Talking about Organization Science

Debates and Dialogue From Crossroads

This book features some of the most informative and provocative articles to appear in the Crossroads section of Organizational Science. Crossroads is devoted to the publication of papers intended to stimulate conversations across different disciplines, perspectives, and orientations. Written by outstanding scholars, the themes of the book cover a wide range of issues at the heart of the study of organizations. These include debates over the role of economics in strategic management research and the now classic exchanges between Jeff Pfeffer and John Van Maanen over the direction of organizational science studies; discourses that describe, analyze and critique ways to present and understand organizations, including a re-appraisal of Gibson Burrell and Gareth Morgan's seminal work on sociological paradigms of organizational analysis and views on (organizational) culture expressed by several leading writers on the topic: It includes dialogues on some quite radical or unusual "takes" on organizational life: the role of the tempered radical or unusual "takes" on organizational life: the role of the tempered radical, working inside the organization for fundamental change; the dilemmas facing individuals publishing qualitative research in main stream journals; the implications of adopting a spiritual lens to the study of organizations; and a discussion of ways we might better bridge the gap between academic thinking and business practice.

The articles reveal the authors' depth of knowledge and passion for their subject. They are an ideal source of information and insight, for both new and mature scholars. These debates can serve as an excellent basis to spark enlightened and enjoyable conversations in research seminars and are very useful for informal study.