Critical Theory and Postmodernism Approaches to OS (Alvesson and Deetz 2006) Presented by Alejandra Marin Organizational Theory Seminar

Critical theory and postmodernism Agenda for the discussion 1. Development 1.Similarities and differences 2. Critical theory and OS (common topics and contributions) 3. Postmodernism and OS (common topics and contributions) 4. Conclusion: putting them together (contributions, methods, dangers, )

Development 4 Developments in Western thought: 1.The power/knowledge relation (Nietzche’s perspectivalism) 2.A linguistic turn 3.A historical-based social conflict theory (arising from Marx) 4.A complex human subject (arising from Freud) Philosophical roots: Horheimer and Adorno (1979) and Foucault’s works.

A critic to modernism Modernity: the enlightenment as the escape from self-inflicted tutelage (Kant) ◦ Mentalistic paradigm  To have the courage to use your own understanding  Reason would lead to the progressive enhancement of the quality of life  Instrumental reasoning : focus on means to achieve goals. Contemporary society has developed positive capacities but also dangerous forms of domination

Differences in their focus Critical theory: ◦ The modernist’s project is misguided, but there is hope!! Postmodernism: ◦ The entire project might be wrong. ◦ Questioning of the most basic themes.

Critical Theory and Org Studies “ The central goal of critical theory in org studies has been to create societies and work places which are free from domination, where all members have an equal opportunity to contribute to the production of systems that meet human needs and lead to the progressive development of all” (p. 259) OT question: what are organizations? ◦ Political sites

COMMON TOPICS AND CONTRIBUTIONS: IDEOLOGY CRITIQUE 1. Naturalization of social order: ◦ A critique to a functional perspective: “the illusion that organizations are ‘natural’ objects and functional responses to ‘needs’ protects them from examination as produced under specific historical conditions” ◦ Organizations as social-historical constructions. ◦ The division of labour is called into question. ◦ OT Q: Why do organizations exit?

2. Universalization of managerial interests ◦ Managerial groups are privileged in decision-making and research. ◦ Reduction of the multiple claims of ownership to financial ownership:  Research: how interest articulation is distorted through the dominating role of money Q: Should we teach how workers can organize to ask for better working conditions? (unions?)

3. Dominating of instrumental reasoning processes ◦ Practical interest technical reasoning ◦ The ‘human’ side of organizations has been transformed from alternative ends into new means 4. Production of consent ◦ Hegemony in the workplace is supported by economic arrangements, contracts, and reward systems ◦ The activity between dominant and dominated groups: “manufactured ‘consent’ ” A critique: ideology critique does not question the notion of the individual: “a centred-subject is as central to ideology critique as it is to dominant groups and the systems that advantage them”

COMMUNICATIVE ACTION Based on Habermas (1984;1987) theory of communicative action. The focus is on procedures: the creation and re-creation of patterns of meaning. ◦ An enlightenment state is achieve not through reasoning but through communicatively achieved understanding. ◦ This understanding depends on the presence of free discussion based on good will, argumentation, and dialogue. Critique: a benign and benevolent view of human kind

CRITICAL THEORY AND OT QUESTIONS Why do organizations exist? ◦ To dominate (corporations) Why some survive? ◦ To the extent that the dominant groups dominates the dominated groups ◦ Instrumental reasoning (dangers effects of organizations) ◦ Basic political issues are transformed into technical problem-solving Why and how do organizations change? ◦ As a result of political processes Emergent issues: a pragmatic view of Habermas’ ideas of communicative action

Postmodernism and Org Studies Centrality of discourse: ◦ It goes beyond objectivist claims and humanists’ reliance on essence. ◦ Language in use is intrinsically related to meaning and perception ◦ Discourses: power techniques ◦ OT Q: why do organizations survive?  Organizational discourse

Fragmented identities: ◦ Postmodernism rejects the idea of an autonomous, self-determining individual ◦ It is through discourses that a person gains a security identity. ◦ Theoretical tensions: gender OT Q: why and how organizations change? ◦ “Organization then is continuously emergent, constituted and constituting, produced and consumed by subjects”

The critique of the philosophy of presence ◦ “The stuff of the world only becomes an object in specific relation to a being for whom it can be such an object” ◦ How language constructs phenomena ◦ OT Q: how organizations are created?  Discourse analysis.  The study of practices (accounting practices) The loss of foundations and master narratives ◦ The foundations and legitimating narratives have been used to support a dominant view. ◦ Narrative constructions: corporate visions and cultures Q: if one rejects an essentialist foundation, is there any sense in trying to answer the question what is the nature of the firm?

The knowledge/power connection ◦ Foucault’s ideas ◦ Power: it resides in the discourse formation itself. ◦ This discourse formation organizes social institutions and produce particular forms of subjects. ◦ Knowledge: demarcations that provide forms of normative behavior (training, work routines)

POSTMODERNISM AND OT QUESTIONS Postmodernism challenges common assumptions How organizations are formed Q: Do you see postmodernism as a critique to the concept of human agency? Emergent issues: ◦ To develop new ways of writing.

CONCLUSION SimilaritiesDifferences Both agree that ideologies and discourses tend to freeze social institutions and identities CT: reification (instrumental reasoning) Post: philosophy of presence Attempt to destabilize frozen social forms Organizations and social sciences that support them rely excessively on instrumental reasoning ( this adds to the dominants’ power) CT: strives for individual autonomy and better social choices Post: organizing against domination solidifies dominant groups. Methods for research: de-familiarization Future: stakeholder involvement and organizational communication Q: Can CT and/Post become the mainstream in management research/teaching? Q: Following CT and Post, which new questions in OT might arise?