporary organizations. We also discuss the implications of the theory in the two decades that followed given the significant global changes that have occurred. How well does the theory hold up given that some of its premises might have shifted?

Anupama Kondaya, an Assistant Professor at IIM Calcutta, joins the discussion on postcolonial theory's impact on management studies. The conversation delves into the critiques of traditional scientific methods and the necessity for alternative frameworks that reflect diverse cultural perspectives. They explore the psychological effects of colonialism, challenge historical notions of truth and beauty, and advocate for inclusive epistemologies. Ancient Indian poetry, the complexities of power dynamics, and the critique of modern scientific orthodoxy are also compelling topics that emerge.

Dive into Anshuman Prasad's insightful critique of postcolonial theory and its relevance in organizational analysis. Explore how Baconian science and European worldviews imposed dominance over non-Western societies. The discussion sheds light on the enduring effects of colonial legacies, revealing cross-cultural challenges in contemporary thought. It's a thought-provoking look at how history shapes our current scientific and organizational landscapes.

This is Part 2 on our discussion of Fligstein’s 1996 article, “Markets as politics: A political-cultural approach to market institutions." Here we work our way through the 16 propositions” (or provocations as we would refer to them)and test them out from a contemporary view. Do they make sense in retrospect? Do they continue to lend themselves toward a useful research agenda? What alternative or additional propositions might we come up with?

Fligstein’s 1996 article, “Markets as politics: A political-cultural approach to market institutions,” was an important contribution to the field of economic sociology, countering the dominant neoclassical view of economics that failed to explain market behaviors in practice. He argued for an alternative paradigm – a “political-cultural” model that suggested that the formation of markets was part of “state building” and subjected to various social institutions that belonged to the state such as property rights and rules of exchange. A very provocative piece that bridges institution theory with theories of social action.

We will cover the economic sociology of Neil Fligstein, who countered the dominant 1990s-era neoclassical view of economics that failed to explain well various market behaviors being observed at the time. He argued for an alternative paradigm – a “political-cultural” model that suggested that the formation of markets was part of “state building” and subjected to various social institutions that belonged to the state.

A new Resource Center for scholars in organizational studies is unveiled, streamlining access to essential research methods and theories. The discussion dives into blending classical and modern organizational theories to confront challenges like agility and digitization. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility take the spotlight, emphasizing the importance of work-life balance. Listeners are encouraged to engage and contribute to this growing knowledge hub.

The hosts celebrate their 10th anniversary by diving into the evolution of organizational knowledge in a digital age. They tackle the challenges of navigating and curating academic content, emphasizing the importance of classic works to counter recency bias. Artificial intelligence's role in knowledge consumption is explored, shedding light on its limitations in academia. The discussion also focuses on balancing foundational knowledge with modern sources, using a unique metaphor to illustrate effective organization and encourage curiosity.

In Part 2 on Zbaracki’s “The rhetoric and reality of Total Quality Management,” we look at contemporary examples of rhetoric-reality gaps. Not being confined to “business fads,” there are many other cases where threatened legitimacy of an organization can lead it to acting defensively and avoid public acknowledgement of significant problems. What can or should managers do to avoid getting caught in a “lie” (or a really robust “fish story”)?

This month we explore a renowned multiple-case study commonly assigned as foundational readings in organization studies programs. Mark Zbaracki’s “The rhetoric and reality of Total Quality Management” chronicled the development and introduction of Total Quality Management (TQM) into the corporate environment, only to find that in many cases its implementation did not align with the promises made by leaders about process improvements nor did firms fully exercise all the practices and activities that TQM required. The question that Zbaracki posed was more than to what extent did this rhetoric-reality unfold, but why?