Management Knowledge: A Critical View

Citation

Hoe, S. (2003), "Management Knowledge: A Critical View", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 24 No. 7, pp. 421-422. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730310499928

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in management research. This led to a proliferation of management literature such as books and research papers. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for practitioners and academics to evaluate the quality of management ideas and their contribution to the overall body of knowledge. At the same time, students are required to learn these accepted management ideas without much appreciation of how “sound” these ideas may be. Similarly, practitioners continue to adopt management ideas and do not question the truthfulness of such management knowledge. In most cases, the validity of management research and management ideas are taken for granted. It is against this backdrop that Griseri presents his alternative viewpoints in this book.

Management Knowledge: A Critical View consists of 12 chapters that are divided into three main parts. These three parts cover: the idea of management knowledge, four characteristic research paradigms, and components of management research methodologies. In the book, Griseri questions the truthfulness and usefulness of management knowledge, and presents a range of arguments on the validity of management research. He contends that systematic management research is not an effective source of management knowledge and provides suggestions on ways to overcome this.

Part one establishes the boundaries of management research and paves the way for more in‐depth discussion. The four chapters in this first part are: what is management?, knowledge and utility, distortion and bias, and cultural relativity in management research. The central theme of part one is that management research has a misplaced emphasis on validity because there are certain intrinsic drawbacks such as complexity, and cultural context that are seldom considered. Social context, ideology and national cultures are some factors that are highlighted and discussed to dispute claims that management research is genuine knowledge.

Part two presents research methodologies and several classical research approaches in greater detail. The four chapters in part two are: the positive and the real, management theory as meaning, deconstructing management, and research as practice. The four key approaches: naturalism, interpretavism, deconstructionism, and participant inquiry are discussed. The main argument is that the different approaches to management research methodology are incomplete in each of its purest forms. However, each has a central point of emphasis which is needed for management research and one should bear in mind these points when conducting such research.

Having presented a case that it is difficult to find truth in management research in part one and two, Part three explains that key features of these approaches can still interact and come together to make valuable contributions to management knowledge. Despite the limitations of management research as knowledge, management research can still contribute to the growth of managerial practice. This is because value of management ideas lies in their application to managerial practice. This can be achieved by incorporating the key features from different management research approaches and applying to management research. Similar to the first two parts, the final part is also organized into four chapters. They are: methodology as mechanism, knowledge and action in management research, evidence, research and learning, and management and knowledge.

This book fills the gap for a text which presents a theoretically‐based critique of management knowledge. The main aim is to enable the reader to become more discerning towards the management literature and research. This book is particularly relevant to management researchers and professionals in questioning how far management research actually leads to genuine knowledge of organisations. However, as with all theoretical works, Management Knowledge: A Critical View is meant for the fairly advanced reader. The reader should have a good grounding in general research approaches and paradigms in order to appreciate the arguments presented by the author.