
Talking About Organizations Podcast
Talking About Organizations is a conversational podcast where we talk about one book, journal article or idea per episode and try to understand it, its purpose and its impact. By joining us as we collectively tackle classic readings on organization theory, management science, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, organizational learning, culture, climate, leadership, public administration, and so many more! Subscribe to our feed and begin Talking About Organizations as we take on great management thinkers of past and present!
Latest episodes

Mar 14, 2017 • 17min
25: Summary of Episode 25 on Cognitive Communities with Sarah Kaplan
Summary of Episode 25 on a JMS Classic by Porac et al. (1989) 'Competitive Groups as Cognitive Communities'. This Episode featured the wonderful Prof Sarah Kaplan and discussed the importance of human interpretation in the strategy making process, as well as a number of other related issues.

Mar 8, 2017 • 35min
25: Competitive Groups as Cognitive Communities (Part 2)
This is a conclusion of our discussion of Porac et al. (1989) with the wonderful Prof Sarah Kaplan. Please join us as we explore such concepts as categories and talk about ontology and epistemology, the process studies perspective and strategy in practice among many other things!

Feb 28, 2017 • 52min
25: Competitive Groups as Cognitive Communities (Part 1)
Please join us for Episode 25 as we welcome Prof Sarah Kaplan to discuss another JMS Classic work entitled “Competitive groups as cognitive communities, the case of Scottish knitwear manufacturers”. This paper had a great impact in the field of management and organization in general, and on research in cognition and strategy in particular. As a matter of fact, it has contributed to the vibrant community on managerial cognition which today feeds into many areas of the field. It was also been essential for the development of the growing field of studies on the construction of markets and categories. We are very grateful to Prof Kaplan for joining us for this discussion - she was an amazing guest and a great interlocutor!

Feb 21, 2017 • 11min
24: Summary of Episode 24 with William Starbuck
This is a summary of our conversation with Bill Starbuck about his Journal of Management Studies Classic - Learning by Knowledge-Intensive Firms. Great Episode for anyone interested in knowledge, information and collective learning!

Feb 14, 2017 • 43min
24: Learning by Knowledge-Intensive Firms (Part 2)
William Starbuck, a renowned author notable for his insights on knowledge-intensive firms, delves into the intricate balance between organization growth and expertise. He discusses the crucial role of low-level personnel in fostering customer relationships and warns against the downsizing pitfalls that overlook employee retention. The conversation also navigates the transition to knowledge economies and critiques the outsourcing of engineering talent across countries. Finally, Starbuck emphasizes the need for adaptive management strategies in today's evolving workplace.

Feb 7, 2017 • 41min
24: Learning by Knowledge-Intensive Firms (Part 1)
In this enlightening discussion, William Starbuck, a visiting professor at the University of Oregon, shares insights from his groundbreaking work on knowledge-intensive firms. He highlights the challenges these organizations face in knowledge retention, especially in long-term projects like naval shipbuilding. Starbuck also critiques traditional quantitative research methods, emphasizes the importance of originality in academic work, and discusses how specialization and a long-term vision are key for success. Tune in for a rich exploration of knowledge management in business!

Feb 2, 2017 • 10min
23: Summary of Episode 23 with Mike Wright
This is a Summary of our inaugural episode of Season 3 - the Journal of Management Studies Classics - where we were joined by Professor Mike Wright to discuss his work on international business and emerging economies.

Jan 25, 2017 • 48min
23: Influence of Institutions and Factor Markets
Please join us and listen to our first Season 3 discussion on a 2013 work published in Journal of Management Studies, by Hoskisson, Wright, Filatotchev and Peng entitled “Emerging multinationals from mid-range economies: the influence of institutions and factor markets”. This episode also sees the participation of one of the authors of the paper, Mike Wright, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Imperial College London. Together, we review the key points of the paper, its importance as one of the classics of JMS, and its legacy.

14 snips
Jan 17, 2017 • 1h 14min
22: Human-Machine Reconfigurations - Lucy Suchman
Lucy Suchman, an expert on human-machine interaction, discusses her book 'Human-Machine Reconfigurations' which questions the assumptions about user behavior in technology. Topics include reconfiguring human-machine interface, the power of relationships in human-machine interaction, challenges of adopting technology in non-tech companies, developing perceptual capabilities in different cultures, and the importance of context and engaging with technology.

Dec 18, 2016 • 54min
21: Small Research, Big Issues with Brian Pentland and Katharina Dittrich LIVE (Part 2)
The slightly belated, yet highly anticipated discussion from after the Connections in Action event is here! Join Pedro, Katharina and Brian as they reflect on what they have learned during their time at the workshop/conference. A really fascinating discussion about methodology, fundamental issues to do with actions and practices, and a bit of philosophy!
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