S-A-P zapping the field
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: In their rejoinder, Jarzabkowski and Whittington do not concede one point. They even defend the resource-based view of the firm, despite its well-known limitations (the fact that some of its major limitations have been staked by someone labelled a ‘sociologist’ does not, from our perspective, make it any more palatable). Their defensiveness is surprising, though perhaps in keeping with Whittington’s (2007) pithy description of S-A-P (strategy as practice) as being akin to ‘a pushy younger sibling, making a lot of noise’. There is perhaps another parallel. Thirty years ago, punk music exploded from English art schools, Kings Road fashion boutiques and London hang-outs. The movement was energized in reaction to what had gone before. Out went long hair, progressive rock, hippyism and flared trousers to be replaced by a do-it-yourself energy. Punk bands were formed that played fast, short and simple songs with nihilistic lyrics in small clubs; their records were released on small startup record labels and came to define the late 1970s. The DIY attitude characterized the movement and in part was a sign of the political changes that were to follow. We are not suggesting that S-A-P types parade around the Academy of Management in bondage trousers, with Mohican haircuts and safety pins through their noses, but there is an undeniable DIY quality to the S-A-P community. Not versed or trained in sociology – just as the punks 30 years ago were barely musicians – they are simply getting on and doing sociology themselves. While the energy and vibrancy of the community is impressive, like punk the output is more open to question, although it does have a certain mongrel vitality, particularly in its cheerful irreverence for the hastily erected and recent traditions of strategy research composed as a part of some thing called ‘management’. Would one want to call the composition that is management a ‘discipline’? Probably not, for it is far too eclectic in its borrowings: a little psychology here, dashes of information systems there, huge chunks of economics (usually neoclassical), some engineering, a fair mix of hagiography and war stories. ... Yet, it is precisely this lack of a ‘strong tradition’ that makes management interesting and creative; the development of theory in the interstices or differend between disciplinary areas can be an exciting project. Indeed, one striking way the field of management studies develops is through the creation of hybrids STRATEGIC ORGANIZATION Vol 6(1): 107–112 DOI: 10.1177/1476127007087156 Copyright ©2008 Sage Publications (Los Angeles, London, New Delhi and Singapore) http://so.sagepub.com
Source: Strategic Organization
Institutions: University of St Andrews, University of Technology Sydney
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2159364239