John Leopold and Luchien Karsten
Introduces the special issue on time and management which draws together analyses of these issues from across the European Union.
Abstract
Introduces the special issue on time and management which draws together analyses of these issues from across the European Union.
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The purpose of this paper is to claim that Habermas's pragmatic speech act theory helps us to extend our understanding of how management concepts are actually applied. First, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to claim that Habermas's pragmatic speech act theory helps us to extend our understanding of how management concepts are actually applied. First, the relevant features of management concepts are examined, to indicate how the diffusion of knowledge about management practices and organizational structuring takes place. Subsequently, the paper focuses on the adoption of management concepts in companies, looking at the different ways management concepts are implemented. Some implementation is based on strategic actions, others on communicative action. This issue is further explored in the final section.
Design/methodology/approach
Compares Lervik and Lunnar's categorization of management concept implementation to Habermas's epistemology.
Findings
Identifies aspects of language as conversation as determinant of new management concept implementation.
Practical implications
Shows how role discourse analysis coupled with Habermas can give an understanding of implementation of new management concepts.
Originality/value
Practical application of Habermasian analysis of communication.
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Luchien Karsten and John Leopold
Working time patterns are moving away from the traditional pattern of regularity, standardisation and co‐ordination to a new triptych of individualism, heterogeneity and…
Abstract
Working time patterns are moving away from the traditional pattern of regularity, standardisation and co‐ordination to a new triptych of individualism, heterogeneity and irregularity. Seeks to make sense of these changes through the concept of hora management as an approach to manage the interface between temporally asymmetric domains of organisational and domestic space mediated through the space of professional relations. Drawing on the societal approach, defines the three spaces – professional relations, organisational and domestic – and builds a model of their inter‐relationship that incorporates the supranational impact of the European Union. Organisational citizenship will require managers to pursue family‐friendly policies and recognise that time spent in one domain cannot be equated with time spent in another. Hora management offers a way of managing these tensions and contradictions.
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Luchien Karsten and Honorine Illa
To explore how an increasing attention which is being paid to language and culture in organisations can help people to understand the impact of particular management concepts in…
Abstract
Purpose
To explore how an increasing attention which is being paid to language and culture in organisations can help people to understand the impact of particular management concepts in business practices.
Design/methodology/approach
A range of publications has been selected to indicate how important language in organisations is and how particular cultural backgrounds influence the applicabilty of management concepts. This has been illustrated with the concept Ubuntu, which gains popularity in South Africa.
Findings
The applicabilty of Ubuntu in companies will rely on the habitus of the manager to be a good conversationalist.
Originality/value
So far the Western literature about management knowledge has neglected the development of particular management concepts originating in other parts of the world.
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Fitsum Ghebregiorgis and Luchien Karsten
This article seeks to examine the challenges and prospects of human resource management (HRM) in a developing‐country context. It focuses on contextual factors and employee…
Abstract
Purpose
This article seeks to examine the challenges and prospects of human resource management (HRM) in a developing‐country context. It focuses on contextual factors and employee involvement in analysing HRM to provide theoretical insights.
Design/methodology/approach
To explore the above theme, on‐site interviews were carried out with general managers, human resource professionals, line managers and union leaders in eight firms. Furthermore, a sample of 252 employees was included, thereby contributing to the generalisability of the findings.
Findings
This article provides substantial and current information on HRM knowledge and practices in Eritrea. The paper argues that some contextual variables impose certain challenges to HRM practices. However, evidence also reveals that the concept and knowledge of HRM practices, such as training, recruitment, compensation, employee participation, performance appraisal and reward systems, are in place with some indicators of local influence.
Research limitations/implications
In light of the above findings, the article informs multinational companies that transferring managerial expertise to Africa may not necessarily be required, as the knowledge already exists there. A major limitation may derive from the use of convenience sampling in selecting the firms, but extreme caution is taken to get a faithful representation.
Originality/value
Contrary to the dominant view that African management is characterised by authoritarianism, this study shows the participative style of managers. Moreover, it incorporates the attitudes and perceptions of employees, a generally neglected part of HRM studies.
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Luchien Karsten, Sjoerd Keulen, Ronald Kroeze and Rik Peters
This paper aims to look at the role of the top and middle management of the Philips organization during the transition from one type of organizational change to another in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to look at the role of the top and middle management of the Philips organization during the transition from one type of organizational change to another in the 1990s and the role the history of the organisation played in this process.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analysis is based on historical records, literature and interviews with former Philips top managers.
