What is organizational history? Toward a creative synthesis of history and organization studies
Godfrey, PC; Hassard, J; OConnor, ES; et al.Rowlinson, M; Ruef, M
Date: 1 October 2016
Article
Journal
Academy of Management Review
Publisher
Academy of Management
Publisher DOI
Abstract
As a synthesis of organization theory and historiography, the field of organizational history is
mature enough to contribute to wider theoretical and historiographical debates and sufficiently
developed for a theoretical consideration of its subject matter. We take up the question, “What is
organizational history?” and consider three ...
As a synthesis of organization theory and historiography, the field of organizational history is
mature enough to contribute to wider theoretical and historiographical debates and sufficiently
developed for a theoretical consideration of its subject matter. We take up the question, “What is
organizational history?” and consider three distinct arguments that we believe frame the next
phase of development for historical work within organization studies. First we argue that
following the “historic turn,” organizational history has developed as a subfield of organization
studies that takes seriously the matter of history, promoting historical research as a way to enrich
the broad endeavor of organization. Second, if “history matters” then organization theory needs a
theoretical account of the past that goes beyond the mere use of history as a context to test or an
example to illustrate theory. Finally, the focus on “history that matters” in the present leads to
two important considerations: how organizations can use “rhetorical history” as a strategic
resource, and the need to engage with historiographically significant subjects that connect
organization theory to larger humanistic concerns such as slavery and racism.
Management
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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