Organizational Imaginaries: A conceptualization by first growing theoretical breasts

• Often seen to arise from utterly anthropomorphic activity, it is unclear what sort of humannessthat has been espoused through conceptualizations of imaginaries within organization andmanagement theory (OMT). We investigate this by first elaborating on how researchers canacknowledge a more wholesome humanness in a counter to ballsy theory (Cunliffe, 2022), tothen provide a queering metaphor - the growing of theoretical breasts - to infuse humannessdifferently. We assess existing conceptualizations of imaginaries within the field in relation totheir core metaphors and assumptions about ‘the human’, to then create our ownconceptualization of ‘organizational imaginaries’ based on breasty thinking. Instead of beingdependent on the ‘lived experience’ of research participants, this method for thinking differentlycan be used to enliven unpopulated theory-driven papers through the ‘lived experience’ of thetheoroi - the theorizing self. This embedding of theory within humanness is of particularimportance when desired futures are assumed to be reached through Anthropos’ exclusivecapacity to generate imaginaries. Queering metaphors for a contemplative and careful craftingof a theorizing self, can also facilitate unique positions, pluralism in theory, and embodiedknowledge production.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik -- Övrig annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies -- Other Engineering and Technologies not elsewhere specified (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Humanness

lived experience

metaphor

organizational imaginaries

queering

theorizing

Engineering Science with specialization in industrial engineering and management

Teknisk fysik med inriktning mot industriell teknik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

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