Findings
The paper shows that Philips' leaders used different styles of leadership to create a deliberate atmosphere and willingness to change. The final emergent transformation, however, could only sufficiently materialise while it rejuvenated existing management concepts like Quality Management. The success was partly based on the fact that these concepts played a historical role in the Philips organisation.
Originality/value
The paper adds the historical style approach to leadership research and pays attention to the important role of the organization's history during processes of organizational change.
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Fitsum Ghebregiorgis and Luchien Karsten
This paper seeks to examine employee reactions to human resource management (HRM) and performance. It placed employees on a centre stage in analysing HRM to provide theoretical…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to examine employee reactions to human resource management (HRM) and performance. It placed employees on a centre stage in analysing HRM to provide theoretical insights.
Design/methodology/approach
To explore the theme, a survey of 252 employees drawn from eight organisations was conducted. Furthermore, on‐site interviews were carried out with managers, thereby contributing to the generalisability of the findings.
Findings
The findings from the study indicate a positive attitude of employees to HRM practices, such as promotion from within, staffing, equal employment opportunity, quality of training, reasonable compensation and paid vacation and sick days. Moreover, the evidence also shows that productivity has been increasing while employee turnover, absenteeism, and grievances are low. However, the evidence also reveals that training was not integrated in a planned way to employee career development.
Research limitations/implications
The present study adds to a growing literature that helps the understanding of HRM policies and practices in a developing country context. Future research would benefit from additional research in this area in other geographical settings to better understand the generalisability of the findings reported.
Originality/value
In contrast with previous research, which has predominantly been conducted from a managerial perspective, this article deals with employee perceptions. This emphasises the importance of exploring employee reactions towards HRM practices, policies and other aspects of firm life.
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Peter van Baalen and Luchien Karsten
This paper aims to provide insights into the evolution of the concept of interdisciplinarity in management science and management education.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide insights into the evolution of the concept of interdisciplinarity in management science and management education.
Design/methodology/approach
A range of recently published (1993‐2002) works, which aim to provide practical advice rather than theoretical books on pedagogy or educational administration, are critiqued to aid the individual make the transition into academia. The sources are sorted into sections: finding an academic job, general advice, teaching, research and publishing, tenure and organizations.
Findings
The paper finds that in the evolution of management education and management science interdisciplinarity took different forms: synoptic and instrumental. Both forms resulted from different knowledge strategies of competing and cooperating disciplines. It concludes that in The Netherlands instrumental versions of interdisciplinarity in management research and education prevailed.
Research limitations/implications
The paper studies the evolution of interdisciplinarity in management education and management science in the Dutch higher education context. It assumes that the pattern of evolution differs from country to country.
Practical implications
Interdisciplinarity is a complex concept. This study provides practical insights into the dynamics of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Originality/value
Much has been written about interdisciplinarity in science and education. However there is hardly any empirical and historical research on this topic.
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Peter van Baalen and Luchien Karsten
This paper aims to provide an alternative explanation for the rise of modern management schools at the turn of the twentieth century. It is to be argued that these schools were…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide an alternative explanation for the rise of modern management schools at the turn of the twentieth century. It is to be argued that these schools were not just responses of the higher education system to the demand of industrializing companies for a new class of professional managers, like Chandler suggests.
Design/methodology/approach
The historical‐actor approach is applied to explain the rise of academic management schools, prior to the Second World War. Data were collected from the archives of different management schools and professional organizations of the engineers and accountants.
Findings
To legitimize their position in the higher education system, abstraction appeared to be the dominant strategy of the professions. By abstraction they could distinguish themselves from the lay public and other professional groups in the domain of management. At the moment the new professions had a foot in the higher education system the engineers and the accountants contested for the new management domain. Abstraction appeared also the successful strategy of the accountants to distinguish themselves from the engineers and to establish a sound base for the development of the Dutch variant of business economics.
Research limitations/implications
The paper presents a full account of the Dutch situation but the findings cannot be generalized to other countries. More comparative research is needed. The rise of management schools is mostly explained as an educational response to an economic demand.
Practical implications
The history of the Dutch business schools may provide researchers and administrators of universities insight into the dynamics of disciplines and into setting up professional schools.
Originality/value
This research is based on original documents from the archives of schools and professional organizations. The main contribution of the paper is that it shows how emancipatory and social status motives mediated between the demand and supply side.