The political embeddedness of managerial ideologies in pre‐state Israel: the case of PPL 1920‐1948

Abstract

The study of managerial ideologies focuses exclusively on the emergence of American models and their dissemination in other societies. Argues that the a‐political, scientific and rational façade on which these models are premised is often incommensurate with the industrial experience of “non‐western” societies. Based on the historical case study of Palestine Potash Ltd (PPL), this study explores the development of managerial ideologies within the political and cultural context of pre‐state Israel in its formative stage (1920‐1948). While elaborating on the undocumented management history of Israel, demonstrates that American managerial ideologies were indeed imported, but their logic and casting were subordinated to national objectives. Furthermore, shows that Socialist‐National, idiosyncratic political ideology became a dominant ideology of employment management ‐ even in capitalistic firms ‐ allowing managers to acquire legitimation, control workers and increase profits of industrial enterprises.

Citation

Frenkel, M., Shenhav, Y. and Herzog, H. (1997), "The political embeddedness of managerial ideologies in pre‐state Israel: the case of PPL 1920‐1948", Journal of Management History (Archive), Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 120-144. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552529710171957